Brazil meets France, big time. If I was talking soccer, that would be pretty unsettling, but since I mean macarons, it’s all good! Macarons shells are considered overly sweet by many people, so a filling that balances that is my favorite option. Do not skimp on the lime zest, it is absolutely mandatory in this recipe.  I put my air-brush to work, but in case you do not have one, a simple drizzle of white chocolate will do just fine.

MANGO-LIME MACARONS
(shells from this post, filling inspired by Joanne’s blog)

for the shells:
198 g powdered sugar
113 g almond meal
113 g egg whites at room temperature
a pinch of cream of tartar
100 g granulated sugar
Orange Gel color from AmeriColor
2 drops vanilla extract

for the filling:
230 g white chocolate, coarsely chopped
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter
¼ cup mango puree
zest of one lime or a bit more (taste and decide)

to decorate: white chocolate, melted, white and tinted with lime green (optional)

Line 2 or 3 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat mats. Layer the powdered sugar and almond meal   in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture looks like fine meal, about 15 seconds. Pass through a sieve and transfer to a small bowl. Set aside.

Place the egg whites and pinch of cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Make sure that the bowl and the whisk are impeccably clean. Starting on medium speed, whip the whites with the cream of tartar until they look like light foam. The whites should not appear liquid. The foam will be light and should not have any structure.

Slowly rain in the granulated sugar, trying to aim the stream between the whisk and the side of the bowl. Turn the speed up to medium-high. Continue to whip the meringue until it is soft and shiny. It should look like marshmallow creme. Add the gel color and the vanilla. Staying at medium-high speed, whip the egg whites until the mixture begins to dull and the lines of the whisk are visible on the surface of the meringue. Check the peak. It should be firm. Transfer the whites to a medium bowl.

Fold in the almond meal mixture in three increments. Paint the mixture halfway up the side of the bowl, using the flat side of a spatula. Scrape the mixture down to the center of the bowl. Repeat two or three times, then check to see if the mixture slides slowly down the side of the bowl. Put the mixture in a piping bag fitted with one of the tips listed above. Pipe on the prepared baking sheets.

Slam each sheet hard four to six times on the counter. Then fist bump each end of the sheet’s underside twice. Let the unbaked macarons dry until they look dull but not overly dry. Drying time depends on humidity. Ina dry climate, the macarons can dry in 15 to 20 minutes; in a humid climate, it can take 35 to 40 minutes.

While the macarons are drying, heat the oven to 300 F. Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack. Check in 11 minutes. If the tops slide, then bake for 2 to 3 more minutes. The macarons should release without sticking. Check one or two. If they stick, put them back in the oven for 1 to 2 more minutes. Let the macaroons cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

Decorate shells before filling using an air-brush and stencils, or if you prefer to decorate with a drizzle, do it after pairing and filling the macarons.

For the mango white chocolate ganache, place the chocolate in a heat-resistant bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a to a simmer in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. When bubbles start to form along the sides, remove from the heat and pour over the white chocolate. Allow to sit for a minute before stirring to combine. Whisk in the butter until completely melted. Stir in the mango puree and the lime zest until combined. Refrigerate overnight, or until set.

Remove from the fridge and whip until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Pipe onto half of the macaron shells and then sandwich with a second shell. Allow to chill overnight so that macarons will mature and have a perfect consistency.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I am quite smitten with my air-brush thingie… It takes just a little bit of getting used to, the main thing is to make sure you keep the spray 6 inches away or farther from the target. Otherwise the ink blotches and you don’t get the real nice effect of air-brushing.  Obviously, this means it can be a bit messy, but the dyes wash out very easily. I just place a parchment paper under the shell I’m painting.  There is one super cool gadget to help with stenciling cookies, though. I will be featuring it on my next installment of In My Kitchen, in a few days.  Don’t miss it.

The filling for these macs was very tasty. The lime zest brightens it up, and counteracts the sweetness of the white chocolate ganache.

I suppose I must add a new category to my blog. Macarons.
Since I cannot fight my obsession, I shall embrace it.

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