Lemon Macarons

Do you know the origin of this all-time favorite cookie’s name? Macaron derives from the Italian word maccarone or maccherone, which in turn comes from the Italian verb ammaccare, which means to pound, strike or crush.

According to folklore, macarons were invented in Venice in the 16th century and became the official dessert of the French court in 1533, when Caterina de Medici introduced them to France on occasion of her marriage to the Duke of Orlèans. Historical documents instead trace their origin to the 17th century and the culinary genius of two French nuns from the Dames du Saint-Sacrement monastery in Nancy.

Here is our delightful, lemon-scented version:

Ingredients for 6 servings

  • 350 g confectioners’ sugar
  • 250 g ground almonds
  • 215 g egg whites (approx. 6)
  • 150 g granulated sugar
  • 5 g yellow food coloring

For the ganache:

  • 100 g confectioners’ sugar
  • 100 g unsalted butter
  • 5-6 tablespoons LIMMI lemon juice

Preparation

Make the macarons

Pre-heat the oven to 155° C.

Beat the egg yolks with 150 g of sugar and yellow food coloring, until the mixture turns into a meringue, with stiff, shiny peaks.

Place the confectioners’ sugar and ground almonds in a mixer, and process to obtain a very fine powder. Transfer it to a bowl.

Fold the dry ingredients into the meringue with a spatula, till evenly incorporated and smooth.

Fill a pastry bag with the mixture, and pipe small mounds onto a cookie sheet lined with baking paper, leaving plenty of room between them. Let the macarons dry at room temperature for about 15 minutes, then bake them in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes at approx 160° C.

Make the lemon cream

In a bowl, mix the confectioners’ sugar with the softened butter and lemon juice. Beat well until it turns in to a buttery, firm cream.

Fill the macarons with cream

Distribute lemon filling on half of the macarons and top them with the remaining macarons.

Serve sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar.

Macaron perfectly pair with white teas containing only the buds.
White teas has several beneficial properties: it’s a detoxicant, antioxidant, and it lowers blood pressure.

Limmi Suggests

If you are planning a trip to France, give more taste to your journey visiting these 3 top Paris pastry shops.