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Lavender Honey Macaron

Author Karen @ The Tasty Bite

Ingredients

For the macarons:

  • 3.2 oz egg whites room temperature and preferably aged up to 3 days
  • 2.8 oz lavender sugar see note below
  • 5.6 oz confectioners' sugar sifted
  • 3.2 oz almond meal sifted
  • Purple food coloring

For the lavender honey buttercream:

  • 2 tbsps milk or heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp dried lavender buds
  • ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar sifted

Instructions

To make the macarons:

  • Whisk egg whites until they begin to foam, about 1 minute. Slowly add in granulated sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form (mixture should be thick and glossy; you should be able to hold the bowl upside down without the whites falling out).
  • Add sifted confectioners’ sugar, almond meal, and food coloring to the mixture. Using a spatula, fold until it is well incorporated and the mixture has a consistency of molten lava. To test, scoop up a spoonful of batter and drop it back into the mixture; it should flatten and disappear into the batter in about 15 seconds or so. If it doesn’t, continue folding the mixture. It should take about 50-60 strokes for the batter to reach the right consistency.
  • Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with large round tip, and pipe small rounds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper with a template underneath. The rounds should be no larger than 2 inch in diameter with at least ½ inch of space between.
  • Gently tap the bottom of each sheet on work surface to release trapped air, then let the macarons dry on the counter for about 30 minutes until a skin is formed on the surface (the batter shouldn’t stick to your hand when you touch it).
  • Place the macarons in a 350F oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes until the shells harden. Let cool completely on the baking sheets.

To make the filling:

  • Combine milk and dried lavender in a small bowl and set in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. Using a strainer, discard lavender buds and reserve infused milk.
  • Using a mixer, cream together butter and honey until smooth. Gradually add confectioners' sugar until incorporated. Add infused milk, one teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired flavor and consistency, and beat until light and fluffy.

To assemble:

  • Match the macaron shells in pairs. Pipe or spread a small round of buttercream (about half a teaspoon) on the flat side of a macaron shell and sandwich together with a matching macaron shell. Repeat with the remaining macarons.

Notes

*To make lavender sugar, combine 1 cup of granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon of dried lavender in a clean glass jar. Cover and let the sugar rest for a day in room temperature. Shake the jar occasionally to distribute the lavender oils in the sugar.
*The assembled macarons can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
*I leave the egg whites on the counter for three days, cover with plastic wrap, leaving some space for the moisture to escape.