Raspberry and White Chocolate Macarons

Last week I saw tulip bulbs growing in some of my neighbours' gardens, a sign that spring is really starting and it warms my heart. This rebirth of nature, the end of the ice season and my university vacations just approaching, bring along a contagious energy and eager to enjoy every minute of life ... it brings joy!

I always thought that afternoon teas and spring time was bests friends so, last weekend I hosted an afternoon tea for some friends at my place and it was all about to celebrate and give welcome to the most expected season. Of course, it was also a pretexte to have a good chat with the girls. We had such a great time, I love it! The menu was simple, but it did well the job ... so, today I present you a recipe which is, in my opinion, a "must have" on an afternoon tea: macarons! These ones were filled with white chocolate and raspberries, but feel free to use the filling of your choice. My idea of doing these were to pair the fruit that I love and, at the same time, make something that is very feminine. I loved the end result and I hope you also enjoy!

Oh, and the tulips? Once flourish, I'll show you some photos!

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Drying time: 1 hour

Baking time: 15 minutes

Makes: 40 macarons

Ingredients - Macarons Shells
110g egg whites, at room temperature
40g granulated sugar
225g icing sugar
125g almond flour/meal
Optional: powdered/gel food colouring

White chocolate and Raspberry Ganache
150g high quality white chocolate, finely chopped
60g raspberry puree
15g unsalted butter, at room temperature
15ml framboise (optional)

1. Macarons: Line two baking trays with silpat or good quality baking paper.
2. Place the almond flour and icing sugar in a food processor and pulse to grind it as fine as possible.
3. Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt in a medium mixing bowl until it reaches soft peaks. With the mixer on high-speed, gradually add granulated sugar and beat until it reaches stiff peaks. Don’t over beat it.
4. Add meringue to the dry mixture and mix together with a spatula, quickly at first to break down the bubbles in the egg whites, then mix carefully as the dry mixture becomes just incorporated and the mixture starts to become shiny again. The mixture shouldn’t be so stiff that it holds its shape without moving at all, but it shouldn’t be so loose that is dissolves into itself and dos not maintain the ribbon; it is better for the mixture to be slightly stiff than too loose.
5. Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag with the 1cm round piping tip. Pipe circles about 3cm wide on your prepared trays, leaving about 3cm space around each one. Lift up the sheet pan and tap the bottom of the pan to spread the batter evenly and smooth any peaks left by the pastry bag.
6. Leave to dry for about 60 mins, until when you press the surface of one gently it does not break/stick to your finger. This will help prevent any cracking and help the feet to form on the macs.
7. Preheat your oven to 140°C (285°F), depending on your oven (fan-forced ovens may need to be set as low as 100°C or another ones at 150°C, it really depends).
8. Bake for 15 minutes, depending on the size of your shells and of your oven. Carefully test if the base of the shell is ready by gently lifting one and if it’s still soft and sticking to the baking paper, then it needs to bake for a few minutes longer.
9. Remove from the oven and cool on the tray for a few minutes, then gently remove from the sheet and place on a wire rack to cool.

1. Ganache: In a small saucepan, bring raspberry puree just to a boil. Pour over the chocolate and let it sit for about 2 minutes. Whisk the mixture until completely smooth, and add the framboise, if using, and butter pieces and mix till melted. Let the ganache rest for about 20-25 minutes (give it a stir from time to time) or until it is thickens enough to transfer to a pastry bag. If you wait too long it will get hard and it will be difficult to pipe it into the macaron shell.
2. Fill the Macarons with the ganache, starting in the center, pipe 1/2 tablespoon of the ganache, be careful to not reaching the edges. Top with a second macaron and press gently to spread the filling to the edges. Repeat with the remaining macarons and ganache.