Matcha Macarons With Cream Cheese Filling Recipe
Dreaming on your next vacation to France? Make this delicious Paris-Style Matcha Macarons, pour a cup of coffee and feel like you are in a Parisian Café.
The history of the macaron is quite vague. One belief is that they were first made in Venetian monasteries in the 8th century A.D. Then, around 1533 they were brought to France by Catherine di' Medici, the Italian born queen of France by marriage to King Henry II, and her pastry chefs.
The French Macarons became more popular in 1792, when Sisters Marguerite and Marie-Elisabeth, two Carmelite nuns from the French city Nancy baked and sold macarons to make money and survive during the French Revolution. They became known as the ‘Macaron Sisters.’ Once the dessert's popularity grew, more regions in France adopted the recipe as well and it became a local dish. Years later, In 1952, the City of Nancy even honored the sisters by naming the place where they made the macarons after them. The original recipe of the “Véritables macarons de Nancy,” however, is still a secret of the Maison des Soeurs Macarons shop in Nancy.
The Nancy Macaron version is different than the Paris Macaron version, which was created in the 1830s. The Paris version is the more familiar version, filled with a layer of buttercream, ganache, or other fillings between the two almond meringue discs. The ‘Macaron Parisien,‘ was famously popularized by the Parisian Café, Ladurée, which now also has some locations in the U.S.
As you know, the macaron has since became a famous treat across the world and adopted by different pastry chefs to create all these delicious macarons you love!
Macaron vs. Macaroon vs. Coconut Macaroon
The English word macaroon is derived from the French word macaron, which comes from the Italian word maccherone. Coconut Macaroon, on the other hand, is a cookie made primarily from ground almonds, nuts with sugar and flavorings -- not the macaron we were talking about. Don't get confused with Macron, which is the last name of the French President.
Why Matcha Macarons?
Matcha is a refined powder made from the processed grinds of green tea plant leaves, known scientifically as camellia sinensis. It has various claimed health benefits such as its natural detoxifying properties, its possible affect on lowering cholesterol and blood pressure and much more. It this recipe, it's most importantly contributing to the beautiful green color and the delicious taste!
How to Make Matcha Macarons With Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients:
MACARONS
- 1 egg white
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup almond flour
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon matcha
FILLING
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon milk
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat egg whites with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until they form soft peaks. Add half of the granulated sugar and with the mixer on high, continue to beat until egg whites are stiff. Repeat with last half of sugar, beating until whites are shiny and fluffy.
- Using a fine mesh strainer, sieve the almond flour, powdered sugar, and matcha into the bowl with the egg whites.
- Discard any large pieces that remain in the strainer. Fold until just combined.
- Preheat oven to 300˚F (150˚C).
- Fill a piping bag with the macaron mixture and pipe 1½-inch (4 cm) dollops onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Let the cookies rest until they are no longer wet to the touch and a skin forms on top (can be up to 1 hour).
- When the cookies are dry to the touch, bake at 300˚F (150˚C) for 15 minutes.
- While resting, make the filling by mixing the cream cheese, powdered sugar and milk in a bowl until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag and set aside until ready to fill.
- Let rest for 10 minutes or until cool before filling. Pipe the cream cheese mixture on the macaron and sandwich with another one.
Enjoy!
