Vanilla Bean Macarons with Raspberry Mascarpone Filling

These Macarons were supposed to be pure white, but I had a hard time getting them cooked through and not browning them at all.  I found it pretty much impossible, even though the oven temp was low.  I even took some out too soon, but later I realized I shouldn't have done that, because they were all sticky.  Oh well.  The powdered food coloring I ordered is here, so next time, I want to make some brightly colored ones! 

For the filling, I just combined Mascarpone cheese with a good-quality, seedless raspberry jam.  Then I stuck it in the fridge to firm up a bit before piping.  These were fun to make.  They are my second macaron attempt, and they turned out just as good as the first! 

Next I want to try a pistachio with maybe white chocolate filling.  These are so fun!

PS:  I'm SO tired of people saying "Yes please!" all the time.  As in "Two something for the price of one?  Yes please!"  Or something similar; my brain is too fried by the Yes Please's to think of more examples.  It's all over FB and blogs.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, you are one of the lucky ones.  I've seen it so much that it gives me word rage now.  Please stop saying it, people!!

Vanilla Bean Macarons with Raspberry Mascarpone Filling

shells adapted from Pink Parsley; filling from a few ideas I saw on the web

Shells:

110 g almonds meal/flour
200 g powdered sugar
seeds from 1 vanilla bean
50 g granulated sugar
100 g egg whites (about 3 egg whites), aged a day at room temperature

1.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

2.  Pulse almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor until evenly mixed.  Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and scrape the seeds out using a paring knife. Add the seeds to the granulated sugar and whisk to combine.

3.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the granulated sugar and continue to whip until a shiny, glossy meringue forms (but not dry).

4.  Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, and add the almond mixture. Using a rubber spatula, briskly and quickly fold the almond meal into the egg whites. After a few brisk strokes, slow down and then gently incorporate the rest into the batter.You want a batter that flows and "ribbons" for at least 5 seconds.

5.  Pour the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe the batter into 1 1/2-inch rounds, spacing them about 1-inch apart.  Whack the baking sheets on the counter a few times, then allow to sit at room temperature for about 1 hour, or until a hard shell forms.

6.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Bake the macarons 8-10 minutes, depending on size. Allow to cool completely on the pan before using a small spatula to remove them. Match the cookies according to size and pipe filling on half, using the other half to form a sandwich.

Raspberry Mascarpone Filling:
1 cup (about) mascarpone cheese, room temp
2-4 tablespoons good-quality, seedless raspberry jam

1.  Stir ingredients together until well-combined.  Add more or less jam to taste, and to get the consistency you want.  Refrigerate until thickened a little.  Let sit at room temp again for about 10-15 minutes to soften enough to pipe.  Fill a ziplock bag with the filling, snip a small hole in the corner, and pipe it out onto the macaron shells.

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