Description
These Pineapple Macarons are a delightful tropical twist on the classic French treat, featuring vibrant yellow almond meringue shells filled with tangy homemade pineapple curd and smooth cream cheese buttercream frosting, topped with decorative white chocolate pineapple leaves for a stunning finish.
Ingredients
Macaron Shells
- 110 g aged egg whites (about 3 large egg whites); SAVE 2 egg yolks for pineapple curd
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar (optional)
- 110 g granulated sugar (1/2 cup + 2 tsp)
- yellow gel food coloring (generous squirt for vibrant yellow color)
- 140 g superfine almond flour, blanched (1 1/2 cups)
- 125 g powdered sugar (1 cup)
Pineapple Curd
- 40 g large egg yolks (2 large egg yolks or 1 large egg)
- 67 g granulated sugar (1/3 cup)
- 45 g pineapple juice (3 Tbsp)
- 14 g cornstarch (1 1/2 tsp)
- 2 g fine salt (1/4 tsp)
- 30 g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (2 Tbsp)
White Chocolate Pineapple Leaves
- 135 g white chocolate chips (3/4 cup)
- green powdered food coloring or green oil-based food coloring (enough to tint chocolate green)
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- 56 g unsalted butter, room temperature (1/4 cup)
- 56 g cream cheese, room temperature (1/4 cup)
- 4 g vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (1 tsp)
- 1 g fine salt (1/8 tsp)
- 250 g powdered sugar (2 cups)
- 15 g heavy whipping cream, room temperature (1 Tbsp), plus more if needed
Instructions
- Prepare Macaron Shells: Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat mats and set aside. Pour the aged egg whites into a stand mixer bowl, whisking at medium speed until small bubbles form on the surface. Add cream of tartar and continue mixing until soft peaks form, showing visible tracks.
- Make Meringue: Gradually add granulated sugar to the egg whites while mixing on medium-low speed. Then increase speed to medium-high until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift superfine almond flour and powdered sugar into the meringue. Use a spatula to break up clumps and press them through the sieve.
- Add Color and Fold: Add a generous squirt of yellow gel food coloring to the dry mixture. Fold the batter gently with a rubber spatula using a circular motion to combine until a thick ribbon forms that can run off the spatula in a continuous stream, drawing figure 8’s.
- Pipe the Shells: Transfer batter to a large piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe 1 3/4-inch rounds spaced about 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Tap the trays firmly on the counter to release air bubbles. Pop remaining bubbles with a toothpick.
- Rest and Bake: Let macarons rest for 30 minutes or until a matte skin forms. Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C). Bake one tray at a time on middle rack for 18-21 minutes, rotating halfway through. Cooling on the pan for 30 minutes, then peel off the mat gently.
- Make Pineapple Curd: Heat 2 inches of water in saucepan over medium-low heat. In a heatproof bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, pineapple juice, cornstarch, and salt until smooth. Place bowl over simmering water (double boiler), ensuring water does not touch bowl. Whisk continuously 3-5 minutes until thickened (slightly thinner than lemon curd). Remove from heat, stir in butter until smooth, then cool in fridge in piping bag for 15-30 minutes.
- Create White Chocolate Pineapple Leaves: Melt white chocolate chips in microwave or double boiler. Mix in green powdered or oil-based food coloring carefully to avoid seizing. Pipe clusters of leaves onto parchment-lined baking sheet using a small piping bag, making leaves proportionate to macaron size and slightly longer for insertion. Use toothpick to shape and texture leaves. Chill in fridge to set.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Buttercream: Beat butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and lighter in color (~1 minute). Add vanilla extract and salt on low speed. Gradually add powdered sugar, adding heavy cream halfway through to soften texture. Mix on low until combined and desired consistency reached. Adjust cream or powdered sugar as needed. Transfer to piping bag with small round tip.
- Assemble Macarons: Pair shells by size. Decorate one shell of each pair with an edible brown marker crosshatch pattern or paint with brown gel food coloring mixed with vanilla extract. Pipe a ring of cream cheese buttercream on the shell, fill center with pineapple curd (or store-bought pineapple jam or extra frosting if preferred). Press white chocolate leaves gently into filling. Top with second shell to create sandwich. Chill packaged macarons in airtight container overnight before serving.
Notes
- Aged egg whites provide better meringue structure; separate eggs at least 24 hours ahead and store whites in the fridge.
- Use superfine almond flour for smooth shells and sift well to avoid lumps.
- Gel food coloring should be used for macaron batter to avoid thinning it; for coloring white chocolate, use powdered or oil-based coloring.
- Resting macarons is essential to develop a skin for smooth tops and feet.
- Baking times may vary depending on oven and macaron size; monitor closely.
- Pineapple curd can be stored in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
- Store finished macarons in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 3-4 days for best freshness.
- Use an edible marker or paint for decoration to make the shells look authentic and decorative.
- If frosting is too thick or thin, adjust with small amounts of heavy cream or powdered sugar as needed.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
