White chocolate and mandarin macarons
Each time I make macarons I want to develop different flavors and combinations. Because mandarins are now in season I decided to make mandarin infused white chocolate ganache. For an extra mandarin hit I also made a quick mandarin "jam".
No matter how many times I make macarons they can always surprise me. The first batch I made turned out not quite as I expected. The meringue did not whip as it should and the end result was not good. The macaron shells were not shiny and flat and the feet turned out weird and not pretty. I still don't know what went wrong but the second attempt was more successful. This just shows how tricky the macarons can be and sometimes they just don't work out how you want them to, no matter how many times you make them.
I made two colored shells, one orange and one normal. In between I piped the white chocolate ganache and spooned a tiny amount of mandarin jam in the middle. I was worried that the mandarin flavor won't be strong enough but it came through nicely and worked really well with a creamy white chocolate.
Time:
For the macaron shells:
Making the white chocolate ganache:
Chop the chocolate and place in a heat-proof bowl.
Pour heavy cream in a small sauce pan and cook until just boiling. Remove from heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate in three additions, stirring after each one, until you have a smooth ganache. Add salt to taste.
Juice and zest 2 mandarins and stir it in the ganache. Pour in a piping bag and place in the fridge to set.
Making the mandarin jam:
Cut the mandarin into segments.
Place the segments into a small pan and add sugar and a dash of water. Cook on medium heat until it thickens. Add the spices and stir. Set aside to cool completely.
To make an orange colored shells, split the macaron batter into two. Pour one half into a piping bag and set aside. Add a drop of orange food coloring into the second half and stir until homogeneous.
Pipe the macarons on a parchment paper/silicone mat.
Tap the trays with the macarons on the table a few times to pop the air bubbles in the shells. Leave the macarons to rest for about 30 minutes or until they are not sticky to the touch.
Bake in the preheated oven at 150°C (302°F) for 15 minutes. Let the macarons cool completely, if the macarons are still sticky at the bottom return them to the oven and bake some more.
Assembly:
Pipe a generous dollop of the white chocolate ganache on a bottom half of the macaron. Pipe along the edges of a macaron, then with a palette knife smear the ganache to the center, making a small dent in the middle.
Add a dollop of mandarin jam in the middle. Cover with an orange colored macaron shell.
No matter how many times I make macarons they can always surprise me. The first batch I made turned out not quite as I expected. The meringue did not whip as it should and the end result was not good. The macaron shells were not shiny and flat and the feet turned out weird and not pretty. I still don't know what went wrong but the second attempt was more successful. This just shows how tricky the macarons can be and sometimes they just don't work out how you want them to, no matter how many times you make them.
I made two colored shells, one orange and one normal. In between I piped the white chocolate ganache and spooned a tiny amount of mandarin jam in the middle. I was worried that the mandarin flavor won't be strong enough but it came through nicely and worked really well with a creamy white chocolate.
White chocolate and mandarin macarons
(Makes about 35)
Preparation: 1 hour
Cooling: 20min
Resting: 30min
Baking: 15-18min
Resting: 30min
Baking: 15-18min
For the macaron shells:
- 95g room temperature egg whites
- 125g granulated white sugar
- 40g water
- 135g almond flour or finely ground almonds
- 135g icing sugar
- orange gel food coloring (optional)
- 100g heavy cream
- 200g white chocolate
- a pinch of salt
- juice from 2 mandarins
- 5g mandarin zest
- 2 mandarins
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- a pinch of cinnamon
- a pinch of allspice
Making the white chocolate ganache:
Chop the chocolate and place in a heat-proof bowl.
Pour heavy cream in a small sauce pan and cook until just boiling. Remove from heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate in three additions, stirring after each one, until you have a smooth ganache. Add salt to taste.
Juice and zest 2 mandarins and stir it in the ganache. Pour in a piping bag and place in the fridge to set.
Making the mandarin jam:
Cut the mandarin into segments.
Place the segments into a small pan and add sugar and a dash of water. Cook on medium heat until it thickens. Add the spices and stir. Set aside to cool completely.
Making the macaron shells:
Pipe the macarons on a parchment paper/silicone mat.
Tap the trays with the macarons on the table a few times to pop the air bubbles in the shells. Leave the macarons to rest for about 30 minutes or until they are not sticky to the touch.
Bake in the preheated oven at 150°C (302°F) for 15 minutes. Let the macarons cool completely, if the macarons are still sticky at the bottom return them to the oven and bake some more.
Pipe a generous dollop of the white chocolate ganache on a bottom half of the macaron. Pipe along the edges of a macaron, then with a palette knife smear the ganache to the center, making a small dent in the middle.
Add a dollop of mandarin jam in the middle. Cover with an orange colored macaron shell.
Wait 24 hours before eating them (if you can).Waiting or "maturing" allows the flavors to come together and the macarons will become soft and extremely flavorful. Take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving for the best flavor.
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