Description
Delightful Strawberry Cheesecake Macarons featuring delicate almond-based shells filled with a creamy, fruity strawberry cheesecake ganache and coated with crunchy, flavorful strawberry crumbs. This elegant dessert combines the lightness of classic French macarons with the rich taste of strawberry cheesecake, perfect for special occasions or a luxurious treat.
Ingredients
Strawberry Cheesecake Ganache
- 100 gr Valrhona Strawberry Inspiration chocolate
- 150 gr White chocolate
- 80 gr Strawberry puree
- 15 gr Glucose syrup
- 50 gr Cream cheese, room temperature
Strawberry Crumbs
- 200 gr Gluten free crumbs
- 20 gr Freeze-dried strawberry powder
Macaron Shells
- 125 gr Almond flour (1 cup)
- 150 gr Powdered sugar (1 1/4 cup)
- 100 gr White granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
- 100 gr Egg whites, room temperature (from 3 large eggs)
- 1 gr Pink or red food coloring
Instructions
- Prepare Strawberry Cheesecake Ganache: Melt both Valrhona Strawberry Inspiration and white chocolate using a microwave or double boiler until smooth. Warm strawberry puree and glucose syrup in a small saucepan. Add the warm mixture to the melted chocolate and gently mix with a spatula. Incorporate room-temperature cream cheese and emulsify thoroughly using a hand blender until the ganache is smooth and creamy. Transfer to a flat container and cover with plastic wrap directly contacting the surface to prevent skinning. Refrigerate for 6-8 hours or preferably overnight to set.
- Make Strawberry Crumbs: Combine gluten-free crumbs with freeze-dried strawberry powder in a bowl and whisk together until evenly mixed, creating flavorful strawberry crumbs for coating and garnishing.
- Prepare Macaron Shells: Sift almond flour and powdered sugar together into a mixing bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk room-temperature egg whites on low speed and gradually add granulated sugar one tablespoon at a time. Add pink or red food coloring. Increase the speed to medium-high and whisk until stiff peaks form, which usually takes 10-15 minutes. Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the meringue using a spatula until the batter flows like lava when dripped from the spatula, indicating proper macaronage. Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a round tip.
- Pipe and Bake Macaron Shells: Pipe uniform rounds onto a baking mat placed on a baking sheet. Tap the baking sheet a few times on the countertop to release any air bubbles. Let the piped shells rest at room temperature until they form a skin and no batter sticks to your finger, about 30-60 minutes depending on humidity. Preheat the oven to 275°F (134°C). Bake the shells for 12-14 minutes. Oven temperature and bake time may vary, so monitor closely. Cool completely on the baking mat placed over the baking sheet before removing and pairing shells by similar size.
- Assemble Strawberry Cheesecake Macarons: Pipe the chilled strawberry cheesecake ganache onto one macaron shell of each pair. Sprinkle a generous amount of strawberry crumbs over the ganache. Sandwich with the matching macaron shell and gently press to adhere. Roll the sides of assembled macarons in additional strawberry crumbs to cover the filling edges. Store the macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator and allow them to mature for at least 12 hours before serving to enhance flavor and texture.
Notes
- Ensure egg whites are at room temperature to achieve better meringue volume and structure.
- Resting the piped shells before baking is crucial for forming the characteristic macaron ‘feet’ and preventing cracking.
- Use a low and slow baking approach as indicated to maintain smooth tops and chewy interiors.
- Maturation improves macaron flavor and texture, so refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
- You can substitute freeze-dried strawberry powder with finely crushed freeze-dried strawberries if unavailable.
- Handle macaron shells gently when removing from the mat to prevent breaking.
