Description
Delight in these elegant Red Velvet Valentine’s Day Macarons with a luscious mascarpone frosting. Perfectly light and airy red velvet-flavored macaron shells are paired with a creamy, smooth mascarpone filling to create a romantic treat ideal for special occasions or Valentine’s Day celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Macaron Shells:
- 130 g powdered sugar
- 120 g almond flour
- 7 g cocoa powder
- 105 g egg whites
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- ½ teaspoon red food gel
For the Mascarpone Frosting:
- 113 g (½ cup) heavy cream, cold
- 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 113 g (½ cup) mascarpone, cold
- ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
Instructions
- Prepare the template and dry ingredients: Trace a heart-shaped cookie cutter about 2 inches apart on parchment paper to create a macaron template or freehand the shapes. Sift powdered sugar, almond flour, and cocoa powder twice in a medium bowl for a smooth dry mixture.
- Make Italian meringue: Heat egg whites and granulated sugar over a double boiler until the temperature reaches about 120°F and sugar has dissolved. Transfer to stand mixer and whisk to soft peaks. Add vanilla paste and red food gel, then whisk to stiff peaks, testing by inverting the bowl to ensure the meringue holds firmly.
- Fold dry ingredients into meringue: Add one-third of the dry mix to the meringue and fold gently with a silicone spatula, scraping the bowl sides and center. Add the remaining dry ingredients and fold carefully to fully combine. Spread batter against bowl sides to deflate slightly, then continue folding until the batter flows in figure eights without breaking.
- Pipe the macaron shells: Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Place template under parchment paper and pipe heart shapes perpendicular to the surface, filling each heart completely. Remove the template carefully and tap the baking sheet on the counter and bottom to release air bubbles.
- Rest the shells: Let macarons rest for 30-40 minutes until a dry skin forms and touching does not remove batter.
- Bake the macarons: Preheat oven to 300°F toward the end of resting. Bake shells for 12 minutes. Cool completely before removing from parchment.
- Prepare the mascarpone frosting: In a chilly bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, combine cold heavy cream, sugar, mascarpone, and vanilla paste. Whisk on low until combined, then increase speed to medium-high and whip until thick, about 30 seconds.
- Assemble the macarons: Transfer frosting to a piping bag with a small round tip. Pair macaron shells and pipe frosting on the bottom half, then sandwich with the top shell pressing lightly to secure.
Notes
- The flavors of the macaron shells develop and improve after resting overnight. For best taste, make shells a day ahead and chill overnight before assembling.
- If macarons are difficult to peel from parchment after cooling, place them in the freezer for a few minutes to make removal easier without damage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 macaron
- Calories: 95
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
