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Blog posts by Rosanna ETC

Blueberry Cheesecake Macarons

· 7 Comments

Blueberry cheesecake macarons, the dessert mash-up you never knew you needed. I love cheesecake and I love macarons, so it was only a matter of time before I brought the two together. These blueberry macarons with cheesecake filling even have the cheesecake base mixed into the cream cheese and blueberry puree, so it actually tastes like cheesecake sandwiched between two macaron shells.

Blueberry cheesecake macarons are just one of the many flavours you can create once you've mastered making homemade macarons, and if you are new to this corner of patisserie then be sure to first check out my ultimate guide to making macarons with Italian meringue, which is my preferred method. It gives the macaron batter more stability, which makes it harder to overmix.

Blueberrry cheesecake macarons on a table with fresh blueberries.

Blueberry cheesecake macarons can be enjoyed at any time of year but are best when blueberries are in season and at their most flavourful. If you've been reading my blog for a while you'll know that making homemade macarons is one of my favourite things to bake and I'm always coming up with new macaron flavour ideas.

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Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need to make blueberry cheesecake macarons.

Tupperware containers filled with egg white, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, ground almonds and water.
  • Egg whites.
  • Granulated sugar/caster sugar.
  • Icing sugar/confectioners sugar.
  • Ground almonds.
  • Water.
  • Blueberries.
  • Cream cheese.
  • Digestive biscuits/Graham crackers/Belvita soft bakes.
  • Powdered food colouring.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Fresh blueberries in a bowl.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 145 degrees Celsius / 295 Fahrenheit. 

Prepare and weigh out the ingredients, separating the egg whites from egg yolks if necessary. 

Blend the ground almonds and powdered sugar together until they are of a very fine consistency and completely combined. Sieve the mixture into a large mixing bowl.

Making Italian meringue

Place the water and granulated sugar into a saucepan. Gently warm the water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once it has dissolved, turn up the heat, stop stirring and place the sugar thermometer into the mixture. 

Once the thermometer starts to climb above 105 degrees Celsius/220 degrees Fahrenheit, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.

When the sugar syrup reaches a soft boil temperature of 115 degrees Celsius/240 degrees, start whisking the egg whites again and pour in the sugar syrup a little at a time. 

The Italian meringue will turn a smooth, glossy and opaque white. Continue to whisk once all of the sugar syrup has been added to bring down the heat until you can touch the side of the bowl and it feels warm but not hot. 

Glossy Italian meringue in a bowl.

Making almond paste

Make the almond paste by mixing the remaining egg white with the ground almond/powdered sugar mixture until it is fully incorporated. If using food colouring, add it at this point. A half teaspoon should be sufficient depending on how intense you want the colour.

Mixing macaron batter

Now mix the Italian meringue into the almond paste in three stages. 

Firmly mix in the first third of the Italian meringue with a metal or wooden spoon to loosen the almond paste and fully combine the two mixtures. 

Fold in the remaining two thirds one at a time using the softer spoon or spatula, being very gentle with the final third to not overmix the batter and make it too slack. 

Piping macarons

Move the macaron batter to a piping bag. Tie a knot in the end and relax the mixture slightly in the bag with your hands for a few seconds. Cut half a centimetre from the tip of the piping bag. 

Position the piping bag perpendicular to the tray with the nozzle a few millimetres above the surface. Squeeze the bag without lifting it up for two or three seconds, then stop squeezing and make a little circle to twist it off. Fill the trays leaving a 2cm gap in between each macaron. 

Firmly smack it down onto the work surface twice to settle the Italian macaron batter and get rid of any air bubbles. 

Bake straight away for 17 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow the macarons to cool on the tray. This is a no-rest macaron recipe, but if you cannot fit all of your macarons in the oven at once, it won't harm the remaining macarons to be out on the worktop for 17 minutes. 

Blueberries, digestive biscuits, cream cheese and macaron shells on a table.

Blueberry cheesecake filling

Blend the blueberries in a food processor or liquidiser. Add a splash of water if needed to loosen it. 

Push the blueberry puree through a sieve, then place in a saucepan and reduce over medium heat until thickened. Chill in the fridge. 

Blueberry puree bubbling in a saucepan.

Using a pestle and mortar or food processor, grind the biscuits/cookies to a fine crumb.

Mix the blueberry puree into the cream cheese and stir through the biscuits. 

Spoon the blueberry cheesecake filling into a piping bag and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Pipe the filling onto a macaron shell, and sandwich another on top.

Serve your blueberry cheesecake macarons and enjoy!

Hint: You definitely need a sugar thermometer to make these blueberry cheesecake macarons - making Italian meringue without one is impossible.

Blueberry cheesecake macarons and fresh blueberries on a table.

Variations

You could try this blueberry cheesecake macaron recipe with other fruits like strawberry or raspberries, let me know if you do by tagging me on Instagram.

