Blueberry Lavender French Macarons -

Blueberry Lavender French Macarons

Sweet blueberry compote and white chocolate frosting fill the lavender macaron shells. The flavors come together in the most delicious way.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Dessert, Holiday, Snack

Cuisine: French

Keyword: blueberry compote, lavender

Prep Time: 50

Cook Time: 26

Resting Time: 40

Servings: people

Calories: 116kcal

Author: Candace Bourzac

Ingredients

Lavender Macaron Shells

105 grams egg whites
130 grams powdered sugar
130 grams almond flour
75 grams granulated or caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon lavender extract

Blueberry Compote

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cornstarch or vegetable starch
1 tablespoon water

White Chocolate Buttercream Filling

1/4 cup butter, unsalted
1 tablespoon white chocolate (2 squares)
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk

Decorating Icing

1 cup powdered sugar
5 teaspoons milk

Instructions

Macaron Shells

Separate the egg whites (105 grams) from the yolks about 24 hours ahead of when you will be making the macarons. Don't worry if it's not quite 24 hours. To separate the eggs, crack the shell as close to the middle as you can get. Pass the yolk back and forth between the half shells until all of the whites have separated out into your bowl. You may want to do this over a small bowl first in case some of the yolk gets into the whites.
Line two large baking sheets with either silicone mats or parchment paper. Set them on a flat surface.
Weigh out the almond flour (130 grams), powdered sugar (130 grams), and granulated or caster sugar (75 grams) into separate, small bowls. Use superfine flour so you get smooth tops. Using a fine mesh sieve, sift the powdered sugar and almond flour.
Using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer with the whisk attachment, add the egg whites to a clean metal bowl. Add the cream of tartar (1/4 teaspoon) and lavender extract (1/2 teaspoon). Whip the egg whites on medium speed until they become foamy and the whisk leaves track marks in them. Now it's time to add the granulated sugar. Add the sugar in 3 separate batches with the beater running on low speed. Once you've added all of the sugar, turn the beater on high.
You will see the egg whites begin to build volume and start to look a little more solid. They will also turn a bright white color. After about 5 minutes, stop and check for doneness. They will most likely not be done and will still be runny. Continue whisking. The egg whites will start to look thick and the whisk will leave deep track marks. You are looking for the egg whites to form stiff peaks. This is when you remove the whisk from the egg whites and they come to a point without melting away. They will form a 'peak' with possibly just a slight curve. You will also be able to turn the bowl upside down and they will not move. This is the meringue. Add 2 drops of purple gel food coloring to the meringue. You don't need to mix it into the meringue; it will mix in once you start folding it into the flour/sugar mixture.
Add the meringue to the almond flour/powdered sugar mixture in 3 batches. You won't be able to mix it all together until you've got all the meringue in there, but it's easier to do it this way. It will look very dry at first. As you continue mixing, it will come together. I like to use a spatula with a rounded side. It seems to move along the bowl easier, allowing me to scrape the sides and fold everything inward. The mixing is what takes the air out of the batter, allowing it to form the honey-like consistency we are looking for. The batter should flow off your spatula like honey without breaking, and you should be able to form a figure 8 with the batter that's flowing off the spatula. It should sink back into itself in 10 seconds. Then it's ready.
Using a large pastry bag and a small, round tip (I like the Wilton 12 tip), fill the pastry bag with the batter. I like to use a large cup to set the bag into. Twist the bottom just above the tip and fold it over before putting it in the cup. This will prevent the batter from pouring out the bottom into the cup. Fold the sides over the cup and spoon the batter into the bag.
Take the cup over to where your prepared pans are. Lift the bag out of the cup, hold the top closed, and gently squeeze the bag to push the batter down towards the tip. Work quickly as the batter will keep flowing out of the tip once it starts. If you have the mats with the macarons stenciled on them, then aim for the middle of each stencil. There should be a dot in the middle. Holding the bag upright, count to four and gently squeeze the batter onto the mat. Repeat this process until you have filled all of the circles or run out of batter.
Bang the trays firmly on your countertop to remove any air bubbles. I also go through with a toothpick and lightly pop any air bubbles I see. Let the macarons rest for 30-40 minutes (longer if it's humid out) so they can form their 'skin'. You should be able to lightly touch the tops of the macarons without getting any batter on your finger, and they will feel smooth.
Now it's time to bake them. Bake each tray one at a time on the middle rack for 13 minutes in a 315 F oven. The macarons will look matte on top, and they will not jiggle when you move the pan. I like to preheat my oven about halfway through the macarons resting.
Once the macarons are done baking, let them rest for 10 minutes before removing them to a baking rack to continue cooling down. Once they're cooled down, they can be filled.

