Decorate This: Macarons Part 2

Hello again, Pure Joy Events readers! Kristen here from Decorate This!, with Part 2 of my macaron tutorial. (Click here for Part 1). In this post, you'll learn how to make a few delicious fillings for your macarons, and learn how to assemble and store your finished product.

Macaron Fillings
 
Now that your shells are done - it's time to make some filling!  The possibilities really are endless - you can choose anything from sticky caramel, to rich chocolate ganache, to tart lemon curd.

Here are two of my favorites, lemon mascarpone and chocolate ganache:

Not So Humble Mascarpone Lemon Filling (adapted from Not So Humble Pie)
275 grams marscapone cheese (chilled)
150 grams lemon curd (feel free to use store bought or any recipe you like)
Zest of one medium lemon (optional.  I've made this filling with and without, with delicious results either way!)

1. Mix all  ingredients together until smooth.  
2. Fill a piping bag with the mixture and chill until firm (this step is important; otherwise the filling is a bit too runny and will make for messy macarons).

Chocolate Ganache
8 ounces good quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 stick unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream, sugar, and corn syrup to simmer over medium-low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved.
2. Remove pan from heat, and add chocolate.  Whisk until chocolate is melted.
3. Add butter and vanilla, and whisk until shiny and smooth.
4. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until ganache is a good consistency for piping.

Assembling Macarons

1. Match up similarly sized shells
2. Pipe filling onto one half of the cookie, and gently press the halves together
3. Enjoy!  Macarons are delicious when just baked, but are even better if they are allowed the mature in the refrigerator overnight.  The flavors will meld together, and the humidity in the refrigerator will soften the macaron a bit.  Try it - the wait is definitely worth it!

Once assembled, store your macarons in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.  They can also be stored at cool room temperature, if your filling of choice does not require refrigeration.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at kristen@queenbeecakery.com, or leave a comment on this post or on my blog, Decorate This!

Kristen - Contributing Writer from Decorate This!

Kristen is a software engineer who dreams about starting her own creative business (a cakery actually). She has always loved to bake and create, and gets great satisfaction from making beautiful things.