Check out my other macaron flavours

Equipment

  • Weighing scales. Digital is best. Baking is a science, after all, so we need precision! I do not recommend using the cup system to make macarons.
  • A sieve to ensure that the powdered sugar and almond flour is as fine as possible. 
  • A blender/food processor to thoroughly combine the almond flour and powdered sugar. This ensures a completely smooth finish on your macaron shells. 
  • A small saucepan to make your sugar syrup
  • A jam or sugar thermometer to measure the temperature of the hot sugar syrup. The sugar syrup needs to be at a particular temperature to make Italian meringue and it is impossible to judge without a thermometer. The best thermometers for sugar syrup do not allow the bulb to touch the bottom or sides of the saucepan, thus ensuring you are measuring the temperature of the sugar, and not the pan. 
  • An electric whisk or stand mixer to whisk your egg whites into soft peaks before slowly adding the hot sugar syrup. 
  • Two large bowls, preferably glass. Try to avoid using a metal mixing bowl for the Italian meringue as it will conduct heat and prevent the mixture from cooling. 
  • A metal mixing spoon for combining ingredients more vigorously.
  • A silicon mixing spoon or spatula for further, more gentle mixing. 
  • Baking sheets/trays - not high-sided ones as this builds up too much steam
  • Silicon mat or baking parchment paper (but the silicon mats are better and allow for lower waste as they are not single-use)
  • Piping bags - to pipe your macarons onto a baking tray, and then also to pipe your fillings. 

Storage

Store the blueberry cheesecake macarons in the fridge, and consume them within 2-3 days.

You can easily freeze macaron shells in an airtight container, then defrost and fill them whenever you need them.

Top tip

Grind the biscuits until the crumb is very fine, or you'll end up with uneven chunks in the macaron filling that are hard to pipe as they get stuck in the nozzle.

Blueberry Cheesecake Macarons

Blueberry Cheesecake Macarons

Rosanna Stevens
Homemade macarons with a blueberry cheesecake filling, the perfect sweet treat with step by step instructions.
5 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 17 mins
Filling time 15 mins
Total Time 1 hr 17 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine French, Italian
Servings 40 macarons
Calories 113 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Weighing scales
  • 1 Sieve Blender/food processor 
  • 1 Small saucepan 
  • 1 Jam or sugar thermometer 
  • 1 electric whisk or stand mixer
  • 2 Large bowls, preferably glass
  • 1 Metal or wooden mixing spoon 
  • 1 Silicon mixing spoon or spatula 
  • 3 Large baking sheets/trays 
  • 3 Silicon baking mat or baking parchment paper
  • 2 piping bags
  • 1 pestle and mortar

Ingredients
 
 

Almond paste

  • 185 grams Powdered sugar (icing sugar or confectioners sugar)
  • 185 grams Ground almonds
  • 63 grams Egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon Powdered food colouring

Italian meringue

  • 185 grams Granulated sugar
  • 100 ml Water
  • 63 grams Egg whites

Blueberry cheesecake filling

  • 150 grams Blueberries
  • 300 grams Cream cheese
  • 200 grams Digestive biscuits Graham crackers/Belvita soft bakes in USA

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 145 degrees Celsius / 295 Fahrenheit. 
  • Prepare and weigh out the ingredients, separating the egg whites from egg yolks if necessary. 
  • Sieve the ground almonds and powdered sugar and then blend together until they are a very fine consistency and completely combined. 
  • Add the powdered food colouring and thoroughly combine.

Italian meringue

  • Place the water and granulated sugar into a saucepan. Gently warm the water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once it has dissolved, turn up the heat, stop stirring and place the sugar thermometer into the mixture. 
  • Once the thermometer starts to climb above 105 degrees Celsius/220 degrees Fahrenheit, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
  • When the sugar syrup reaches a soft boil temperature of 115 degrees Celsius/240 degrees, start whisking the egg whites again and pour in the sugar syrup a little at a time. 
  • The Italian meringue will turn a smooth, glossy and opaque white. Continue to whisk once all of the sugar syrup has been added to bring down the heat until you can touch the side of the bowl and it feels warm but not hot. 

Almond paste

  • Make the almond paste by mixing the remaining egg white with the ground almond/powdered sugar mixture until it is fully incorporated.

Macaronage

  • Now mix the Italian meringue into the almond paste in three stages. 
  • Firmly mix in the first third of the Italian meringue with a metal or wooden spoon to loosen the almond paste and fully combine the two mixtures. 
  • Fold in the remaining two thirds one at a time using the softer spoon or spatula, being very gentle with the final third to not overmix the batter and make it too slack. 

Piping macarons

  • Move the macaron batter to a piping bag. Tie a knot in the end and relax the mixture slightly in the bag with your hands for a few seconds. Cut half a centimetre from the tip of the piping bag. 
  • Position the piping bag perpendicular to the tray with the nozzle a few millimetres above the surface. Squeeze the bag without lifting it up for two or three seconds, then stop squeezing and make a little circle to twist it off. Fill the trays leaving a 2cm gap in between each macaron. 
  • Firmly smack it down onto the work surface twice to settle the Italian macaron batter and get rid of any air bubbles. 
  • Bake the macarons straight away for 17 minutes, then remove them from the oven and allow the macarons to cool on the tray. This is a no-rest macaron recipe, but if you cannot fit all of your macarons in the oven at once, it won't harm the remaining macarons to be out on the worktop for 17 minutes. 

Blueberry cheesecake filling

  • Blend the blueberries in a food processor or liquidiser. Add a splash of water if needed to loosen it.
  • Push the blueberry puree through a sieve, then place in a saucepan and reduce over medium heat until thickened. Chill in the fridge.
  • Using a pestle and mortar or food processor, grind the biscuits/cookies to a fine crumb.
  • Mix the blueberry puree into the cream cheese and stir through the biscuits.

