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VaniLLa Bean and Lemon Curd maCarons
Macarons, the crisp, chewy French confections, are not to be confused with macaroons, the largely coconut-based cookie. Macarons are comprised of two almond meringue discs, traditionally sandwiching a flavored buttercream, jam or ganache. the petite treat comes in
Story and recipe by Tory Bahn and Lucy Schwetye photography by Jennifer Silverberg
limitless flavor combinations and while delicate and refined, remains a versatile finger food fit for any occasion. this recipe highlights the unique flavor of vanilla bean in the meringue cookie, brought together by fresh lemon curd for a twist on the filling.
Chef’S TipS
Vanilla Bean and Lemon Curd Macarons Yield | 24 macarons | Lemon Curd
BuBBLe trouBLe. as you pipe macaron batter into discs onto sheet
over the heat unattended. be sure to whisk continuously so that you do not overcook or scramble your curd.
trays, take care to quickly flatten any peaks or bumps with damp fingers to create flat surfaces. tap sheet trays on a hard surface to release any large air bubbles that might form during piping.
traCe spaCe. to ensure that your macarons are all the same size and
Whisk it Good. When making the lemon curd, don’t allow it to sit
that they all cook evenly, trace circles on your parchment paper and then pipe macaron batter inside of the tracings.
roasted Wild Mushroom and Local bacon Salad ○ grilled Veal rib chops with Sweet Soy reduction ○ creamy polenta ○ Fried brussels Sprouts ○ Vanilla Bean and Lemon Curd macarons
water large egg yolks cup freshly squeezed lemon juice Tbsp lemon zest cup super-fine sugar stick unsalted butter, cut into cubes
maCarons
Make The MeaL ○
5 1/3 1 ½ 1
1½ Learn more. in this month’s class, you’ll learn how to make a simple
sweet soy reduction that easily enhances many dishes. you’ll also learn how to roast earthy wild mushrooms to maximize their complex flavor and crispier texture. and, just in time for early spring grilling season, we'll explore how to properly grill veal rib chops.
get hands-on: Join Feast and schnucks Cooks Cooking school on Wed., april 23, at 6pm to make the dishes in this month’s menu. tickets are just $40 for a night of cooking, dining and wine. RsVP at schnuckscooks.com or call 314.909.1704.
12/3 1 ¾ ¼ 3
cups almond meal, sifted then measured cups powdered sugar, measured then sifted vanilla bean, scraped for seeds cup sugar cup water large egg whites, room temperature
| Preparation – Lemon Curd | bring a small pot with 2 inches of water to a simmer. in a large metal bowl, whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest and sugar until combined. Set bowl over pot of simmering water and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and ribbons form, about 10 minutes. remove from heat and whisk in butter until it melts into curd. cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. refrigerate until cold and set.
| Preparation – Macarons | preheat oven to 350ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. in a large bowl, whisk together almond meal and powdered sugar. Set aside. in a small pot over medium heat, combine vanilla bean seeds and pod, sugar and water to make vanilla syrup. bring mixture to a boil just until sugar is completely dissolved. turn off heat and discard vanilla pod. in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites to soft peaks at medium speed. once you reach soft peaks, with the mixer running on low, slowly stream in warm vanilla syrup. after syrup has been added, increase mixer speed to high and whip for 5 to 7 minutes until stiff peaks have formed. pour whipped meringue on top of the almond meal and powdered sugar mixture and fold to thoroughly combine. Scoop ¼ batter into a pastry bag at a time. cut a ½-inch diameter opening straight across. pipe 1½-inch discs onto the prepared pan, about 1 inch apart. repeat with remaining batter. place in the center of the oven, immediately turn temperature down to 325 ºF and bake for 10 minutes or until the macaron bottoms just start to turn golden. remove from oven and let cool completely. While macarons are cooling, place cold lemon curd in another piping bag and cut a 1/8-inch tip opening. pipe a quarter size mound of curd onto the flat side of one macaron and sandwich with another. repeat until all macarons are sandwiched.
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aPriL 2014