Marionberry Macarons
Oregon is known for its delicious Marionberries. So much so that the Oregon Legislature proposed to make the marionberry the official state berry back in 2009. While it might not be our "official" state berry just yet, it is definitely the most popular with its tart burst of flavor and overall sweet deliciousness. We recently just got two gallons of these beauties from our very good friends Peggy & Brooke. At first we were going to can them, then we were going to make pie, and then I decided I might as well go for it and make up another macaron recipe (though I'm sure we will resort to canning and pie making later on in the season since we still have a ton left). The filling was actually inspired by my cheesecake filling! I figured it tastes great in my White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl, and it thickens enough to hold its shape for a macaron, that it would be perfect, and it really was!
MACARONS
6 oz. Confectioners Sugar 4 oz. Almond Flour 3 oz. Egg Whites 2 tbs Granulated Sugar Burgundy Gel Food Coloring Steps 1. After weighing out the confectioners sugar and almond flour, sift them together into a stainless steel or glass bowl. I use a whisk to blend the dry ingredients together. 2. In a stainless steel or glass bowl (this is where my Kitchenaid Mixer comes in), add the egg whites and the burgundy gel food coloring and whisk at a speed of 4 until bubbles cover the liquid. Slowly start to add the granulated sugar all the while upping the mixing speed (I end up on 8 or 10 which is high). 3. When your meringue has formed stiff peaks and a glossy sheen it's time to fold in the dry mixture with a spatula. I add the dry mixture in three parts, making sure it is completely folded into the meringue by scraping the sides and the bottom of the bowl. I also take my time as to not over mix. Your mixture should have the consistency of lava when falling off the spoon. 4. To see if your mixture is finished feel free to get a clean plate and do the 10 second test. By dropping a dollop of the mix on the plate it should smooth out within 10 seconds. If it remains stiff you need to fold it for a little longer. I always say it's better to under mix as opposed to over mix. You do not want it to be runny and loose. 5. Once your mixture is ready you can fill up a piping bag (either a 12" or 16") and start piping your macarons. I let mine sit out for 20 - 30 minutes so that the film can form on the top of the cookie. Sometimes it can take much longer, depending upon humidity. Don't let them sit out for longer than two hours! 6. Optional: After piping my macarons (and letting them sit for 5-10 minutes) I sprinkled them with sugar for a detailed decoration. I wait that long so that the film can start to form, keeping the sugar from sinking and 6. Pre-heat your oven to 275°F (or 300°F if your oven doesn't go that low) and once it's been pre-heated place your piped macarons on the bottom shelf. I set my timer for 10 minutes to start out with. For some reason my first batch cooks almost twice as fast as every batch afterwards.
MARIONBERRY FILLING
12 oz. Marionberries (fresh or frozen, brought to room temp.) 4 tsp Corn Starch Confectioners Sugar (to desired taste; optional) Steps 1. Once you've weighed out your 12 ounces of Marionberries, put them into a food processor and puree them for about 8-10 seconds. This should liquify the berries while the seeds stay intact. 2. Get out a medium saucepan and a fine mesh sieve and place them on the stove (the sieve inside of the saucepan, as shown below in my photo). Pour your liquified marionberries into the sieve. 3. I use two different spatulas for this part. One to push the berries through the sieve, and one to scrape the bottom of the sieve to help move the liquid along. This keeps the seeds out of the filling. If you don't mind having seeds in your filling, then you can skip this step altogether. 4. Once your marionberry liquid has drained into the saucepan (you will be left with a clump of seeds which will all be sticking together in a thick wad from losing it's moisture) you can add the corn starch. I stir it together until the corn starch disappears. 5. Optional: Taste test your marionberries! Are they too tart for your liking? Add small amounts of confectioners sugar and stir until dissolved, then taste test again. Keep in mind that the "cookie" part of the macaron will be sweet, so you want the bite that the tart marionberry has to offer. I ended up putting no more than a 1/4 tsp in (maybe a little less). This of course is optional and totally up to you with how tart or sweet you want it. 6. Turn your burner on to medium and while stiring constantly, wait until the mixture starts to boil. Once it does, reduce your heat and stir for another 3 to 4 minutes (or until the mixture starts to thicken). 7. Take the filling off of the heat and let it sit for one hour before moving it to a piping bag. Then you can let it cool in the fridge for at least one hour before piping.
SIDE NOTE
Depending on how much filling you end up putting in your macarons, you may be left with some extra. You can either make more macarons, or you could drizzle it on some vanilla bean ice cream. Can you say YUM!?
This recipe will make roughly 20 macarons, depending on the size of your cookies.
If you would like to see the original photos please click here or the link at the top of my blog to visit my flickr account.