Filling macarons

  • Spoon the blueberry cheesecake filling into a piping bag and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • Pipe the filling onto a macaron shell, and sandwich another on top.
  • Serve your blueberry cheesecake macarons and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 113kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 2gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 55mgPotassium: 27mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 103IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 0.4mg
Keyword blueberry cheesecake macarons, Italian macarons, Italian meringue, macaron recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Food safety

  • Take extreme care when working with boiling sugar syrup, and never leave unattended.
  • Clean surfaces and utensils thoroughly after handling raw egg whites.

Fig And Cardamom Macarons

· 6 Comments

Sweet and fragrant fig and cardamom macarons, an elegant and sophisticated treat for the eyes as well as the tastebuds.

We infuse the almond paste with ground cardamom seeds and I like to use a food colouring to mimic the beautiful deep earthy purple colour of the figs. A vibrantly coloured sweet fig puree forms the filling of this cardamom macaron recipe, it's flavour heighted by a squeeze of lemon juice and pinch of icing sugar.

I'm a huge fan of making homemade macarons, as you can tell by the growing list of macaron flavours I have on Rosanna ETC. I'm always searching for something a bit more unusual, flavour combinations with an edge, and this is fast becoming one of my favourites. I made a fig pavlova with cardamom cream a few weeks ago and ever since then have pondered other ways to use this flavour combination, and here we are.

Fig and cardamom macarons on a platter surrounded by fresh figs and cardamom pods.

Is this your first time making macarons? I make them with Italian meringue as it gives them more stability. If you're in need of an in-depth guide, check out my master post on making Italian macarons with Italian meringue before cracking on with these. Otherwise...read on...

Purple fig macarons on a serving platter.
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Ingredients

The ingredients for macarons in Tupperware containers: egg whites, icing sugar, granulated sugar and ground almonds.
  • Egg whites
  • Granulated sugar/caster sugar
  • Icing sugar/confectioners sugar
  • Ground almonds
  • Water
  • Cardamom pods (or ground cardamom seeds)
  • Lemon
  • Figs
  • Powdered food colouring - to achieve the same colour as a fig you will need what is often called aubergine or eggplant. Be sure to use powdered food colouring for macarons, not liquid or gel colour.

See the recipe card for quantities.

These fig and cardamom macarons might seem fiddly but they are well worth it. There are several important steps to making macarons, so take care with following each correctly as a wrong turn can have big consequences.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 145 degrees Celsius / 295 Fahrenheit. 

Prepare and weigh out the ingredients, separating the egg whites.

Blend the ground almonds and powdered sugar together until they are of a very fine consistency and completely combined. Sieve the mixture into a large mixing bowl.

Using a small knife, split open the cardamom pods and remove the seeds. Grind them in a pestle and mortar and then sieve to discard the hard outer shell of the seeds.

Add the ground cardamom seeds into the almond flour and sugar mixture, along with a heaped teaspoon of food colouring for an intense colour.

Italian meringue

Place the water and granulated sugar into a saucepan. Gently warm the water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once it has dissolved, turn up the heat, stop stirring and place the sugar thermometer into the mixture. 

Once the thermometer starts to climb above 105 degrees Celsius/220 degrees Fahrenheit, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.

When the sugar syrup reaches a soft boil temperature of 115 degrees Celsius/240 degrees, start whisking the egg whites again and pour in the sugar syrup a little at a time. 

The Italian meringue will turn a smooth, glossy and opaque white. Continue to whisk once all of the sugar syrup has been added to bring down the heat until you can touch the side of the bowl and it feels warm but not hot. 

Macaronage

Make the almond paste by mixing the remaining egg white with the ground almond/powdered sugar mixture until it is fully incorporated.

Now mix the Italian meringue into the almond paste in three stages. 

Firmly mix in the first third of the Italian meringue with a metal or wooden spoon to loosen the almond paste and fully combine the two mixtures. 

Fold in the remaining two-thirds one at a time using the softer spoon or spatula, being very gentle with the final third to not overmix the batter and make it too slack. 

Piping macarons

Move the macaron batter to a piping bag. Tie a knot in the end and relax the mixture slightly in the bag with your hands for a few seconds. Cut half a centimetre from the tip of the piping bag. 

Position the piping bag perpendicular to the tray with the nozzle a few millimetres above the surface. Squeeze the bag without lifting it up for two or three seconds, then stop squeezing and make a little circle to twist it off. Fill the trays leaving a 2cm gap in between each macaron. 

Firmly smack it down onto the work surface twice to settle the Italian macaron batter and get rid of any air bubbles. 

Bake straight away for 17 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow the macarons to cool on the tray. This is a no-rest macaron recipe, but if you cannot fit all of your macarons in the oven at once, it won't harm the remaining macarons to be out on the worktop for 17 minutes. 

Raw macarons on a baking tray.

Bake the macarons for 17 minutes.

Baked macaron shells on a baking tray.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Make the fig puree by blending the figs until fully liquidised and then pushing the puree through a sieve. Add a splash of water if needed to help loosen it.

Add the icing sugar and lemon juice and then put the fig puree in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil and reduce until thickened.

Chill completely in the fridge.

Cardamom macarons being filled with fig puree.

Fill your cardamom macaron shells by piping or spreading some of the fig puree onto one shell and sandwiching it with another.

Hint: These fig and cardamom macarons taste better after a few hours or overnight so that the macaron shells can go slightly chewy.

Macarons and figs on a serving plate.

Wine pairing

Pairing wine with cardamom is challenging as it is such a strong and fragrant flavour. An intense sweet wine works well with fig and cardamom macarons, like a Vin Santo.

