Lemon Curd Macarons

Macaron shells:

1. 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.
2. Prep and measure all of the ingredients using a kitchen scale.
3. Prep a piping bag with a round tip. I use Wilton tip 12.
4. Line 2 baking sheets with silpat or a silicone mat.
5. 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.
6. Make a well in the center of the dry mix and pour the 41 grams of measured egg whites into the center of the dry mixture. Add yellow food coloring and fold together until fully incorporated. The finished mix will be paste-like. Set aside.

For the sugar syrup:

1. 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**.
2. 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.
3. Add a drop of lemon juice or dash of cream of tartar to stabilize, THEN continue whisking.
4. 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.
5. Watch the sugar syrup closely.
6. As soon as the sugar syrup reaches 248 degrees F, remove from heat.
7. 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.
8. 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.)
9. 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.
10. Continue to fold the batter in a circular motion, going around the edges of the bowl, then once through the center. Repeat these steps until smooth and thick ribbons of batter run off the spatula.
11. **Be careful not to over-mix**
12. You want the batter to be slightly thick, but not so thin that it does not hold the ribbon shape. Err on the side of caution.
13. Transfer batter to the prepped piping bag(s).
14. Pipe four 1 inch rounds on the silpat lined baking sheet (s).
15. Be sure to hold the piping bag about 1/2 inch directly above the baking sheet when piping the rounds. 
16. *Tap the macarons on the counter three times to release air bubbles.
17. *Pop any air bubbles that might’ve come to the surface, using a scribe or a toothpick.
18. Before placing the macs in the oven, let them rest until a proper skin has formed on the outside of the shell. This can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes. Test by touching the center of the piped macaron batter with a clean finger. They should be dry to touch with no batter coming off on fingers.
19. Preheat oven to 305 degrees F.
20. Once dry to touch, place the macarons in the middle rack of the oven.
21. Feet will form halfway through the baking process.
22. Bake for 13-15 minutes.
23. You can open the oven and wiggle gently from side to side towards the end of baking to see if they need more time. A fully baked macaron should be sturdy when tested.
24. Once fully baked, remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes to 30 minutes before removing the shells from the silpat.
25. Once macarons are completely cool, gently remove from parchment paper/silpat.
26. Repeat same steps to bake the remaining macaron batter. 
27. Once completely cooled, they’re ready to assemble

Dairy Free Lemon Frosting:

1. Wash the mixing bowl, then mix shortening/butter, powdered sugar, vanilla bean, lemon juice and lemon zest and salt in a stand mixer on medium until well combined, about 3 minutes.
2. Transfer filling to piping bag and set aside until ready to decorate.

Dairy Free Lemon Curd:

1. Whisk egg yolks and sugar together until combined.
2. Turn heat on to medium low and whisk in lemon juice and zest.
3. Whisk until thickened and bubbly, then add pectin powder (optional) and vegan butter.
4. Transfer to a heat proof bowl to cool.
5. Once cool, transfer piping bag for filling the macarons.

Lemon Royal Icing Transfers:

1. Whisk water and meringue powder for about two minutes until light and foamy
2. Mix in powdered sugar and extract/lemon juice mixing until icing is a thick toothpaste consistency.
3. Divide icing between two small bowls.
4. Color one of the bowls of icing with a dash of yellow food coloring and thin with droplets of water.
5. You’ll know the icing is ready when stir lines in the yellow icing take 7-8 seconds to disappear.
6. Transfer yellow icing to tipless piping bag and seal.
7. Repeat steps for white icing.
8. Print a lemon template and place a sheet of parchment over the top of it.
9. Snip a small tip off the icing and pipe the icing tracing and covering each lemon design with icing.
10. Repeat steps for all lemon icing transfers and gently set aside to harden for about 2 hours.

Macaron Assembly:

1. Line up the macaron shells, then flip the bottom shell feet side up.
2. Pipe a thick layer of creamy lemon frosting leaving a space in the center for lemon curd.
3. Fill the space in the center with lemon curd, then pipe a small dollop of frosting in the center of the lemon curd, topping with second macaron shell.
4. Remove dried icing transfers from parchment.
5. Use remaining royal icing to pipe onto the back of each lemon transfer.
6. Gently attach the lemon transfers to center of the finished macarons.
7. You can also pipe a dollop of frosting on the top of the finished shell and top with lemon icing transfer.
8. Decorate with edible gold or silver leaf.
9. Repeat steps for all macarons.
10. Transfer to fridge for 12 to 24 hours to mature.
11. Let macarons come to room temp for 10-15 minutes prior to serving.
12. Enjoy within 3 days or freeze for up to 6 months.