Orange Macarons

By Bridget Edwards

Prep Time:

Bake/Cook Time:

16m - 18m

Yield:

About 24 filled macarons

Plan for:

30+ minutes rest time

With a thin, crispy shell and chewy interior, these Orange Macarons are the perfect balance of tangy and sweet with every bite. A punch of citrus comes from the “cheaters” orange curd filling encased in an orange buttercream. All the components may be prepped in advance. Macarons are best when refrigerated at least 24 hours after baking, so plan accordingly.

Rate it yourself

Products Used

Confectioners Powdered Sugar Poly Bag

Extra Fine Granulated Pure Cane Sugar Bag

Ingredients

Orange Macaron Shells

4 large egg whites
1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons Imperial Sugar Confectioners Powdered Sugar
1 cup + 2 tablespoons almond flour
Pinch fine sea salt
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
Orange gel paste food coloring

“Cheaters” Orange Curd

1 jar (10-13 oz) lemon curd
Zest of one orange

Orange Buttercream

6 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
1/2 pound (8 oz) Imperial Sugar Confectioners Powdered Sugar
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of one orange
Pinch fine sea salt
1-2 tablespoons orange juice

Leaves (optional)

Green melting wafers

Directions

To make macarons, set egg whites in a bowl while prepping cookie sheets and batter.
Trace 1 1/2-inch circles onto three sheets of parchment paper, leaving about an inch between each circle. Flip paper upside-down onto rimmed cookie sheets.
Pulse powdered sugar and almond flour in a food processor to combine. Then run on high for 30 seconds to a minute, stopping to scrape sides and bottom of processor as needed. Sift mixture into a bowl, discarding any pieces remaining.
Whip egg whites on medium until foamy. Add pinch salt, then gradually add granulated sugar with mixture running on medium-high. Beat to a stiff peak. A stiff peak is when batter remains standing on whisk attachment when pulled from bowl, even when jiggled.
Add 1-2 drops food coloring. Whip until mixture collects in whip attachment and appears dry.
Sift dry mixture, again, over whipped egg white. Fold until batter falls off spatula in a ribbon and becomes smooth in about 20 seconds. Mixture will look dry at first, then loosen and start to look glossy.
Fit a piping bag with 1/2-inch tip. Pipe just inside traced circle, releasing pressure on bag at end. Drop cookie sheet on the countertop from a height of a few inches, 3 times, rotating pan each time to release air bubbles. Any unpopped air bubbles on surface can be popped with a toothpick.
Let piped macarons rest for 30 minutes to an hour, until batter is dry and matte, and a finger lightly pressed on top comes away clean. Bake 16-18 minutes. Test for doneness. When done, macarons will lift easily from parchment paper.
Cool completely on cookie sheet. Once cool, peel off parchment and store in refrigerator until ready to fill.
To make “cheaters” orange curd, use a microplane or small holes on a grater to zest orange into lemon curd. Stir, cover, and refrigerate until ready to fill macarons.
Make orange buttercream by creaming butter until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, extracts, zest, and salt to the bowl. Beat on medium until combined. Add 1 tablespoon orange juice. Mix until incorporated, then increase speed to high and beat for a few minutes until fluffy.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to fill macarons.
To make leaves, melt green melting wafers in microwave in 30-second increments at 50% power, stirring in between. Pour into a piping bag fitted with a leaf tip. Pipe leaves onto waxed paper. Let set up, then transfer to refrigerator.
To assemble, bring orange buttercream to room temperature, re-whipping as needed. You may need to add another 1/2 -1 tablespoon orange juice to loosen. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a star or plain tip.
Flip half of macarons upside-down. Pipe a circle of buttercream around inside edge, but not right to edge. Fill buttercream circle with a bit of orange curd, not higher than level of buttercream. Lightly press a macaron shell on top.
Melt a bit more of the green melting wafers. Place a dot on top of each macaron. Place a piped leaf on top. Let set up several minutes.
Return piped macarons to refrigerator and chill for at least 24 hours before serving. They are best after at least a day of rest in fridge.