Matcha Green Tea Macarons
Matcha green tea macarons are a refined twist on the classic macaron, with powdered green tea flavouring the shells or the filling.
Ingredients
Shells
- 55 g almond flour
- 50 g icing sugar
- 45 g granulated sugar
- 3 g matcha powder
- 46 g egg whites
Filling
- 2 egg yolks
- 90 g unsalted butter, softened
- 55 g granulated sugar
- 16 g water
- 6 g matcha powder
Method
Shells
- Sift the almond flour, matcha powder and icing sugar together into a bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, adding the granulated sugar in three additions.
- Add the dry ingredients to the whipped egg whites.
- Fold with a spatula and start the macaronage. The batter should be smooth and fall in a ribbon.My own tip: press the batter against the side of the bowl with the spatula while turning the bowl. Scrape it back together, then start again.A successful macaronage is what gives you a lovely foot around the shell as it bakes.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip.
- Line a baking tray that fits your oven with a sheet of baking paper.
- Pipe the batter onto the paper in rounds 2cm across. No bigger, because the batter spreads on its own and the shells would end up too large.
- Once everything is piped, pick up the tray and tap it gently against the worktop.This bursts any bubbles sitting on the surface of the shells and spreads them out to about 3.5cm across.
- Leave the shells to dry for 1 hour. The tops should no longer feel tacky. A fan at a sensible distance will speed things up.
- Bake at 150°C for 15 minutes. The shells should lift off easily. Natural convection.The baking method depends on your oven; I recommend testing with just a few macarons before baking a full batch. Start by baking at 140°C for 15 minutes using the fan-assisted setting.
Filling
- Melt 55g of sugar with 16g of water in a saucepan.
- Whisk the 2 egg yolks.
- Pour in the melted sugar a little at a time and beat the yolks with an electric mixer until pale and thick.
- Add the butter to the mixture in two additions.
- Beat until you get a smooth, creamy texture
- Add the matcha powder and fold it in with a spatula.
- Chill so the cream firms up.
- Pipe onto the shells and enjoy.
Notes
If your macaron shells crack during baking, there are several possible causes:
* The temperature is too high
* There are too many egg whites in the mix In an optimal scenario, the feet should appear between the 3rd and 5th minute of baking.
* There are too many egg whites in the mix In an optimal scenario, the feet should appear between the 3rd and 5th minute of baking.
