Description
Delight your Valentine with easy, delicious heart-shaped macarons featuring a delicate, chewy texture and customizable flavorful fillings. Perfect for any skill level, this charming treat combines effortless elegance with a romantic flair, making your celebration extra special and memorable.
Ingredients
Scale
Macaron Shells
- 150g almond flour
- 150g powdered sugar
- 110g egg whites (about 3–4 large eggs), room temperature
- 150g granulated sugar
- Gel food coloring (pink or red), as desired
Fillings
- Buttercream or ganache filling, quantity as needed to generously sandwich the macarons
- Optional fruit-flavored fillings such as raspberry or strawberry jam
- Optional dark chocolate ganache for chocolate lovers
Optional Toppings
- Edible glitter
- Freeze-dried rose petals
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare Your Ingredients: Measure almond flour and powdered sugar, then sift together to remove lumps and create a smooth mixture. Separate egg whites carefully, ensuring no yolk is present.
- Whip the Egg Whites: Beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar while increasing to high speed, whipping until stiff, glossy peaks form. Add gel food coloring during this step if desired.
- Fold Dry Ingredients Into Egg Whites: Gently fold the almond flour and powdered sugar mixture into the whipped egg whites using a spatula. Fold until the batter flows like lava—thick but smooth enough to pipe.
- Pipe Heart Shapes: Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe batter into heart shapes on a parchment-lined baking sheet by drawing two connected semicircles or using a stencil.
- Rest the Macarons: Let piped shells rest at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes until a skin forms and they are no longer sticky to the touch.
- Bake: Bake macarons at 300°F (150°C) for 15 to 18 minutes. Check for formation of “feet”, firm tops, and easy release from parchment paper.
- Prepare the Filling and Assemble: Whip your chosen filling until smooth and creamy. Once shells are completely cooled, sandwich two heart-shaped shells together with a generous filling amount. Chill assembled macarons for at least 24 hours for best texture and flavor melding.
Notes
- Perfect folding: Fold until the batter flows well but avoid overmixing to maintain proper structure.
- Room temperature eggs: Using egg whites at room temperature allows better volume when whipping.
- Proper resting: Resting is crucial for forming smooth shells and feet; do not skip.
- Accurate oven temperature: Use an oven thermometer to ensure ideal baking temperature for consistent results.
- Piping technique: Practice piping heart shapes on a test sheet before piping the actual batch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 macarons
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 15mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: heart shaped macarons, Valentine's Day macarons, homemade macarons, gluten free macarons, French macarons, heart shape desserts, romantic treats