Blueberry Compote

Add 1 cup of blueberries to a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of water and 1 cup of granulated sugar. Stir until everything is incorporated. Continue to stir intermittently as you wait for the mixture to simmer. This doesn't take long, a minute or so. Don't let the mixture stick to the bottom of the pan.
In a small container, I use a small measuring cup, add 1 tablespoon of starch (corn or vegetable), and add 1 tablespoon of water. Stir the mixture until the starch is fully mixed in with the water. You will know it's fully mixed in when it is all liquid and no powder remains. Add the starch slurry to the fruit mixture while stirring the fruit mixture. As you continue to stir, you will see the fruit mixture start to thicken. Remove the pan from the heat and continue to stir until the mixture has fully thickened. This shouldn't take more than a minute. There you have your blueberry compote. I like to quickly add the compote to a glass bowl and let it cool down for about 10 minutes before sticking it in the fridge to fully cool down. You want the compote to be completely cooled before adding it to the macarons.

White Chocolate Frosting

The filling is a simple buttercream frosting. Beat the softened butter (1/4 cup) until it's smooth, about 60 seconds. Melt the white chocolate (2 squares or 1/4 cup of chocolate chips) in the microwave in a glass container in 10 second bursts until melted. Be careful, the container the melted chocolate is in can get very hot. Use a towel or oven mitt to handle the hot container.
Add the powdered sugar (1 cup) and melted white chocolate. Beat on low until it starts to incorporate with the butter, then turn it up to medium until it's fully mixed together. It will clump up. Turn the mixer off. Add the milk (2 teaspoons.) Beat on high until everything is mixed well and the frosting is smooth.
Fill a pastry bag with the frosting, fitted with the Wilton 12 tip. Match the shells by size, flipping one over of each pair. Holding the filled pastry bag upright, line the rim of the flipped-over shell with the frosting. We're making a dam to hold the blueberry compote. Spoon about 1/2 a teaspoon of blueberry compote into the middle of the shell. Sandwich the shells, being careful not to crush them.
To decorate the top of the macaron, make the icing by mixing 1 cup of powdered sugar with 3-5 teaspoons of milk. You want the icing to be thin enough so its a bit runny, yet thick enough so it will harden up on the macaron. Add the icing to a small ramekin, making it easier to dip the macarons. Dip the top of a macaron in the icing right before you reach the feet, then gently pull it upward. Let some of the icing drip back into the bowl before turning the macaron over. I like to turn the macaron shell in a circular motion as the icing dries. This helps prevent it from spilling down the sides too much. Sprinkle some lavender buds on top and you are done.
Refrigerate the macarons for 24 hours to let the flavors fully develop. Honestly though, just eat one. If you don't have time to refrigerate them for that long, they're still delicious.

Notes

For maximum flavor and freshness, store macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Layer them with parchment paper. Do not use wax paper as it will stick to the macarons. You don’t want to stack them too high as they are a delicate cookie.
For best results, follow the recipe as written.
Be sure to only use gel or powdered food coloring. Liquid food coloring can make the macaron batter too wet.

The nutrition information listed is for comparison purposes only and may vary based on individual cooking styles and measurements. The nutritional information calculated uses a third-party algorithm. Please consult a health professional for any nutrition guidance.

Nutrition