It’s apple picking season here in the Pacific Northwest! Since we live in Seattle, we’re only a short drive away from numerous local farms that are open for apple picking in the fall. The farms seemed extra busy this year with people looking for fun outdoor activities to do during the pandemic. I was lucky enough to snag quite a few good apples with the help of some tall friends.
I know this recipe looks intimidating with its 3 parts and laundry list of steps, but I promise you it’s way easier than it looks. While you are waiting for your shells to dry, you can make your apple filling, and when you are waiting for the filling to cool you can make the frosting. If you follow the order of my steps below, you can be really efficient with the time it takes to make these macarons.
The hardest part of this recipe is going to be the macaron shell. I have made macarons multiple times and I still screw up the shells from time to time.
Be careful not to under beat or over beat the egg whites. I wish I could tell you exactly the number of minutes it takes for the perfect consistency, but this varies every time. Your goal is to have nice stiff peaks that will hold their shape. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get it the first time!
Keep your apple in your macaron, not the floor,
Your favorite alternative chefs, K & T
Apple Macarons
Ingredients
Macaron shells
- 2 egg whites
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup almond flour
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 8 – 10 drops red food coloring* optional
Apple filling
- 1 apple peeled and finely diced
- ¼ lemon just the juice
- 1 tbsp vegan butter
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- Pinch salt
Cashew buttercream
- ½ cup cashew butter
- ⅓ cup vegan butter
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp non-dairy milk
Instructions
Macaron Shells
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Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
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Beat egg whites on medium speed until soft white peaks start to form. Add ½ of the granulated sugar to the egg whites and continue to beat until there are nice stiff peaks, then repeat with the remaining sugar.
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Use a strainer to add the almond flour, powdered sugar, and cinnamon to the egg whites. This is important, so as to not have clumps in your batter. Fold until combined. If using food coloring, fold into the mixture now.
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Add mixture to a piping bag and pipe 32 macaron shells onto parchment paper or rubber mat. Let sit for about 20 mins until a hard crust starts to form. It should feel slightly firm to the touch.
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After the macarons have dried, bake for 15 minutes. Let cool before assembling macarons.
Apple Filling
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In a small bowl, toss together apples and lemon juice.
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Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
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Add apples and all remaining ingredients to the saucepan. Cook down for about 5 minutes until sugar has caramelized and apples become soft.
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Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature before refrigerating for 20 minutes.
Cashew Buttercream
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Cream vegan butter in a stand mixer on medium speed.
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Continuing on medium speed, add cashew butter to the vegan butter.
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Once vegan butter and cashew butter are well mixed, slowly add in powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and non-dairy milk in that order. Continue to mix until you have a smooth buttercream.
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Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before use.
Assembly
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Pipe the buttercream around the edge of the macaron shell. The buttercream wall should be about a ¼ of an inch high.
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Add apple filling to the center, the buttercream wall will keep the filling from spilling out the edge.
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Top off the macaron with another shell to complete this cookie sandwich.
Recipe Notes
If you are using food coloring, the amount will depend on what you use. If using a gel, you won’t need to use as many drops as regular liquid food dye. The color of the unbaked shells will get lighter when baked, so don’t worry if the batter seems darker than your intended color.