Description
These Red Velvet Valentine’s Day Macarons with Mascarpone Frosting are a delightful and festive treat perfect for celebrating love. The delicate heart-shaped macarons have a rich cocoa-infused shell with a vibrant red hue, paired beautifully with a creamy, smooth mascarpone frosting. This recipe guides you through making the perfect airy and smooth macarons that develop their flavor after chilling, ideal for gifting or a special occasion dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Macaron Shells:
- 130 g powdered sugar
- 120 g almond flour
- 7 g cocoa powder
- 105 g egg whites
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- ½ teaspoon red food gel
For the Mascarpone Frosting:
- 113 g (½ cup) heavy cream, cold
- 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 113 g (½ cup) mascarpone, cold
- ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
Instructions
- Prepare Macaron Template: Trace a heart-shaped cookie cutter about 2 inches apart on parchment paper to create a piping template. Place a second sheet of parchment on top when ready to pipe, or free-hand pipe if preferred.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift powdered sugar, almond flour, and cocoa powder twice to ensure even texture.
- Heat Egg Whites and Sugar: Using a double boiler, gently heat egg whites and granulated sugar until the sugar dissolves or reaches approximately 120°F.
- Whip Meringue: Transfer the warm egg white mixture to a stand mixer bowl with a whisk attachment. Whisk until soft peaks form. Add vanilla paste and red food gel, then continue whisking until stiff peaks form; test by turning the bowl upside down – the meringue should not move.
- Fold Dry Ingredients (Macaronage): Fold in one-third of the dry ingredients using a silicone spatula, scraping sides and center gently until mostly combined. Then fold in the remaining dry ingredients the same way. To deflate slightly and avoid hollow shells, continue folding and scraping around the bowl until the batter flows smoothly and you can draw figure eights without breaking.
- Pipe Macarons: Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (Ateco 802 recommended). Pipe heart shapes onto parchment with the template underneath. Remove the template carefully, then tap the baking sheet on the counter and bang the bottom to release air bubbles.
- Rest Macarons: Let the piped macarons rest 30–40 minutes until dry to touch and not sticky when lightly tapped.
- Bake Macarons: Preheat oven to 300°F. Bake macarons for about 12 minutes. Once baked, let cool completely before removing from the baking sheet.
- Make Mascarpone Frosting: In a stand mixer bowl with whisk attachment, combine cold heavy cream, granulated sugar, mascarpone, and vanilla paste. Whisk on low to combine, then increase speed to medium-high for about 30 seconds until thickened.
- Assemble Macarons: Fill a piping bag with the mascarpone frosting fitted with a small round tip. Pair macaron shells and pipe frosting onto the bottom shell, then sandwich with the top shell, pressing gently to adhere.
Notes
- Macaron shells develop more flavor by the second day. For best results, make them a day ahead, chill overnight, and assemble just before serving.
- If macarons are difficult to peel off the parchment after cooling, place them in the freezer for a few minutes to loosen before removal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 macaron
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 15mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
