Raspberry White Chocolate Macaron

Raspberry White Chocolate Macaron. A recipe adapted from Tim Kinnaird. Perfectly crisp on the outside with a deliciously chewy interior and sumptuously creamy white chocolate ganache. Naturally gluten free. Raspberry Macaron shells dairy free.

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Raspberry White Chocolate Macaron – A first macaron attempt

These Raspberry White Chocolate Macaron were my first ever attempt at making macaron. But given they are one of the ultimate naturally gluten free indulgences, they had to be done. Since this recipe, I have made macaron on a number of occasions… On the blog, you’ll find recipes for Blackcurrant and Dark Chocolate Macaron (which uses the same Italian Meringue method as this recipe). And an easier (but no less delicious) recipe for Chocolate-Orange Macaron.

Macaron have always been a bit of a nemesis of mine. So, this first attempt at making them was not only rather pleasing, but also gave the confidence that macaron are within the reach of any baker… Even me. 😂  And since they are usually ridiculously expensive to buy, it seemed reason enough to learn how to make them.

What are Macaron and are they the same as Macaroons?

Macaron should not… EVER… be confused with macaroons. The confusion of name when referring to one or the other is a pet hate of mine.

A ‘macaroon’ is a roughly rounded, very sweet, chewy cookie mound. It consists of shredded coconut and apparently (according to my tastebuds), a lot of sugar. Macaroons are often dipped in chocolate.

‘Macaron’ on the other hand, are altogether far more sophisticated, delicate and (frankly) more delicious… A French confection that consists of two flat, yet gently domed almond-flour ‘cookies’, delectably sandwiched around mouth-wateringly creamy or fruity fillings. Fillings often include rich ganache, buttercream or fruit jams.

Macaron come in any and all flavours and a rainbow of colours. Indeed, they are as beautiful and photogenic as they are decadently yumcious. Although I confess… The photographs for my Raspberry White Chocolate Macaron are now a little old and were not taken in the best light.

Macaron texture…

Made well, Macaron should be crisp, with an eggshell-like outer coat, but perfectly moist and chewy on the inside. Teeth should sink through the shell with a slight stickiness. And the ‘cookie’ should melt across the palate, while mingling with its perfectly complemented decadent filling.

Are these Raspberry White Chocolate Macaron difficult to make?

Making macaron are not for the faint-hearted. They can be tricky and fickle morsels… It ultimately comes down to the consistency of the mix, which should be neither over or under whipped or folded. I’ve had failures as well as successes making them. But the best advice is to follow a recipe very closely, particularly as your confidence grows. And don’t be put off making them if you have ‘flops’ along the way.

This particular recipe for Raspberry White Chocolate Macaron, was adapted from a book called Perfecting Patisserie by Dr Tim Kinnaird. He sums up macaron nicely… describing them as “the supermodels of the cake world. At their best, elegant and indefinable delights; at their worst, temperamental divas.”

How I adapted the recipe by Tim Kinnaird to make Raspberry White Chocolate Macaron

There wasn’t actually a recipe for Raspberry Macaron in Tim’s book. So, I had to make a few adaptations. Taking the recipe he shared for basic macaron shells(which used the Italian Meringue method), I added some freeze-dried raspberry to flavour it up. I LOVE using freeze-dried fruit in cooking and baking… It’s natural, intense in flavour and colour and doesn’t add excessive moisture to a dish. But be sure to always buy in larger packs on-line. I get mine from Healthy Supplies. It works out far cheaper than from the supermarket (which usually only sells tiddly pots).

The white chocolate ganache recipe was drawn from Tim’s filling for Jasmine Tea Macaron… But without the infusion of tea to the cream.

I confess that although I followed the instructions rigidly for making the macaron batter, I did wing it slightly for the baking process… Tim advises against the need to leave piped macaron batter to form a skin before baking. (This can apparently lead to inconsistent results due to varying temperature and humidity from one kitchen to another). However, by the time the macaron were piped (I’m not a confident piper), the skin had formed anyway. So, I went with a more traditional method of baking them at a steady heat and watched them very closely to ensure they didn’t go ‘over’.

Raspberry White Chocolate Macaron – first time success

Maybe it was beginner’s luck… But with Tim’s step by step instructions, these Raspberry White Chocolate Macaron seemed more straight forward than I anticipated. For taste and texture, they were exactly as they should be. Perfectly crisp, yet soft and chewy… Delicately but definitively raspberry in flavour… Pretty in pink… Rich with white chocolate ganache which mingles in happy partnership against the fruit. And… dangerously addictive.

Everyone who ate them offered praise and noises of satisfaction. I was more than over-joyed. My husband even suggested they were better than the ones he had from Ladurée… Bless him… I think memory can become quite deceptive as you get older.

Have you made Raspberry White Chocolate Macaron?

If you make Raspberry White Chocolate Macaron, I hope you love them. Leave a comment to let me know what you think. Or tag me on social media with your luscious macaron photos. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Pinterest. 

For everything else, head over to our massive FREE Gluten Free Recipe Index and browse for loads of inspiration.

