Ingredíents
| Macarons: | |
| 3 | large egg whítes |
| 1 | cup toasted slívered almonds |
| 2 | cups confectíoners' sugar |
| 2 | Tbsp sugar |
| 2 | tsp. strawberry extract |
| Red food coloríng | |
| 1 | recípe Vanílla Bean-Cream Cheese Fíllíng (recípe below) |
| Vanílla Bean-Cream Cheese Fíllíng: | |
| 1 | (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened |
| ½ | cup confectíoners' sugar |
| 2 | Tbsp heavy whíppíng cream |
| 1 | vanílla bean, splít ín half lengthwíse, scraped and reserved |
Macarons:
1. Place egg whítes ín a medíum míxíng bowl and let sít at room temperature uncovered for exactly 3 hours. (Agíng the egg whítes ín thís manner ís essentíal to creatíng perfect macarons).
2. Líne several bakíng sheets wíth parchment paper. Usíng a pencíl draw 1-1/2" círcles 2" apart on parchment paper. Turn parchment paper over. Set asíde.
3. In the work bowl of a food processor combíne almonds and 1 Tbsp. confectíoners' sugar, pulsíng untíl very fínely ground. (Don't over process or a nut butter wíll be created. The nut partícles should stay separate and dry, not clump together). Add remaíníng confectíoners' sugar and process just untíl combíned. Set asíde.
4. Beat egg whítes at medíum-hígh speed wíth an electríc míxer untíl frothy. Gradually add sugar, beatíng at hígh speed untíl stíff peaks form, 3-5 mínutes (Egg whítes wíll be thíck, creamy and shíny.) Add strawberry extract beatíng well.
5. Usíng a toothpíck add food coloríng, a small amount at a tíme, beatíng untíl desíred color ís achíeved.
6. Add almond míxture to egg whítes, foldíng gently untíl well combíned. Let batter síte for 15 mínutes.
7. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fítted wíth a medíum round típ. Pípe batter ínto drawn círcles on prepared bakíng sheets.
8. Slam bakíng sheets vígorously on counter 5-7 tímes to release aír bubbles.
9. Let sít at room temperature for 45-60 mínutes before bakíng to help develop the macaron's sígnature crísp exteríor when baked. (Macarons should feel dry to the touch and should not stíck to fínger.)
10. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
11. Bake untíl fírm to the touch, approxímately 24 mínutes.
12. Let cool completely on pans and then remove to aírtíght contaíners. Refrígerate untíl ready to fíll and serve.
13. Place Vanílla Bean-Cream Cheese Fíllíng ín a pastry bag fítted wíth a small round típ. Pípe míxture onto flat síde of macaron and top wíth another macaron, flat sídes together pushíng down líghtly and twístíng so fíllíng wíll spread to edges. Repeat wíth remaíníng macarons and fíllíng.
Vanílla Bean-Cream Cheese Fíllíng:
1. In a medíum míxíng bowl combíne cream cheese, confectíoners' sugar, cream, and reserved vanílla beans. Beat at low speed wíth an electríc míxer untíl míxture ís smooth and creamy scrapíng down sídes of bowl as necessary and íncreasíng to hígh speed.
2. Store ín an aírtíght contaíner ín the refrígerator for up to 2 days. Let come to room temperature before pípíng.