Substitutions and variations

Here are a few ways to adapt this recipe to suit you.

  • Cardamom - try a pinch of cinnamon instead
  • Cream filling - fold the fig puree into whipped cream.
  • Fruit - try apricot instead of fig.

These chocolate cinnamon macarons are also a favourite of mine if you're looking for others to try...

Equipment

  • Weighing scales. Digital is best. Baking is a science, after all, so we need precision! I do not recommend using the cup system to make macarons.
  • A sieve to ensure that the powdered sugar and almond flour is as fine as possible. 
  • A blender/food processor to thoroughly combine the almond flour and powdered sugar. 
  • Pestle and mortar - to grind the cardamom seeds to a fine powder.
  • A small saucepan to make your sugar syrup.
  • A jam or sugar thermometer to measure the temperature of the hot sugar syrup. The sugar syrup needs to be at a particular temperature to make Italian meringue and it is impossible to judge without a thermometer. . 
  • An electric whisk or stand mixer to whisk your egg whites into soft peaks before slowly adding the hot sugar syrup. 
  • Two large bowls, preferably glass. Try to avoid using a metal mixing bowl for the Italian meringue as it will conduct heat and prevent the mixture from cooling. 
  • A metal mixing spoon for combining ingredients.
  • A silicon mixing spoon or spatula for further, more gentle mixing. 
  • Baking sheets/trays - not high-sided ones as this builds up too much steam
  • Silicon mat or baking parchment paper (but the silicon mats are better and allow for lower waste as they are not single-use)
  • Piping bags - to pipe your macarons onto a baking tray, and then also to pipe your fillings. 
Storing macarons in an airtight container.

Storage

Store the fig and cardamom macarons in an airtight container and consume within 4-5 days.

The cardamom macaron shells will freeze, use within a month. Defrost thoroughly before filling.

Top tip

You can adjust the level of cardamom to suit you. It is a strong flavour and a little goes a long way, from a hint of fragrance to a really aromatic hit of flavour.

Fig and cardamom macarons.

Fig And Cardamom Macarons

Rosanna Stevens
These sweet and fragrant fig and cardamom macarons make a beautiful and elegant treat.
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 17 mins
Filling time 15 mins
Total Time 1 hr 17 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine French, Italian
Servings 40 macarons
Calories 73 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Weighing scales
  • 1 Sieve Blender/food processor 
  • 1 Small saucepan 
  • 1 Jam or sugar thermometer 
  • 1 electric whisk or stand mixer
  • 2 Large bowls, preferably glass
  • 1 Metal or wooden mixing spoon 
  • 1 Silicon mixing spoon or spatula 
  • 3 Large baking sheets/trays 
  • 3 Silicon baking mat or baking parchment paper
  • 2 piping bags
  • 1 pestle and mortar

Ingredients
 
 

Almond paste

  • 185 grams Powdered sugar (icing sugar or confectioners sugar)
  • 185 grams Ground almonds
  • 63 grams Egg whites
  • 4 tablespoon Cardamom pods
  • 1 teaspoon Powdered food colouring

Italian meringue

  • 185 grams Granulated sugar
  • 100 ml Water
  • 63 grams Egg whites

Fig Puree filling

  • 6 Figs
  • 2 tablespoon Icing sugar
  • ½ Lemon (juiced) (heavy cream)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 145 degrees Celsius / 295 Fahrenheit. 
  • Prepare and weigh out the ingredients, separating the egg whites from egg yolks if necessary. 
  • Sieve the ground almonds and powdered sugar and then blend together until they are a very fine consistency and completely combined. 
  • Using a small knife, split open the cardamom pods and remove the seeds. Grind them in a pestle and mortar and then push through a sieve.
  • Mix the ground cardamom seeds into the ground almonds and powdered sugar.
  • Add the powdered food colouring and thoroughly combine.

Italian meringue

  • Place the water and granulated sugar into a saucepan. Gently warm the water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once it has dissolved, turn up the heat, stop stirring and place the sugar thermometer into the mixture. 
  • Once the thermometer starts to climb above 105 degrees Celsius/220 degrees Fahrenheit, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
  • When the sugar syrup reaches a soft boil temperature of 115 degrees Celsius/240 degrees, start whisking the egg whites again and pour in the sugar syrup a little at a time. 
  • The Italian meringue will turn a smooth, glossy and opaque white. Continue to whisk once all of the sugar syrup has been added to bring down the heat until you can touch the side of the bowl and it feels warm but not hot. 

Almond paste

  • Make the almond paste by mixing the remaining egg white with the ground almond/powdered sugar/cardamom mixture until it is fully incorporated.

Macaronage

  • Now mix the Italian meringue into the almond paste in three stages. 
  • Firmly mix in the first third of the Italian meringue with a metal or wooden spoon to loosen the almond paste and fully combine the two mixtures. 
  • Fold in the remaining two thirds one at a time using the softer spoon or spatula, being very gentle with the final third to not overmix the batter and make it too slack. 

Piping macarons

  • Move the macaron batter to a piping bag. Tie a knot in the end and relax the mixture slightly in the bag with your hands for a few seconds. Cut half a centimetre from the tip of the piping bag. 
  • Position the piping bag perpendicular to the tray with the nozzle a few millimetres above the surface. Squeeze the bag without lifting it up for two or three seconds, then stop squeezing and make a little circle to twist it off. Fill the trays leaving a 2cm gap in between each macaron. 
  • Firmly smack it down onto the work surface twice to settle the Italian macaron batter and get rid of any air bubbles. 
  • Bake the cardamom macarons straight away for 17 minutes, then remove them from the oven and allow the macarons to cool on the tray. This is a no-rest macaron recipe, but if you cannot fit all of your macarons in the oven at once, it won't harm the remaining macarons to be out on the worktop for 17 minutes. 