Happy baking

Other naturally gluten free sweet treat recipes at Gluten Free Alchemist

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5 from 3 votes

Raspberry White Chocolate Macaron

A recipe adapted from Tim Kinnaird (using the Italian Meringue method). Perfectly crisp on the outside with a deliciously chewy interior and sumptuously creamy white chocolate ganache. Naturally gluten free. Macaron shells dairy free.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time1 hr 15 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time1 hr 40 mins

Course: Biscuits & Cookies, confectionary, Dinner Party, Sweet Treats

Cuisine: French, Gluten Free

Keyword: chocolate, egg whites, foodie gifts, ganache, macaron, raspberry

Servings: 33 approx

Calories per serving: 156.4kcal

Author: Adapted from Dr Tim Kinnaird – ‘Perfecting Patisserie’ (2013)

Key equipment

• Kitchen scales
• baking trays
• baking paper
• Mixing bowls
• electric whisk
• stand mixer
• Small saucepan
• Accurate digital cooking thermometer
• oven + hob
• mixing spoon/spatula
• piping bag(s) (with 1 cm open round nozzle) – I use disposable bags
• wire racks
• heatproof (pyrex) bowl
• wooden/silicone spoon

Ingredients 

0.33x0.5x0.66x1x2x

MetricUS Customary

Macaron Shells (Italian Meringue Method)

• 200 g icing sugar confectioners/powdered sugar
• 200 g ground almonds almond meal
• 150 g egg whites split into 2x 75g portions (see NOTES)
• 3 tsp freeze dried raspberry powder
• a little red food dye paste or powder (NOT liquid)
• 200 g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
• 50 ml/g water

White Chocolate Ganache Filling

• 125 ml/g double cream heavy cream
• 275 g white chocolate
• 60 g unsalted butter at room temperature
• freeze-dried raspberry powder for decoration mixed with a little edible glitter

Instructions

Macaron Shells (Italian Meringue Method)

• Prepare 3 to 4 baking sheets by lining with baking paper. The baking papers should have circles drawn on the underside about the size of a 2 pence piece and spaced about 2.5 cm/1 inch apart.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the icing sugar, almonds and 75g egg white. Beat with an electric whisk until fully combined.
• Add the raspberry powder and food dye and beat again.
• Preferably using a free-standing mixer, put the rest of the egg white (75g) into the spotlessly clean and grease-free bowl. (rub down with lemon juice to de-grease).
• In a very small saucepan, mix the caster sugar and water and heat very slowly. Use a cooking thermometer to check the temperature accurately. You want the temperature to reach exactly 117 C/242 F.
• Whilst the sugar is heating, gently whisk the egg whites in the mixer bowl until just frothy and airy.
• When the sugar syrup has reached the required temperature, remove from the heat and add to the egg whites whilst continuing to whisk slowly.
• Turn up the speed of the mixer a little (not to high speed) and continue to whisk until the mixture is stiff enough to form stiff peaks. You now have Italian meringue.
• Preheat the oven to 150 C/300 F/Gas 2.
• Add the raspberry almond mix that you made earlier to the Italian meringue and beat slowly for about 30 seconds.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for about 30 seconds until combined. The consistency of the mix is important at this stage and should ‘flow smoothly’ when tipped from the spoon back into the bowl, yet gently ‘spread back into a flat, even surface’. (ie not to thick or too runny)
• Transfer the mixture into a piping bag with a 1 cm plain round nozzle.
• At right angles to the tray (upright), pipe small mounds of batter into the centre of the marked circles on the baking paper, until the batter almost fills the circle. Swirl the nozzle to separate, before moving on to the next circle.
• Leave the piped batter circles to stand for 15 to 20 minutes until they have the appearance of a slight skin forming across the surface (this should be dry to a light touch).
• Bake for about 7 minutes and then swap the trays round and bake for a further 4-5 minutes. Watch very closely in case the edges begin to catch. The macaron are baked when the top is smooth and dry and they are firm to the touch. (Bake in batches as necessary)
• Remove from the oven and as they begin to cool, very gently transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

White Chocolate Ganache Filling

• Break the chocolate into small pieces in a heat proof bowl.
• Heat the cream in a saucepan until it is just beginning to start to simmer at the edges, then remove from the heat and immediately pour over the chocolate.
• Leave to sit for 4 to 5 minutes and then stir until the chocolate has completely melted and the ganache mixture is smooth. If any lumps of chocolate remain, place the bowl over a saucepan with a small amount of just-simmering water and gently heat and stir until smooth.
• Add the butter to slightly-cooled ganache and beat with a whisk or hand blender until smooth.
• Either set aside at room temperature to allow to firm up enough to pipe. Or…If needing to use more quickly, place in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes to cool and stiffen very slightly. Keep a close eye to ensure the ganache doesn't become too hard and stir it frequently.
• Pair up the macaron shells in a row one top side up, one top side down.
• Transfer the ganache to a piping bag fitted with a 1 cm plain round nozzle.
• Pipe a blob of ganache into the centre of each of the flat-facing macaron shells and sandwich with its second shell, gently squeezing together until the filling can be seen at the edge.
• Sprinkle with a little freeze-dried raspberry powder on top for decoration.
• Store in the fridge, but bring back to room temperature to eat and enjoy at their best.

Notes

* Note: nutritional information is an estimate & may vary according to portion size/ingredient variants.

I do not advise using egg whites from a carton as many add guar gum and other thickeners which can ruin the macaron batter. If using carton egg whites, only use those which contain no other ingredients.

According to Dr Tim Kinnaird (from whom the recipe was adapted), it is not essential to age the egg white, although it can help. To Age – separate the pure egg white into a spotlessly clean and grease-free bowl and set aside at room temperature for a few hours before making the macaron.

Nutrition

Calories: 156.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 18.9g | Protein: 2.4g | Fat: 8.6g | Saturated Fat: 3.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 10.8mg | Sodium: 16.9mg | Potassium: 40.7mg | Fiber: 0.7g | Sugar: 17.4g | Vitamin A: 103.6IU | Vitamin C: 5.5mg | Calcium: 32.8mg | Iron: 0.4mg

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© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist

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