Mango Cheesecake Macarons
Thanks, Bob’s Red Mill, for sponsoring this post!
Hellooooo! It’s been a while since I’ve popped in on the old blog. I decided to take a week long break away from technology and then that break turned into three, but I’m back. It wasn’t really a true “break” like in the spring break sense. I was still working away on some very fun (but secret, sorry to be that annoying person) projects and I spent the majority of last week hand making 608 dumplings for a #dumpthehate fundraiser. I lost mobility is my right arm for a hot second but I’m back in full working order! If you’re wondering when the next dumpling pop-up will be, it will probably be never (lol). Even though I come from a restaurant family, food service is not really my passion but I love a good bake or dumpling sale for a good cause.
Anyways, I’m easing back into the regular rhythm of blogging, but honestly I’m ready for a real vacation. We were looking into flights to Hawaii for the Fall (maybe before book tour things?), but the idea of flying and also leaving our dog feels unattainable at this point. Thankfully I have a box of these Mango Cheesecake Macarons in the freezer and each bite feels like a tropical vacation!
If you’ve been following a long for a while, then you might be aware of my arduous journey with macarons. I LOVE macarons and I’ve been attempting to share a recipe for them for YEARS. I made my first macaron 5 years ago and they actually turned out alright, but then every single batch following was a cracked, deflated, sticky failure. I didn’t know what I was doing wrong. Maybe the wind was blowing the wrong way? Or maybe I was destined to never make macarons in my own kitchen. Each failed batch ended with me in tears and vowing to never make them again.
This year, I faced my fears and macarons no longer haunt my dreams. I finally found a method that works for me consistently. It’s very much a project but worth it. As I mentioned before, they taste like mini vacations, which is exactly how I want to feel after making macarons!
find The right meringue for you!
Macarons are essentially a delicate mix of almond meal, powdered sugar, and a meringue. Every component needs to be in the right balance. I’ve tried many macaron recipes with varying degrees of success. The method that has worked out the best for me and caused me to shed the least tears is the Italian Meringue method. Italian Meringue is considered the most stable meringue because it combines egg whites with a hot sugar syrup. It’s best to make the syrup in a small saucepan if you have one and you’ll need a candy or similar thermometer to make sure it reaches 249-degrees.
Making the syrup is an extra step compared to other meringue methods like French or Swiss, but I find it soooo worth it because my macarons have turned out cute and with a little foot every single time.
pay attention to the Macaronage
The process of combining the meringue with the almond meal and sugar is called macaronage. It’s tricky to get the hang of it, but your goal is to fold the mixture until it’s evenly combined and remove just enough air so that your macaron shells aren’t hollow when they bake. Since the Italian meringue is so stable, it takes a bit of muscle to deflate and mix properly. As you’re folding the mixture, press the batter against the sides of the bowl to remove some of the air. The final batter texture should be thick but still runny. Pull some of the batter up with the flexible spatula and watch how it falls back into the bowl. The batter should run and drip in a steady stream and when it hits the rest of the batter you should be able to see the ribbons of batter for 7 to 8 seconds. If it dissolves too quickly into the batter, then you have over mixed. If it takes longer than 8 seconds to dissolve then continue mixing. After a few macaron trials, you’ll start to feel when the batter texture is perfect.
Pipe and Assemble
Don’t make the same mistake as me and pipe your macarons blobs too close together. I highly recommend drawing your own piping guides with pencil and parchment paper or purchasing silicone mats with the guides already printed on them. I have the already printed mats and they are a life saver! You’ll want 1 1/4-inch rounds spaced 2” apart. It’s important to give them enough space because the batter does spread after you pipe them.
Once you pipe the blobs, top the rounds with a little sprinkle of toasted coconut and let them dry out. Some recipes recommend not drying out but that has never worked for me. Drying out the shells before baking forms a dry surface on top and greatly helps forming the foot at the base of the macaron. The drying out process takes 45 to 60 minutes, but it can also go a little if you’re baking in batches.
My favorite part of the whole macaron process is assembly because you’re only a step away from popping a few in your mouth! I like to pair all the shells up according to their size (I don’t necessarily pipe them all 1000% the same) first. Then I pipe a small bloop of the mango cheesecake filling and then sandwich it with the other shell. You can enjoy them immediately, but I’m fond of sticking them in the fridge for a little so they have some time to chill out. There’s something refreshing about a chilled tropical flavored macaron.
did you say, Mango Cheesecake?!