Fig puree filling

  • Blend the figs in a food processor or liquidiser. Add a splash of water if needed to loosen it.
  • Push the fig puree through a sieve, and add the lemon juice and powdered sugar.
  • Place the fig puree in a saucepan and reduce over medium heat until thickened. Chill in the fridge.

Filling macarons

  • Spread or pipe a circle of fig puree onto the cardamom macaron shell. Sandwich together with another macaron shell and serve.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 73kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.01gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 6mgPotassium: 29mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 11IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 0.3mg
Keyword Italian macarons, Italian meringue, macaron recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

FAQ

Can you eat cardamom?

You can eat cardamom seeds, but you cannot eat cardamom husks, or the outer pod. The whole pod is often used in cooking to give flavour to a dish.

What does cardamom taste like?

Cardamom has a strong, warm andvery aromatic flavour that is similar in some ways to cinnamon, or cloves but with citrusy undertones.

When are figs in season?

Figs are in season betweem May and November so can be enjoyed across several seasons.

Food safety

  • Take special care when working with boiling sugar syrup.
  • Never leave boiling sugar unattended
  • Wash utensils thoroughly after handling raw eggs.

Champagne Cream Sauce For Seafood

· 3 Comments

A champagne cream sauce for seafood that dresses up a dish and makes the ultimate decadent sauce for special occasions.

We make a homemade fish bone broth as a base, before cooking it with champagne and finally adding cream. Each stage of the champagne sauce recipe needs to reduce so make sure you leave yourself enough time, but at least fish bone broth takes a considerably shorter amount of time than meat!

This savoury champagne cream sauce for fish works at any time of year. It might contain cream but it isn't heavy, the delicate flavours of champagne and fish stock make it light enough to be enjoyed in summer but equally as perfect with a winter dish.

A champagne cream sauce being poured into a jug.

This champagne cream sauce for seafood is a recipe for when you want to push the boat out, and impress. The key ingredient is one associated with celebration, excess and exclusivity, so it is perfect for engagements, birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any occasion you want to celebrate.

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Ingredients

As always, the quality of the ingredients really matters although I would not recommend you break out the vintage Dom Perignon for this champagne cream sauce, for seafood - average-priced champagne is fine. The fish bones are the element that matter the most, and this is where you should spend your money to make this recipe sing. If you buy your fish from a market, buy a whole fish and ask them to fillet it for you but keep the bones. Especially the head. You can also go into a fishmonger and ask if they will give you or sell you just the bones. I do it all the time (and butchers too).

The ingredients for fish stock: fish bones, peppercorns, herbs and lemon.
  • Fish bones

Use the bones of a white fish, either flat or round is fine. The image above is turbot which works particularly well.

  • Champagne

Don't feel that you need to use expensive champagne in this sauce recipe, an average price bottle is fine.

  • Peppercorns
  • Onion
  • Celery
  • Lemon
  • Parsley
  • Bay leaves
  • Shallot
  • Butter
  • Double cream
  • Salt and pepper

See the recipe card for quantities.

How to make fish bone broth

It is easy to make homemade fish bone broth, and you won't believe the difference in taste. The fresher the fish bones, the better the bone broth. You always know the sign of a good fish broth when it goes really gelatinous once chilled. This is due to the good quality collagen in the fish bones, particularly in the head.

Prepare a large saucepan big enough for all the bones to be covered by liquid.

Place the fish bones into the saucepan. Cut the lemon in half, roughly chop the celery and cut the onion into quarters (keeping the skin). Put it all into the saucepan along with the bay leaf, parsley, salt and peppercorns.

Pour in the water and champagne, bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

Remove from the heat and strain through a sieve covered in a piece of muslin cloth into a large bowl or jug. Wait for it to settle and skim off any residue from the top.

Chill or freeze until needed.

Instructions

Finely dice the shallot.

Heat butter in a saucepan and when it stops crackling, add the shallot and gently fry until softened.

Pour in the champagne and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce down the volume by one third.

Pour in the fish stock and cream, bring back to the boil and reduce down again by half.

Season the champagne cream sauce at this stage with salt and pepper.

Sieve the sauce to remove the shallot, return to the pan and heat gently to bring the temperature back up to just below the simmering point and then it's ready to serve.

Hint: Wait until the end to season this sauce. Cream kills salt so you may need more than you think, but don't overdo it.

Top tip

Right before serving, whisk a few cubes of chilled butter into the champagne cream sauce off the heat to get a really glossy smooth finish.

Now you've made your champagne cream sauce, get creative with some of these sauce plating techniques and take your food styling even further.

Also, did you know I wrote an ebook on food styling and photography?

Wine pairing for champagne cream sauce

A creamy chardonnay will pair well with champagne cream sauce, or you can stick to theme and serve champagne (which goes with everything in my opinion, and is traditionally made with chardonnay grapes). Another option for wine to pair with champagne cream sauce would be an Alsace Pinot Gris.

