Valentine’s Day is approaching quickly and these fresh strawberry macarons are a must make for the holiday! The strawberry macarons are inspired by Ladurée’s Ispahan macaron, which I’ve made in a few different variations. This one though, might be a new favorite with the heart shaped strawberries and ribboned filling. A bit extra, but completely worth it when you give them a try! The marriage of the fruit and creamy frosting with with the chewy macaron shells is like a chef’s kiss and suitable for any love themed gatherings, or gifting to your Valentine/Galentine! The macarons are also dairy free and gluten free making them suitable for anyone with allergies.
Fresh Strawberry Macarons
Ispahan and Valentine’s Day inspired french macarons filled with creamy vanilla bean filling and studded with fresh heart shaped strawberries. Garnished with edible gold. Dairy free and Gluten free.
Ladurée inspiration
It’s no secret that I love Ladurée! It’s the most elegant French bakery I’ve visited with so much to see and try! I especially love their ispahan macarons, so much so that I’ve started a bit of a fresh fruit macaron series here on the blog. From classic to summer themed and even fresh blueberry, naturally strawberry macarons were next on the list to make just in time for Valentine’s Day!
Strawberry macaron taste
Although I love macarons with strawberry filling, fresh strawberry macarons hit differently! Especially in heart shapes. The tartness of the berries with the vanilla filling and nutty almond shells is deliciously balanced, and fruit forward, tasting similar to berries and cream.
From the color scheme, to the taste and elegant details, you’re sure to fall in love with this Valentine’s themed macaron!
Strawberry Macaron Ingredients/Supplies
If you’ve made macarons before, the fresh berry macarons will be a breeze! Below are the supplies needed to make a batch at home!
Macarons:
- Egg whites
- Quality almond flour, fine ground.
- Confectioner’s sugar
- Cream of Tartar
- Granulated sugar
- Water
- Pink/red gel food coloring
- Scale
- Thermometer
- Piping Bag
- Round piping tip
- Electric or stand mixer
- Rubber spatula
Filling:
- Fresh strawberries (hulled, sliced and cut into heart shapes with mini cookie cutter – optional)
- Organic shortening
- Vanilla
- Vanilla bean
- Kosher salt
- Piping bag
- Piping tip 1M
Decor:
- Edible glitter
- Gold leaf
How to make Strawberry Macarons
If you’re an experienced macaron baker, you’ll find this recipe easy to follow, but if you need step by step macaron baking instructions, check out my tutorial here. Here’s how you make the strawberry macarons.
Make the macaron shells according to the instructions below. Once macaronage is complete, pipe the batter into 2″ rounds on a silicone lined baking sheet. Once the batter is piped tap the trays to release air bubbles. Then rest the piped shells for 30 minutes (or until dry) and then bake in the oven for 10-13 minutes. Once done, remove shells from oven and cool fully before removing from silicone mat.
The vanilla bean frosting filling is vegan and made with organic shortening, icing sugar, vanilla, vanilla bean and salt. This is my preferred filling, but buttercream or Swiss meringue BC are also options. Mix all 5 ingredients together, then transfer to a piping bag fitted with tip 1M. Set aside.
Wash, hull and slice strawberries into 1/4 inch thick slices. Cutting into heart shapes is optional but can be done with a mini heart shaped cutter or a paring knife. Pat strawberries dry to remove excess moisture. Set aside.
Strawberry Macaron Assembly
The macarons are simple to assemble with the fresh berries. Once the shells are have cooled, match them up. Place one shell on its back and squeeze a dollop of the vanilla filling into the center of the bottom shell so that it makes a 2″ ruffled design.
Stud the outside of the filling with 3-4 fresh strawberries (top side up.) The strawberries should meet the edge of the macaron shell with enough filling to hold them in place.
Place a cut slice of strawberry in the center of the cream filling and top with one more dollop of filing,
Then place the second shell on top of the filing to create a sandwich.
Garnish with another dollop of frosting, fresh strawberry and edible gold.
Print
Strawberry Macarons
- Prep Time: 45
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 20 assembled macarons 1x
- Category: Baking
- Method: Macarons
- Cuisine: Dessert
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Ladurée (ispahan) and Valentine’s Day inspired french macarons filled with creamy vanilla bean filling then studded with fresh heart shaped strawberries. Garnished with edible gold. Dairy free and Gluten free.
Ingredients
- 106 grams of almond meal
- 106 grams powdered sugar
- 41 and 45 grams of egg whites divided
- 115 grams of granulated sugar
- 79 grams of water
- dash of cream of tartar or lemon juice for stabilizing
- ¼ tsp pink or red gel or powdered food coloring
Vanilla Bean Frosting:
- 3/4 cup organic shortening
- 1 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
- Pinch of salt
Fresh Strawberries:
- Fresh strawberries sliced 1/4″ thick and patted dry
- Mini heart shaped cookie cutter
Additional ingredients:
- Edible glitter
- Gold leaf
Instructions
Macaron shells:
- Wipe down the mixing bowl and whisk attachment with vinegar to remove any built up residue. This will ensure that the egg whites whisk up properly.
