Lemon Macarons Filled With Lemon Buttercream and Lemon Curd

I have a fascination with macarons!  I love them and want to master baking them.  Every time I make them I get better.  These little lemon gems were my best attempt thus far!  My son's birthday is in May and he lives 2000 miles away so I never get to see him on his birthday so I wanted to send a little something to celebrate the day.  I know he loves lemon bars but I didn't want to make those thinking that they would not make the trip. 

I wanted to fill them with lemon buttercream as well as lemon curd, so I got busy and started to create these beautiful little lemony treats.

I got my almond meal and confectioners sugar ground to a powder and sifted.  Then beat my egg whites to stiff, glossy peaks, added in the lemon and vanilla extract then started to add in the almond/sugar mixture a little bit at a time.  Then the fun starts!  This is were you make it or break it!  You start to gently folding it over and over several times, mushing it against the side of the bowl as you go along.  This is called the "Macaronnage".  You have to get it to just the right consistency and you can't go too far or you have a real mess on your hands!  Then the batter is put in a pastry bag and piped onto a prepared cookie sheet and left to dry for about 30 minutes to an hour.  This helps your get the pretty little edge they call the feet. 

I am really happy with the way 
these turned out.  Some of them got a little 
bubble on top...not sure what caused that...will have to do some more research!  But all in all these macarons were very good!  A light crispiness on the outside and a nice chewy inside....just the way I like them! I wanted to fill them with a combo of buttercream and lemon curd so while the macarons were drying and baking I made my lemon curd and I must say....a beautiful lemon curd it was!  This will be my go to recipe from now on!

Beautiful...Yes????

I packed up these little lemon treats in a "Box of Sunshine" along with other yellow sunshiny things.  I hope it makes him smile!  

As always

Enjoy!

Click here for the macaron recipe.

Lemon Curd 

Ingredients:

5 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

4 Tbsp butter (1/2 stick)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 Tbsp grated lemon zest

Method:

In a steel bowl whisk together all the ingredients except the butter.

Bring a pot of water to a slow simmer and put the steel bowl on it whisking continuously (or it may curdle) until the mixture thickens, to coat the back of a spoon.  Take the bowl off the pan and add the butter and whisk until the butter melts and is incorporated.  Let cool and transfer to a clean jar, put plastic wrap on before closing the lid and refrigerate.

Lemon Buttercream

Ingredients:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1/2 stick)

1-2 cups confectioners sugar ( plus more if needed)

2-3 Tbsp of heavy cream

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp lemon zest

1/2 tsp clear vanilla extract

sprinkle of salt

Method

Beat the butter on medium high speed for 2 minutes with an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, until soft and fluffy.  Add the confectioners sugar, 1/2 cup at a time until combined and to the consistency that you want. Add lemon juice, zest, vanilla and salt, continue to beat for another 1-2 minutes. (Add up to 1/2 cup more sugar if too thin or a little more cream if too thick).

Assemble the Macarons

Match up your macarons into pairs place one face side up and pipe a circle of buttercream around the edge (leave a little room on the edge) of the macaron and place a dab of the lemon curd in the center.  Sandwich the halves together and gently push the filling to the edges.

Problem with the bubbles was caused from over beating the egg 

whites...will know next time!