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Blood Orange Macarons

25 macarons

Tanya Emerick (IG: @scarlet_nantes) / Owner, Scarlet Nantes Macaron, Seattle, WA; Photo by Scott Emerick (IG: @chefscottemerick)

For the Blood Orange Buttercream (makes about 1 1/2 cups enough to fill 25-30 macaron):
• 30-40 g. (2-3 tbsp.) The Perfect Purée Blood Orange Concentrate, thawed
• 112 g. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 150 g. powdered sugar shifted
Method for the Blood Orange Buttercream:
1. In a bowl of a stand mixer, mix the butter and sugar on low until well combined.
2. Add 1 tbsp. at a time of the Blood Orange Concentrate and mix on medium until fluffy.
3. If the mixture seems loose add just a little more powdered sugar 1 tbsp. at a time.
For the Macaron Shell:
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1 cup & 2 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup superfine sugar
• Pinch of cream of tartar
• 1 drop red gel food color or IndiaTree natural colors. (Optional: Leave the macarons colorless, and splash with red for blood effect)
Method for the Macaron Shell:
1. Move the oven rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 315°F.
2. Clean and dry the mixer and whisk attachment by wiping the mixing bowl and whisk with vinegar, or lemon juice, to alleviate traces of residual fats from prior use. Liquids and fats can deflate the egg whites.
3. In a food processor, combine the almond flour and confectioners’ sugar, and process for about a minute until as fine as possible. Do not over process as the almonds will release oils and start to clump. Pass this mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or onto a piece of parchment paper. Discard any large pieces.
4. In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, and superfine sugar. Beat slowly at first, then increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes. Then beat on high 2 minutes more or until the mixture holds stiff, glossy peaks when you lift the whisk from the bowl.
5. Add your desired food coloring one drop at a time if you are going to color the shells, and beat on the medium speed 30 seconds. Be careful not to overmix. Remove the bowl and wire whisk. Gently add the dry ingredients to the whipped egg mixture. Fold in the dry ingredients just until the batter flows like lava, approximately 35 to 45 strokes.
6. Rest a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch round piping tip inside a glass tip-side down. Using a silicone spatula, transfer the batter into the pastry bag. Line two heavy baking sheet pans with parchment paper or a silpat. To keep the parchment paper from lifting when piping the macaron circles, dab a little bit of the batter remaining in the bowl onto the corners of the baking sheets, then line with parchment paper.
7. With the piping tip 1/2 inch above one of the lined baking sheets, pipe some batter into a 1-inch round, then swirl tip off to one side. Repeat, spacing the rounds 1 inch apart.
8. Tap sheets firmly against the counter 2 or 3 times to release air bubbles in the batter.
9. Bake one sheet of macarons at a time, rotating halfway through, until risen and just set, about 13 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let cool completely.
10. Once the macaron shells are cool, pipe or spread 1 tbsp. buttercream on the flat sides of half of the cookies; top each filled sheet with one of the remaining macaron shells.
11. To decorate, use red gel food color, place 8 drops onto a plate and dip a pastry brush or similar tool into the food color spatter onto macaron shell for the blood effect. Alternatively, you can color the macaron shell red.
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