At least in my part of the world, the mangoes are really showing up. They are so plump and juicy. So you can’t blame me for trying to incorporate mangoes into everything while they are in season. For the mango cheesecake filling, all you have to do is blitz some fresh mango with softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt. I could eat this with a spoon. It’s bright, sweet, creamy, and tangy. At first the filling will be a little runny, so you’ll need to chill it in the fridge so it can firm up to a consistency that makes it pipe-able.
What if my macarons fail?
Don’t give up! I understand the heartache. Macarons are not cheap to make, especially when they fail. But they are one of those baking projects that just take time and practice. If you already have your filling made and your shells come out a little less than perfect you can do what I do and eat them as macaron nachos - a great dipping situation!
a little bit of vacation waiting for you the fridge
Mango cheesecake Macarons
makes 30 macarons
Shells:
170g Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour
170g powdered sugar
67g egg whites (from 2 large eggs)
gel food coloring (used a mix of orange and yellow)
3 tbsp toasted shredded coconut
Meringue:
52g water
170g sugar
67 egg whites (from 2 large eggs)
Mango Cheesecake Filling:
3/4 cup fresh cubed mango
8oz softened cream cheese
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
In a large mixing bowl, mix to combine almond flour, powdered sugar, and 67g egg whites (from 2 large eggs) with a flexible spatula to form a thick paste.
Prepare the meringue: Add 67g egg whites (from 2 large eggs) to the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium steep until light and frothy, 2 minutes. Turn off the mixer and prepare the syrup. In a small saucepan, whisk to combine water and sugar. Heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 249-degrees, it will be really bubbly at first and gradually calm down as it reaches 249-degrees. Turn the mixer back on to medium heat and slowly pour the syrup in a steady stream. Increase speed to medium-high and continue mixing until stiff peaks form. If adding color, add a few drops of your desired color(s) to the meringue while it mixes.
Add a third of the meringue to the bowl of almond meal and fold to combine with a flexible spatula. Add the remaining meringue and continue to mix and fold. This process is called macaronage. It’s tricky to get the hang of it, but your goal is to fold the mixture until it’s evenly combined and remove just enough air so that your macaron shells aren’t hollow when they bake. As you’re folding the mixture, press the batter against the sides of the bowl to remove some of the air. The final batter texture should be thick but still runny. Pull some of the batter up with the flexible spatula and watch how it falls back into the bowl. The batter should run and drip in a steady stream and when it hits the rest of the batter you should be able to see the ribbons of batter for 7 to 8 seconds. If it dissolves too quickly into the batter, then you have over mixed. If it takes longer than 8 seconds to dissolve then continue mixing.
Line 2 to 3 large baking trays with silicone mats or baking parchment. I like to use my silicone mats with the macaron guides already built in. Otherwise you can free hand piping or trace 1 1/4-inch circles, spaced 2” apart with a pencil on parchment paper.
Fill a large piping bag fitted with a medium round piping tip with the batter. While holding the tip perpendicular to the surface of the tray, pipe little round blobs according to your guides. Be mindful that the batter is spread slightly.
Once all the shells have been piped, hold the tray above the counter and firmly smack them against the counter a few times to remove any air pockets. Sprinkle toasted coconut on the shells and allow the shells to dry out for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The surface of the shells should have hardened slightly so that when you touch them the batter doesn’t stick.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and bake one tray at a time for 19 to 21 minutes and repeat with remaining trays. I find that the bottoms of the macarons still stick to the mats or parchment fresh from the oven, but easily detach once they have had a chance to cool. Transfer the trays to a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Then carefully lift the shells and transfer to a cooling rack to fully cool.
While the macaron shells are drying out, baking, or even cooling, prepare the filling: In the bowl of a food process, add the fresh mango cubes and blend until smooth. Add softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and salt, and blend until smooth. The mixture will be a little runny at first. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge until firm but pipable, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
To assemble the macarons: Pair up all the macaron shells. Fill a piping bag with the mango cheesecake filling and snip off the tip. Pip a blog of filling onto half the shells and sandwich with the remaining shells. Serve immediately or chill in the fridge for up to 5 days. Highly recommend enjoying straight from the fridge!