Vanilla Bean Macarons with Raspberry Rose Ganache
80 cookies (40 finished macarons)
Recipe adapted from Kathryn Gordon and Anne E. McBride
Cookies:
250 grams almond flour
250 grams confectionery sugar
¼ tsp fine sea salt
175 grams egg whites (about ¾ cup)
¾ tsp cream of tartar
225 grams granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
2 tsp vanilla paste
Raspberry Rose Ganache:
11 ounces white chocolate (one bag)
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
2 Tbsp raspberry powder
1 tsp rose flower water
1) Make the ganache: In a medium saucepan, bring the heavy cream and light corn syrup to a soft boil. Place the white chocolate chips in a medium size glass bowl. Remove the cream from the heat and whisk in the raspberry powder. Pour the hot raspberry cream over the white chocolate and let sit for 3-5 minutes to melt. Whisk until smooth and then whisk in the rose flower water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
2) Make the cookies: Place the almond flour, confectionary sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 4 or 5 times to combine. Empty the contents into a large mixing bowl.
3) In a medium saucepan, stir together the granulated sugar and water. Cook over medium-high heat until the syrup reaches 235 degrees.
4) Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees and line three sheet pans with parchment or silicon macaron pads.
5) While the syrup comes up to temperature, in the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk the egg white and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form – about two minutes. Do not overbeat! Once the syrup reaches 235 degrees, steadily pour the syrup down the sides of the mixing bowl with the mixer running at medium speed. Once all the syrup has been added, continue whisking until soft peaks of glossy meringue forms – about another 4-5 minutes. Reduce the mixer to low and add the vanilla paste.
6) Lightly fold the finished meringue into the almond dry mix until smooth and glossy. Using a macaron guide, pipe the cookies into 1 ½” rounds (about 27-28 rounds per sheet pan). Bake one tray at a time. Bake at 200 degrees for 15 minutes, then increase the heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 9 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. (Your oven may not reach 350 for a few minutes. That is good. The slower heat increase allows the cookies to rise and not over-brown).
7) Remove the first pan and let cool completely on a wire rack. Let the oven reduce its heat to 200 degrees and bake the second pan in the same manner.
8) When the cookies have completely cooled. Pipe about 1 Tbsp of ganache on the flat side of one cookie and sandwich with another.
