Strawberry Shortcake Macarons

Instructions

Strawberry Macaron Shells

1. Fill a pot with about 1-inch of water and bring to a low simmer over medium heat. Whisk together 100g of granulated sugar and 2g of egg white powder (optional) in a large, heat-proof bowl. Pour 100g of egg whites into the bowl and place over the simmering pot. Make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl!
2. Whisk the ingredients together for 2 to 4 minutes, until the sugar has completely melted, and the egg whites have reached 160 F / 71 C. Wipe down the bottom of the bowl with a towel so that it doesn’t drip into the meringue, then pour the egg/sugar mixture into the bowl of a mixer.
3. Whip the mixture on low speed (2 on a KitchenAid) for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-low (4 on a KitchenAid) for another 30 seconds, then increase it to medium (6 on a KitchenAid). Finish whipping on a medium to medium-high until the meringue achieves stiff peaks (8 on a KitchenAid).
4. Once the meringue is stiff, sift 105g almond flour, 100g powdered sugar, and 5g freeze-dried fruit powder into the bowl. If you want to use food coloring, add it at this point. Use a circular motion that sweeps around the edge of the bowl and then pull through the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is getting mixed together. Fold until a thick ribbon of batter runs off the spatula when it is lifted. You should be able to draw a couple figure 8's with the batter running off your spatula when it is the right consistency. If the stream of batter breaks before you're able to this, you may need to stir it a bit more.
5. Pour the batter into a large piping bag fit with a medium-sized round piping tip and pipe 1 1/2-inch rounds on a large baking sheet lined with a silpat mat, spacing them about 1-inch apart.
6. Once you finish piping one tray, set the remaining batter aside and bang the pans firmly on the counter or against the palm of your hand a few times to release air bubbles, then pop any remaining air bubbles that come to the surface with a toothpick or scribe.
7. Use the remaining batter to pipe the second tray of macaron shells and repeat step 6.
8. As the macarons rest, preheat your oven to 315 F / 158 C. Let the trays rest for about 30 minutes, or until they form a skin and look matte. Once they're ready to bake, you should be able to touch the surface of a macaron shell with your finger without it sticking.
9. Bake one tray at a time in the middle rack of your oven for 18-21 minutes, or until the shells are fully baked and no longer jiggly. If you notice the shells start to brown, cover them with a foil tent. Leave the oven on (and make the crumble next). Remove the first tray from the oven and bake the second one. Let the macaron shells fully cool on the pan (about 15 minutes), then gently remove them from the silpat mat.

Strawberry Shortbread Crumble

1. In a small bowl, combine 23g flour, 12g sugar, and 21g of butter. Use a fork to mix the ingredients together until a crumbly dough forms.
2. Spread the mixture on top of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat and bake for 5 minutes bat 315 F / 158 C. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and stir the mixture with a spatula to separate it into small pieces and help it bake evenly.
3. Return the crumble back to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes. Stir again, then bake for one final 5-minute interval. At this stage, the crumble should look golden brown.
4. Remove the crumble from the oven and give it another stir to break it into small pieces, then stir the freeze-dried strawberries into it. Set aside and let the mixture fully cool.

Mascarpone Frosting

1. In a medium-sized bowl, whip 60ml cream with an electric hand mixer at medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until you can see texture around the edges of the bowl. The whipped cream should be thick and able to keep its shape. It takes about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes in my stand mixer to reach stiff peaks.
2. Once you've made the whipped cream, add 170g of cold mascarpone cheese, 188g of powdered sugar and 2 ml or 1/2 tsp of vanilla to the bowl. Mix on medium speed for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the ingredients are incorporated.
3. Place in a small piping bag with a round tip, and set aside.

Assembling These Strawberry Shortcake Macarons

1. Pipe a ring of mascarpone frosting on one macaron shell. Fill the center with 1 tsp of strawberry jam. Gently press a second shell on top of the frosting to create a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining shells.
2. Place the finished macarons in an airtight container and chill in the fridge for an hour.
3. Place 85g of white chocolate in a small heat-proof bowl and microwave it for 15-second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted.
4. Remove the chilled macarons from the fridge and dip half of each macaron in the melted white chocolate. Let the excess white chocolate drip off, then place the macarons on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat. While the white chocolate is still wet, sprinkle the macarons with the shortbread crumble.
5. Place the finished macarons in an airtight container and chill in the fridge overnight, then enjoy! I like to let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving them.