Toasted Coconut Macarons
French macaron shells filled with creamy coconut packed buttercream.
Ingredients
Macaron Shells
- 130 grams egg whites
- 120 grams granulated sugar
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
- 200 grams almond flour
- 200 grams confectioner's sugar
Toasted Coconut Buttercream
- 4 oz salted butter
- 2½ tsp coconut extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 8 oz confectioner's sugar
- 1¼ cups unsweetened coconut shavings
- 1½ tsp heavy cream
Instructions
Macaron Shells
- Line 2 baking sheets with either parchment paper or a silicone mat (circle template optional but recommended).
- Place a medium sized round piping tip in a large piping bag. Twist the bag right behind the tip and add a clip to seal off the opening. Place the bag tip down into either a clean tall cup with the edges folded over the rim to keep the bag open, or clip it into a bag holder.
- Using a kitchen scale, carefully weigh out and sift the confectioner’s sugar and almond flour into a medium mixing bowl. Whisk well to fully blend the two together.
- Place egg whites, granulated sugar, and cream of tartar into a large mixing bowl, and begin beating with a whisk attachment using either a handheld mixer or a stand mixer for 2 minutes on a medium low speed (Kitchen Aid Speed 4).
- Turn up the mixer to a medium speed (Kitchen Aid Speed 6) and beat for an additional 2 minutes.
- Turn mixer up to medium high speed (Kitchen Aid Speed 8) and beat for 3 more minutes, or until peaks are very stiff and the meringue clumps up in a ball in the center of the whisk. Test stiffness by removing whisk and pointing it upward. Once the peaks can firmly hold their shape flipped upright, your meringue is ready.
- Pour half of your almond flour/confectioner’s sugar mixture into the bowl with your meringue, and fold 15 times. One fold is scraping all the way around the edge of your batter in your bowl, and then dragging your spatula through the middle. Be sure to scoop around the bottom of the bowl as well so you don’t miss any dry ingredients.
- Pour in the remaining powdered sugar and almond flour, and continue folding (approximately 30 more folds) until dry ingredients are fully incorporated, your batter is no longer clumpy and stiff, and flows in slow ribbons off of your spatula. Do not overfold. Start checking your batter’s readiness every 5 folds or so at this point by scraping all batter down to the bottom of your bowl, and then wiggling your bowl back and forth several times. If the batter levels out with very few peaks and lines remaining, it should be ready. (See photos in Basic French Macarons post for reference)
- Pour batter into prepared piping bag, and twist the opening off. Hold your bag at the twist between your thumb and pointer finger. Remove the clip.
- Holding the piping bag straight up and down, apply pressure to begin piping your batter in the center of your circle templates, releasing pressure once you are a few millimeters short of your desired size. After you release pressure, use a small quick circular flick to release your tip from the piped macaron.
- Once you’ve piped a full tray, firmly bang the tray on the counter a few times to pop any air bubbles and smooth out shells. Pop any remaining large bubbles with a toothpick. Repeat with the second tray.
- Begin preheating your oven to 295 degrees, using an oven thermometer if possible to ensure accurate temperature readings.
- Set aside shells to dry until they form a skin and are no longer tacky to the touch. Once you can gently run a finger over your shells, they are ready to bake. Use a fan to speed up the process, rotating the tray every few minutes to ensure even drying. This usually takes at least 20 minutes for me even with a fan.
- Once shells are dry, and the oven has fully preheated to 295, place one tray in the center of the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 18 minutes.
- Quickly open door to check the shell’s doneness by gently pressing on the side just above the feet to see if it’s firm. If it moves at all, bake for another 2 minutes.
- Check shells by performing the same test, pressing on the side. If they are still unstable, bake for one more minute, and check again. Repeat until shells are firm and do not budge.
- Allow shells to cool completely, and the carefully remove from silicone mat or parchment paper by gently peeling them off.
Toasted Coconut Buttercream
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Spread coconut on a baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 4 minutes.
- Stir coconut, and rotate the baking sheet. Bake 4 more minutes or until coconut is golden and evenly toasted. Set aside to cool.
- Place butter, salt, and coconut extract in mixing bowl, and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar, and beat until frosting starts to come together. Mix for 2 minutes, and then scrape down the bowl and beater. Mix for an additional 2 minutes.
- Pour in heavy cream, and beat on low speed just until heavy cream is fully combined.
- Once the coconut has cooled, fold ½ cup in to your buttercream. Place remaining coconut in a small bowl.
Assembly
- Match each shell with a partner shell of equal size.
- Pipe buttercream in to the center of one shell, leaving at least 1/4 inch of space around the edge.
- Gently sandwich the partner shell on top and carefully squish down until the filling is close to the edge of the shell.
- Dab macarons into the bowl of coconut to coat the exposed buttercream filling. If needed, press more coconut on to the filling by hand or using a spoon until it's completely covered.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for 24 hours to allow the macarons to “mature” and fully develop their flavor and texture.