Equipment

  • Large saucepan for the fish stock
  • Large jug or bowl
  • Saucepan to make the sauce
  • Sieve
  • Muslin cloth

Storage

Store any leftovers in the fridge and use within 3-4 days.

This champagne cream sauce for seafood does not freeze that well.

A champagne cream sauce being poured into a jug.

Champagne Cream Sauce For Seafood

Rosanna Stevens
A decadent sauce made with champagne to serve with fish or seafood, fine dining style.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 1 hr 15 mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine French
Servings 6 servings
Calories 304 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large saucepan/stock pot
  • 1 bowl or large jug
  • 1 Sieve
  • 1 muslin cloth

Ingredients
 
 

Fish bone broth

  • 1 kg Fish bones (uncooked)
  • 200 ml Champagne
  • 800 ml Water
  • 1 handful Parsley
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Peppercorns
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 stick Celery
  • 1 Lemon

Champagne cream sauce

  • 550 ml Champagne
  • 350 ml Fish bone broth
  • 400 ml Double cream /heavy cream
  • 50 grams Butter
  • 1 Shallot
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions
 

Fish bone broth

  • Prepare a large saucepan big enough for all the bones to be covered by the liquid. 
  • Place the fish bones into the saucepan. Cut the lemon in half, roughly chop the celery and cut the onion into quarters (keeping the skin). Put it all into the saucepan along with the bay leaf, parsley, salt and peppercorns. 
  • Pour in the water and champagne, bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. 
  • Remove from the heat and strain through a sieve covered in a piece of muslin cloth into a large bowl or jug. Wait for it to settle and skim off any residue from the top. 

Champagne cream sauce

  • Finely dice the shallot.
  • Heat butter in a saucepan and when it stops crackling, add the shallot and gently fry until softened. 
  • Pour in the champagne and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the volume by a third.
  • Pour in the fish stock and cream, bring back to the boil and reduce down by half.
  • Season the champagne cream sauce at this stage with salt and pepper. 
  • Sieve the sauce to remove the shallot, return to the pan and heat gently to bring the temperature back up to just below the simmering point.
  • Turn the heat off and whisk in a few extra cubes of cold butter to get a smooth and glossy finish. Serve immediately.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 304kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 4gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 696mgPotassium: 277mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1064IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 92mgIron: 1mg
Keyword champagne cream sauce for seafood, cream sauce with champagne
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

FAQ

Can fish bone broth be frozen?

Yes, all types of bone broth freeze really well. I often freeze bone broth in large ice cube trays to then have smaller portions to make sauces or soups with. My freezer is packed full of bone broth, but make sure you label the carton or you'll have a tricky time figuring out what kind it is.

What can fish bone broth be used for?

Bone broth is so versatile, I use it in sauces, soups, risotto and stews. If you are serving a side dish like cous cous, rice, quinoa etc then you can also use bone broth instead of plain water to turbocharge the flavour.

What kind of fish to use for bone broth?

You can make fish bone broth from white fish (both flat and round) and shellfish but not fatty fish like salmon. I love using Turbot for fish bone broth.

Can you make shellfish broth?

Yes! Crab, langoustine and lobster broth are all present and correct in my freezer. I will often make a seafood risotto with crab stock, and a few scallops or prawns placed on top.

Food safety

  • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw fish
  • Wash hands after touching raw fish
  • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
  • Never leave boiling pans unattended

Honey Glazed Rainbow Carrots En Papillote

· 7 Comments

Honey glazed rainbow carrots en papillote, a fragrant and elegant side dish.

We make a parchment parcel and cook the rainbow carrots with star anise, honey, orange, rosemary and a splash of broth. The result is a deliciously savoury side dish where the sweetness of the carrots is brought out by honey and orange, and then delicately spiced with star anise and rosemary.

Different coloured heritage carrots with star anise in a serving dish.

Carrots en papillote is one of my favourite winter vegetable side dishes, and I love to use rainbow carrots as it adds more colour to the plate and depth of flavour. Carrots are a nutritious vegetable full of antioxidants and rainbow carrots each have their own nutritional benefit. Purple carrots contain anthocyanins which may prevent heart disease, whilst orange carrots are rich in beta-carotene which promotes healthy vision. This rainbow carrot recipe is nutritious, beautiful and delicious, ticks all the boxes!

A bunch of rainbow carrots.

Honey glazed rainbow carrots en papillote is a great side dish for main courses including this lamb rump roast, alongside caramelised balsamic shallots.

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Ingredients

Here is everything you'll need to make this delicious and elegant side dish recipe.

Ingredients on a chopping board: rainbow carrots, honey, vegetable stock, rosemary, star anise and orange.
  • Rainbow carrots
  • Honey
  • Star Anise
  • Orange
  • Rosemary
  • Butter
  • Vegetable or chicken stock/broth
  • Salt and pepper

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius/375 degrees Fahrenheit

Peel and chop the rainbow carrots into bite-sized pieces

Rainbow carrots cut into pieces.

Lay a sheet of aluminium foil with a sheet of baking parchment paper on top. Fold the edges to seal the two pieces together, and then create a parcel by folding in half and folding over the sides to seal, leaving one side open. Place the parcel on a baking tray.

Place the carrots, star anise, rosemary, honey and salt and pepper inside the parcel, then pour in the vegetable stock and seal closed by folding over the final edge.

Bake the honey glazed rainbow carrots en papillote in the oven for 30 minutes.

Carefully open the parcel with a fork to avoid the steam. Check the carrots are cooked, cook for a further 10 minutes if not.

