Lemon Meringue Macarons

These lemon meringue macarons are perfect for summer! They're filled with tart lemon curd and sweet, toasted meringue.

📝 Ingredients

• 110 g aged egg whites; SAVE 2 OF THE EGG YOLKS TO MAKE THE LEMON CURD BELOW
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar - optional
• 110 g granulated sugar (1/2 cup + 2 tsp)
• 140 g superfine almond flour - blanched (1 1/2 cups)
• 125 g powdered sugar (1 cup)
• yellow gel food coloring
• 100 g granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
• 5 g lemon zest - zest of 1 large lemon (1 tbsp)
• 40 g large egg yolks (2 egg yolks)
• 60 g lemon juice - juice of large lemon (1/4 cup)
• 56 g butter unsalted, cold, and cut into Tbsp-sized pieces (1/4 cup)
• 70 g large egg whites, room temperature (2 large egg whites)
• 100 g granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
• 10 g vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (2 tsp)
• Kitchen scale
• Stand Mixer or Electric Mixer
• Large, flat baking sheets
• Silpat Mats (or parchment paper)
• 1 Large Piping Bag (18-inch)
• Round Piping Tip - Ateco 805
• 2 Small Piping Bags (12-inch)
• Small French Piping Tip
• Kitchen Blow Torch

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Yellow Macaron Shells ---
2. 2Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats. Set aside.
3. 3Pour 110g of aged egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk and mix on medium speed until the surface of the egg whites is covered in small bubbles. Add 1/4 tsp cream of tartar and continue to mix until it reaches the soft peak stage and leaves visible tracks.
4. 4Gradually mix 110g of granulated sugar into the egg whites over a few minutes while mixing on a medium-low speed. Increase the mixing speed to a medium-high speed (6 on a KitchenAid). Keep mixing until stiff, glossy peaks form.
5. 5Sift 140g of superfine almond flour and 125g of powdered sugar into the meringue. Use a rubber spatula to break up any big clumps and press them through the sieve.
6. 6Add in a small squirt of yellow gel food coloring to give the shells a light-yellow color.
7. 7Fold the ingredients together with a rubber spatula. Use a circular motion that sweeps around the edge of the bowl and then pulls through the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is getting mixed together. Don't forget to scrape off the inside of the spatula intermittently. Sometimes meringue can get stuck there and not get mixed in properly.
8. 8Fold the batter until a thick ribbon of batter runs off the spatula when it's lifted. You should be able to draw a couple of figure 8s with the batter running off your spatula in a continuous stream when it's the right consistency. If the stream of batter breaks before you're able to do this, you may need to stir it a bit more.
9. 9Pour the batter into a large piping bag fit with a medium-sized round piping tip and pipe 1 1/2-inch rounds on the prepared baking sheets. Space them about 1 inch apart.
10. 10Bang the pans firmly on the counter a few times to release air bubbles, then pop any remaining air bubbles that come to the surface with a toothpick.
11. 11Let the macarons rest for 30 minutes, or until they develop a skin. The macarons should look matte once the skin has formed. While the macarons rest, preheat the oven to 320 F / 160 C.
12. 12Bake one tray of macarons at a time on the middle rack of your oven for 18-21 minutes and rotate the pan halfway through to help the macarons bake evenly. Bake time can vary based on the size of your shells, so if you pipe them smaller than 1 1/2 inches, they may be done a few minutes earlier.
13. 13Remove the macaron shells from the oven and let them cool fully on the pan (about 30 minutes), then gently peel them off the Silpat mat. If they're properly baked, they should peel off the mat cleanly and have a shiny bottom.
14. 14--- Lemon Curd ---
15. 15Make the lemon curd next! It needs time to cool and thicken. If you don't want to make lemon curd, you can use store-bought lemon curd.
16. 16Add 100g of sugar into a small saucepan. Zest 1 large lemon into the saucepan and massage the zest into the sugar with your fingertips. This helps release the oil in the zest and gives this curd a bright, citrusy flavor.
17. 17Add in 2 egg yolks and whisk the mixture together until it becomes lighter in color. Then mix in 60g of lemon juice.
18. 18Heat on medium-low, stirring constantly with a wire whisk until the mixture thickens and just starts to bubble.
19. 19Remove the pan from heat, then add 56g cold butter that's been cut into smaller pieces. Mix until the butter is fully melted, and the ingredients are combined.
20. 20Pour the lemon curd through a fine mesh strainer into a separate bowl to remove any bits of cooked egg, zest, or lemon seeds. This gives it a perfectly smooth texture! Set aside to cool. If you make the curd in advance, cover it flush with plastic wrap to prevent it from forming a skin and store it in the fridge for up to a month.
21. 21--- Swiss Meringue ---
22. 22While the macaron shells bake and cool, make the Swiss meringue. I like to make it right before I fill the macarons so that it keeps its shape.
23. 23In a medium-sized pot, add about 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer.
24. 24Add 70g of egg whites and 100g of granulated sugar into a large metal bowl.
25. 25Place the bowl on top of the pot filled with simmering water. The bowl should create a seal over the pot. Make sure the water isn’t actually touching the bottom of the bowl, or it can cook the egg whites.
26. 26Whisk the mixture constantly for about 1 1/2 minutes, or until it reaches 160°F / 71°C. You can test the mixture to see if it’s ready by rubbing a tiny bit between your fingertips. The sugar should be fully dissolved, and it should feel super smooth and hot to the touch.
27. 27Lift the bowl away from the pot and dry the bottom with a towel. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer and add 2 tsp of vanilla extract. Beat on a medium-high speed with a whisk attachment for about 10 minutes, or until you have stiff, glossy peaks.
28. 28Place the meringue in a small piping bag with a small French piping tip or snip an opening that is about 1 cm wide. Seal the top of the bag with a rubber band or clip.
29. 29--- Assembling These Lemon Meringue Macarons ---
30. 30Pair up the shells, then pipe small dollops of Swiss meringue around one macaron shell. Fill the center with lemon curd.
31. 31Gently press a second shell on top of the filling to create a sandwich, then carefully use a kitchen blow torch to toast the meringue filling. It's ok if the sides of the shell get a little bit toasted too.
32. 32Place the finished macarons in an airtight container and chill in the fridge overnight. When you're ready to enjoy these macarons, take them out of the fridge and let them sit out for about 15 minutes before eating them to let them come to room temperature.