Strawberry Rhubarb Macarons

These strawberry rhubarb macarons have a light, French macaron shell filled with vanilla bean buttercream and homemade strawberry rhubarb jam filling!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, French

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 15

Resting Time 45

Total Time 3

Servings filled macarons

Calories 115kcal

Author Kyleigh Sage

Equipment

Ingredients

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

72 grams fresh strawberries finely chopped (4-6 medium strawberries)
61 grams fresh rhubarb finely chopped (about 1 large stalk)
24 grams granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Macarons

100 grams egg whites room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
60 grams granulated sugar
110 grams almond flour sifted
200 grams powdered sugar sifted
¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste optional
2-4 drops pink food coloring optional

Vanilla Bean Buttercream

113 grams unsalted butter room temperature
180 grams powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste substitute vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons heavy cream as needed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Wash and hull the strawberries and dice into small pieces. Discard any rhubarb leaves, then wash and trim the ends. Dice the rhubarb stalks into small pieces as well.
In a large pot over medium heat, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the strawberries and rhubarb begin to break down and the filling starts to simmer and thicken, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Then chill until ready to use.

Macarons

Sift together almond flour and powdered sugar into a large bowl and set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until they become foamy, then add in the cream of tartar.
Turn the mixer up to medium-high and gradually add in the granulated sugar. Once all the sugar is added, turn the mixer to the highest setting and whisk on high until soft peaks form.
Add in the vanilla bean paste and 1-2 drops of pink food coloring, then continue to whisk on high until stiff peaks form.
Using a spatula, gently fold in half of the dry ingredient mixture until fully combined. Then gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients.
Continue to gently fold the batter until it reaches a “flowing lava” consistency. You should be able to make a “figure 8” with the batter before it breaks. As soon as you reach this consistency, stop mixing! If you over-mix the batter, the macarons won’t rise properly in the oven.
Line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Scoop batter into a large piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Hold the piping bag perpendicular to the silicone mat and pipe 1 inch rounds.
Pick up the baking sheet and drop it onto the counter 3-4 times to help bring any air bubbles to the surface of the macarons. Then use a toothpick to pop any visible air bubbles to make a smooth surface.
Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes or until a skin forms on the surface. You should be able to lightly touch the surface without any batter being disturbed.
While the macarons are resting, preheat the oven to 300°F.
Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 13-15 minutes or when they do not move on their “feet” when touched.
Let the macarons cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them. They should easily peel off when fully cooled.
Match up your shells before piping, and then turn one side over.
On a small plate, mix together 1-2 drops of white food coloring with 1-2 drops of vodka to thin it out. Carefully paint streaks on the macarons using a small food safe paintbrush.
Allow the food coloring to dry for at least 10-15 minutes before filling the macarons.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar until smooth.
Mix in the vanilla bean paste and heavy cream and beat the buttercream on high for 3-4 minutes until super light and fluffy.
Pipe the vanilla bean buttercream around the edge of the macaron shell. Then add a small scoop of strawberry rhubarb jam in the center of the frosting (about ½ teaspoon) then top with the other shell.
Put the assembled strawberry rhubarb macarons in an airtight container, then place them in the fridge to mature for 12-24 hours. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, for the best taste/texture, let them come up to room temperature for about an hour before eating! [Directly out of the fridge they can sometimes be super hard but at room temperature they're perfectly soft and tender!]

Notes

Tip: Clean mixing bowl and whisk attachment of your stand mixer with lemon juice to make sure there are no trace fats on either (if you skip this step, your meringue may not form).

Nutrition