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Lemon Italian Meringue Macarons with a Lemon Curd Filling
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Lemon Macarons

Course Dessert
Servings 12 macarons

Equipment

  • Zester
  • Fine mesh strainer
  • Blender
  • Piping bags
  • Piping tips (#3 and #12 Wilton tips)
  • Couplers

Ingredients

Macaron Shells

Buttercream Filling

Lemon Curd Filling

  • ¾ sheet (1.8g) silver leaf gelatin
  • ¼ cup + 3 Tbsp (108g) eggs
  • ½ cup + 2 tsp (108g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup + 3 Tbsp (108g) freshly squeezed and strained lemon juice
  • 10 Tbsp (140g) room temperature unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 tsp (4.5g) grated lemon zest 

Instructions

Making Lemon Curd

  • Place the gelatin sheet in cold water to soften.
  • In a medium saucepan, whisk together the eggs and sugar.  Slowly whisk in the lemon juice.  Put the saucepan over medium heat and whisk constantly until the mixture begins to simmer.  Continue simmering for 3-5 minutes until thickened. 
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk for a few minutes to release the steam and cool the curd slightly.  Then, squeeze the water out of the gelatin and then whisk the gelatin into the curd until the gelatin has completely dissolved.  
  • Pour the curd through the strainer into the blender.  Turn the blender on low and blend for a few seconds.  Add 2-3 pieces of room temperature butter into the blender at a time until the butter is fully incorporated.   
  • Add the lemon zest and blend until combined.
  • Transfer the lemon curd to an airtight container and allow to cool to room temperature with the lid off.  Once cooled, cover the lemon curd with a piece of plastic wrap.  Make sure the plastic wrap touches the surface of the curd so a skin does not form.  Put the lemon curd in the fridge to cool completely.  
  • This recipe makes approximately 1¾ cups (400g) of lemon curd. It will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.   

Making Lemon Buttercream

  • Combine the Italian Meringue Buttercream with 3 Tbsp – ⅓ cup (50-75g) of Lemon Curd (to taste).  Mix until completely combined.  Avoid adding more than 75g because the buttercream will have a higher likelihood of curdling.

Filling the Lemon Macarons

  • Place ¼ cup (80g) of lemon curd into a piping bag fitted with a coupler and a #3 piping tip.  
  • Place the lemon buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a coupler and a #12 piping tip.  
  • Flip half of the macaron shells upside down and pipe a ring of buttercream around the outside of the macaron (i.e., on the flat part of the cookie).  Fill the center of the buttercream ring with lemon curd. 
  • Place the other half of the cookie on the filling and gently press to push the filling to the edge of the cookie.  
  • These are good the day they are made, but they are best after sitting in the freezer for 24 hours.  Wrap the cookies in plastic wrap and freeze.  To eat them, bring them to room temperature with the plastic wrap still on.  This will keep the condensation from making the cookie soft.