Matcha Macarons with Passionfruit Curd

   

I hope for you, you went out and bought yourselves a few passionfruit and made some passionfruit curd after my last post. I did say in that post that I would share how I enjoyed eating the passionfruit curd best. Well here it is!

I think I was grinning like the Cheshire cat while I was stirring the passionfruit curd. See I already knew then that I would be using some of it in a new macaron creation.

It’s spring and I am in a celebration mood. Celebrating spring to it’s fullest. We are having a bit of a set back on the weather front, as the temperatures dropped again this week but the tell-tale signs are all around me.

Green and yellow embodies spring in perfect harmony. And I see the gorgeous sunny yellow of narcissus flowers and the deep velvety green of the fresh fields and pastures all around me.

 

It was these luscious surroundings that inspired me for these macarons. Good Friday and I had just spent the week alone. I lavished in the free time I was having. Soeren was spending part of his Easter break with grandparents and Tom was still in Vienna, which meant playing by my rules and on my time. I ate when I felt like it, played with no restraints and kind of let myself go a little. Boy did it feel good!

Good Friday was the last day to indulge in this placid leisure before my men came home the next day. Luckily the weather was picture-book perfect and a bright sun was shinning in a clear blue sky. After enjoying a long breakfast, with my feet up and a glossy magazine, I tanked some of the sun in our back yard doing some yoga. The sun salutation seemed like the perfect way to show my gratitude for this gorgeous day.

A few egg whites resting on the kitchen countertop beckoned me and I was torn between relaxing in the back yard or spending time baking in the kitchen. It was the kitchen that won and with all the windows open, Shakira’s Good Stuff shaking my hips I went to work on making my macarons.

I felt good. The macarons had feet and the filling was already awaiting in the refrigerator to be spread on the shells. It was time to catch some afternoon sun though, after packing my camera equipment and my iPod I hit the parks and the city of Weimar. It was a perfect day in Weimar.

 

Matcha was the perfect partner for my passionfruit curd. It’s complex, subtle and slightly bitter taste paired in harmony with the sweet and slightly tangy passionfruit curd. Green and yellow – a celebration of the vivid colors of Spring.

As it was Easter weekend I could not help but think that the shades of green and yellow fitted in so perfectly into my Easter decorations around the house.

 

Both Deeba and Jamie wanted us to get inspired by a holiday in April for this session Mactweets. I got inspired by the colors of nature and Easter and present you Meeta’s Magnificent Matcha Macarons with passionfruit curd. 

Note: If you are making macarons for the first time please read my comprehensive collection of macaron tips. All the way from the prep work to removing macarons from the baking paper, you’ll find valuable tips and tricks for perfect macaron making.

Matcha Macarons with Passionfruit Curd

Printable version of recipe here

Ingredients

For the macaron shells

Recipe for macaron shells adapted from Ottolenghi - The Cookbook

110g icing sugar
60g almonds, very finely ground
60g egg whites, (about 2 eggs) aged for either 5 days in the fridge, then for 24 hours at room temperature or a little over 24 hours on the countertop
40g castor sugar
1-2 teaspoons matcha powder
a few drops of green food coloring

For the filling

a jar of this homemade passionfruit curd 

Method

For the macaron shells

1. Prepare your baking tray and baking sheets with a stencil of circles. Draw circles on some baking paper using a (mathematical) compass about 2 cm in diameter. Then place some white parchment paper on the baking tray and flip the baking paper back around. Or use this macaron template.
   
   
2. In a large mixing bowl mix the egg whites with an electric hand beater (alternatively you can use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment) until it is thick and frothy. Gradually add the granulated sugar, whisking all the while, until the mixture turns into a thick glossy meringue. The consistency of the macaron batter should be similar to hair mousse or shaving foam. Make sure the meringue is not over-beaten or else it will be too dry.
   
   
3. In a food processor pulse together icing sugar and almonds until the nuts are finely ground and powdery. Add the matcha powder and sift the mixture 2 or 3 times to make sure there are no lumps.
   
   
4. Place the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add the meringue in three portions, giving it a quick fold using the macronnage technique described in my macaron tips section. Add a few drops of green food coloring to get the desired color tone. Fold the mixture a few times to break the air. Continue until you get a smooth and supple mixture, thick in consistency so that when you lift the spatula it flows back in thick ribbons. Test a small amount on a plate – should the tops fall back and flatten by themselves then it is ready, if not give it a few more folds. 
   
   
5. Fill a piping bag with a plain tip with the batter and pipe small rounds (2 cm in diameter) on your prepared baking paper. Leave the macarons to rest and dry for about 15 to 30 minutes.
   
   
6. In the meantime preheat the the oven to 150 degrees C. When the macarons are ready bake the shells for 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Use a flat offset spatula to gently remove the shells from the baking paper and allow to cool further on a rack.

Assembling the macarons

Using two spoons place dollops of the passionfruit curd on one of the shells and gently cover with another shell. Do not press. Continue to do this until you have used up all of the filling and shells.

Storing Macarons
If you are not going to be using them right away you can store the shells in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

They freeze well too but it is recommended to freeze them unfilled. To fill them take the shells out of the freezer 48 hours prior to serving and without defrosting fill them. This way the flavors will be allowed to blend as they thaw.

Macarons taste best the next day. Prepare and fill them, then keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. This allows the flavors to intermingle with each other. Enjoy them at room temperature the next day.

 

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Verdict

  

There is that incredible subtle and alluring taste that matcha has that makes one go “wow!” with these macarons, the passionfruit explosion comes afterwards and finally when both flavors are intermingled there is remarkable essence of pure lust. A lust for more – more macarons, more greens and yellows, more fruity, tangy flavors and more of Spring.

Extra Extra

I’ve got a couple of pretty neat news to share with you all.

For starters – I seem to have gotten myself on another top 50 list. The people over at Babble.com, a website dedicated to “a new generation of moms” have put a list of the Top 50 Best Mom Food Bloggers and What’s For Lunch, Honey? is on that list as part of the category Best Photography. A special one because my mommy role is recognized along with my passion for photography. A huge thanks to all those who are giving me their thumbs up!

On the subject of photography, a few days ago the brilliant Neel of Learn Food Photography and Styling interviewed me and asked me to discuss how I came to food photography and styling, my inspiration and I share a few tips and tricks. Part 1 of the interview has been published and in this I talk about how I became so passionate about this topic. Come over and read it and tell me what you think.

Finally while we are talking food photography, hope you’re going to be coming to London this June. 51 days to go for the Food Blogger Connect and there you’ll have the opportunity to catch Mowie of Mowielicious, Béa from La Tartine Gourmande and myself team up in an intensive Food Photography and Styling workshop.

More magnificent macarons from WFLH:

Black Sesame and Nutella Macarons	Saffron Macarons with Cardamom White Chocolate Ganache	Rosewater and Raspberry Macarons

 

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