Remove the honey glazed rainbow carrots en papillote to a serving dish or directly onto a plate and serve.

Hint: this recipe works best with fresh rainbow carrots, try to avoid frozen ones.

Substitutions and variations.

Here are a few ways you can adapt this easy carrots recipe to suit you.

  • Star Anise - can't find any? Try a stick of cinnamon instead.
  • Rosemary - try this rainbow carrots en papillote recipe with thyme instead.
  • Vegan - use vegetable stock and a honey alternative like maple syrup.
  • Carrots - any type of carrot will work for this recipe.

Equipment

  • Vegetable peeler
  • Chopping board and knife
  • Parchment paper/greaseproof paper
  • Baking tray

Storage

Store any leftovers in the fridge and use them within 2-3 days.

These ingredients do not stand up well to freezing.

Top tip

Use a fork to open up the honey glazed rainbow carrots en papillote as the steam inside will be very hot.

Rainbow Carrots cooked en papillote with star anise, in a serving bowl.

Honey Glazed Rainbow Carrots En Papillote

Rosanna Stevens
Rainbow carrots cooked en papillote with honey, star anise and other herbs to create a fragrant and delicious side dish.
5 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, French
Servings 4
Calories 100 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 vegetable peeler
  • 1 kitchen knife and chopping board
  • 1 aluminium foil
  • 1 parchment paper/greaseproof paper
  • 1 Baking tray

Ingredients
 
 

  • 500 grams Rainbow carrots
  • 3 star anise
  • 2 tablespoon honey
  • ½ orange
  • 230 ml vegetable stock
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius/375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Peel and chop the rainbow carrots into bite-sized pieces
  • Lay a sheet of aluminium foil with a sheet of baking parchment paper on top. Fold the edges to seal the two pieces together, and then create a parcel by folding in half and folding over the sides to seal, leaving one side open. Place the parcel on a baking tray.
  • Place the carrots, star anise, rosemary, honey and salt and pepper inside the parcel, then pour in the vegetable stock and seal closed by folding over the final edge.
  • Bake the honey glazed rainbow carrots en papillote in the oven for 30 minutes.
  • Carefully open the parcel with a fork to avoid the steam. Check the carrots are cooked, reseal and cook for a further 10 minutes if not.
  • Remove the honey glazed rainbow carrots en papillote to a serving dish or directly onto a plate and serve.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 100kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 0.4mgSodium: 319mgPotassium: 456mgFiber: 4gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 21065IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 1mg
Keyword carrots en papillote, honey glazed rainbow carrots
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

FAQ

What are rainbow carrots?

Carrots come in a range of bright colours, including orange, purple, pink and yellow. The inside of the rainbow carrot might be a different colour to the outside!

Do rainbow carrots taste the same?

Rainbow carrots do not have a discernable difference in taste, they are all as delicious as each other.

Can rainbow carrots be eaten raw?

Yes! I love serving rainbow carrots with hummus, like this beetroot and walnut hummus recipe.

Baked Pain Au Chocolat Pudding

· 5 Comments

A warm baked pain au chocolat pudding makes the ideal dessert for Christmas or Thanksgiving.

We soak the pain au chocolat in an easy vanilla custard spiced with nutmeg, bake it in the oven and then top it with butter and a crunchy caramelised cinnamon sugar. Served warm out of the oven with a scoop of ice cream, this festive Christmas dessert is surprisingly simple but an absolute showstopper.

This pain au chocolate pudding is one of my favourite dessert recipes to make for Christmas or Thanksgiving. It is suitable for large numbers and requires very little of your time and attention, leaving you free to focus your attention on other dishes or to enjoy time with your guests.

Baked pain au chocolat pudding in a serving dish.

The first time I made this dessert I was working as a private chef in France and I served it to 14 guests, and it was so easy, I was thrilled. I'd been challenged to come up with a dessert made from pain au chocolat and this was the result. I then tweaked it to have some delicate winter spices in the vanilla custard and made the topping into a caramelised cinnamon sugar and it's now perfect for the holiday season.

Without the nutmeg and cinnamon, this pain au chocolate bread and butter pudding works as a dessert at any time of the year. But there is something about the crunchy puff pastry and chocolate and warm baked custard that makes it the ideal dessert for winter. And anything you can make in 15 minutes and then give your attention elsewhere until oven time is a massive win for me.

Love all things pastry? Try this salmon en croute.

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Ingredients

The ingredients for a pain au chocolat pudding: pain au chocolat, milk, cream, sugar, butter, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg.
  • Pain au chocolate

This pain au chocolat dessert works best with all butter pain au chocolat that are 1-2 days old. So if you're ever wondering what to do with stale pain au chocolate, this is your answer!

  • Eggs
  • Double cream/heavy cream
  • Full fat/whole milk

I use whole milk in this pain au chocolat dessert recipe as it adds extra richness to the custard.

  • Golden caster sugar

You can use ordinary granulated sugar if you don't have golden sugar (brown sugar), I just think it adds something extra to this luxurious dessert.

  • Butter

Use unsalted butter for this recipe. In fact, I always use unsalted butter as I like to control both the quantity and quality of salt I add to my dishes.

  • Vanilla extract

If you happen to have a vanilla pod you can use this instead, but they are so expensive these days and the essence works just as well.