- Prep and measure all of the ingredients using a kitchen scale.
- Prep a piping bag with a round tip. I use Wilton tip 12.
- Line 2 baking sheets with silpat (or parchment).
- Combine measured almond meal & powdered sugar together in a bowl. Sift one time to remove any lumps, discarding of them, then mix together to break up clumps.
- Pour the gel or powdered food coloring into the 41 grams of measured egg whites and whisk until combined.
- Make a well in the center of the almond powder and icing sugar and pour colored egg whites into the center of the dry mixture. Add gel food coloring. Fold together until fully incorporated. The finished mix will be paste-like. Set aside.
- For the sugar syrup:
- To make the sugar syrup, heat granulated sugar and water in a pot on medium heat with a candy thermometer attached to the side. **Be careful to make sure the thermometer is not touching the bottom of the pot**.
- Once the thermometer’s temperature reaches approximately 200 degrees F, place the 45 grams of measured egg whites in the stand mixer and whisk on medium speed, to soft peaks.
- Add a drop of lemon juice or dash of cream of tartar to stabilize, THEN continue whisking.
- If the egg whites are at soft peaks before the syrup reaches 248 F, turn the mixer down to low speed to keep the egg whites moving.
- Watch the sugar syrup closely.
- As soon as the sugar syrup reaches 248 degrees F, remove from heat.
- Quickly increase mixer speed to medium and begin slowly pouring the sugar syrup down the side of your mixing bowl into the meringue until thoroughly combined, making sure the syrup doesn’t touch the whisk.
- THEN increase the mixing speed to high and whisk sugar and meringue together until glossy and stiff peaks form and the meringue has cooled. (The meringue should keep its form.)
- Gently transfer finished meringue into the almond/powdered sugar mixture in thirds, making sure that it’s fully incorporated before adding the additional 3rd of meringue.
- Fold the batter in a circular motion, going around the edges of the bowl, then once through the center until all meringue has been fully incorporated and the batter runs off the spatula in a flowing consistency.
- **Be careful not to over-mix**
- Transfer batter to the prepped piping bag.
- Pipe 3″ rounds of batter 2″ apart on the baking sheet.
- *Tap the macarons on the counter three times to release air bubbles.
- Before placing the macarons in the oven, let them to rest until a proper skin has formed on the outside of the shell. This can take anywhere from 20-30 minutes. Test by touching the piped rounds to make sure they’re dry to touch and slightly firm. No batter comes off on fingers.
- Preheat oven from 300 to 305 degrees F.
- Once dry to touch, place the macarons in the middle rack of the oven.
- Feet will form halfway through the baking process.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let fully cool before attempting to remove the shells from the silpat/parchment paper.
- Once macaron shells are completely cool, gently remove from parchment paper/silpat.
- They’re ready to assemble.
Vanilla Bean Frosting:
- Mix shortening/vegan butter, icing sugar, salt, vanilla bean and vanilla into the bowl of a mixer and mix until well combined and frosting consistency.
- Transfer filling to piping bag fitted with tip 1M and set aside.
ASSEMBLY:
- Match up two baked and cooled macaron shells.
- Place one shell on its back and squeeze a dollop of the filling onto the center of the bottom shell so that it makes a 2″ mound.
- Stud the outside of the filling with fresh strawberries or strawberry heart cutouts (top side up.) The berries should meet the edge of the macaron shell with enough filling to hold them in place.
- Place a slice of strawberry in the center of the filling, then top with one more dollop of filing.
- Place the second shell on top of the filing to create a sandwich.
- Garnish with another dollop of frosting sliced strawberry and gold leaf.
- Transfer to the fridge to mature for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.
- Because the fruit is fresh, it’ll soften the shells, so its better to eat these macarons the same day.
- Pull from fridge 15 minutes prior to serving for the macarons to reach room temp.
- Serve individually.
- Eat like a regular macaron or cut in half and enjoy with a fork!
Notes
- Because the fruit is fresh, it’ll soften the shells, so its better to eat these macarons the same day.
- Buttercream or SMBC will work well with this recipe.
Keywords: how to make strawberry macarons, how to make French macarons, dairy and gluten free macarons, strawberry macarons, vanilla frosting, Valentine's macarons, holiday macarons, ispahan macarons
As you can see, the strawberry (ispahan inspired ) macarons look beautiful on display!
Serve each one individually or on dessert plates and enjoy!
If you plan to give these strawberry macarons a try, bookmark and save to Pinterest and be sure to tag me @poshlittledesigns on social media as well!
This post titled Strawberry Macarons was seen first on Posh Little Designs. All Rights Reserved. 2023
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