  • Ground cinnamon
  • Ground nutmeg

You can omit the spices in this recipe to make it suitable for all seasons.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Slice each pain au chocolate horizontally into three pieces and arrange them cut side facing up in a lightly greased baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and then add the milk, cream, sugar, vanilla essence and nutmeg.

Pour the vanilla custard mixture over the pain au chocolat and place it in the fridge to soak for two hours.

Custard being poured over a dish filled with pain au chocolat.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake the pain au chocolate bread and butter pudding for 30 minutes, then take it out of the oven.

Spread butter across the top of the pain au chocolat dessert and mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon together before sprinkling it on top.

Bake for a further 10 minutes until the top of the pain au chocolat bread pudding is crunchy and the custard mixture is cooked.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a light dusting of cinnamon.

A serving of pain au chocolat pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Hint: When you take the pain au chocolat bread pudding out of the oven after 30 minutes, jiggle the dish and check to see how liquid the centre is. When the vanilla custard is ready it should be soft but solid and should souffle up slightly around the pain au chocolat.

Wine pairing for pain au chocolate pudding

I serve this pain au chocolate dessert with something sweet but not too heavy. A tawny port would work well, an Australian Muscat, Italian Amarone or a Maury red dessert wine would all pair beautifully with this pain au chocolat pudding.

Variations

Here are a few ways you can adapt this recipe to suit you.

  • Pastries - instead of pain au chocolat, try plain or almond croissants.
  • Spices - try this recipe without the nutmeg and cinnamon to make it less festive.
  • Orange - add some orange zest to the custard to add different flavour and zing.

Looking for something fruity to make as well? Try this fig pavlova with cardamom cream.

Equipment

You will need the following to make this easy dessert:

  • Oven safe baking dish
  • Mixing bowl
  • Measuring jug
  • Weighing scales
  • Bread knife
  • Chopping board

Storage

Store any leftovers in the fridge and consume within 2-3 days. You can enjoy this pain au chocolat pudding cold or gently reheat it in the oven for 15 minutes or until warmed through.

This dessert does not freeze well.

Top tip

This dessert does not work as well with pain au chocolat that are too bread-like in texture. Try to find flaky, buttery, crisp pain au choclat for the best results.

Baked pain au chocolat pudding in a serving dish.

Baked Pain Au Chocolat Pudding

A warm festive dessert made from pain au chocolat and delicately spiced vanilla custard topped with crunchy caramelised cinnamon sugar.
5 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 hrs 15 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 2 hrs 55 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, French
Servings 10 people
Calories 481 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large mixing bowl
  • 1 knife
  • 1 baking dish
  • 1 pestle and mortar
  • 1 measuring jug

Ingredients
 
 

  • 9 pain au chocolat
  • 300 ml double cream
  • 300 ml full-fat milk
  • 6 eggs
  • 100 grams golden caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

To finish

  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoon golden caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • Slice each pain au chocolate horizontally into three pieces and arrange them cut side facing up in a lightly greased baking dish. 
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and then add the milk, cream, sugar, vanilla essence and nutmeg.
  • Pour the vanilla custard mixture over the pain au chocolat and place it in the fridge to soak for two hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Bake the pain au chocolate bread and butter pudding for 30 minutes, then take it out of the oven.
  • Spread butter across the top of the pain au chocolat dessert and mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon together before sprinkling it on top. 
  • Bake for a further 10 minutes until the top of the pain au chocolat bread pudding is crunchy and the custard mixture is cooked. 
  • Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a light dusting of cinnamon. 

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 481kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 10gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 175mgSodium: 61mgPotassium: 121mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 46gVitamin A: 642IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 1mg
Keyword pain au choclat dessert, pain au chocolat bread and butter pudding
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

FAQ

What is pain au chocolat?

Pain au chocolat (or 'bread with chocolate') is a French pastry made from crispy laminated sweet pastry wrapped about sticks of chocolate and baked in the oven.

What is bread and butter pudding?

Bread and butter pudding is a traditional British dessert invented to use up stale bread. It was mentioned in culinary literature as early as 1728! Traditionally, it has raisins in it as well as the bread, custard and spices.

What makes bread and butter pudding perfect for the holiday season?

Bread and butter pudding is a warm, crunchy and cosy dessert that is ideal for winter. The spices make it perfectly festive and it can be made in advance to give you time to celebrate with family and friends.

Caramelised Fig Pavlova With Cardamom Cream

· 6 Comments

A caramelised fig pavlova with cardamom cream makes a sweet and fragrant dessert for a dinner party. This fig dessert doesn't require any special skills but looks beautiful, tastes elegant and makes the perfect end to a meal. The cardamom cream tames the sweetness of the brown sugar meringue and tastes grown up and fancy, whilst being very simple to make!

We make a cardamom whipped cream filling spiked with lemon zest for extra zing, which pairs perfectly with the sweet and sticky figs piled on top of the brown sugar pavlova. I like using golden sugar for meringue, it has a deeper, richer flavour and works so well with the figs.

Fig and cardamom is a delicious flavour combination, the sweet figs and delicately fragrant cardamom cream taste elegant and refined and this is a great dessert for dinner parties. Figs are in season from spring until autumn, and any variety will work but for this fig pavlova recipe I used Bursa figs from Turkey. They are large, sweet and juicy and generally available between June and November.

A fig pavlova on a table surrounded by figs and serving plates.

I have served this fig pavlova at dinner parties at the end of summer, when high summer meringue desserts like Eton Mess aren't quite as appropriate. Pavlova has the benefit of being a gluten free dessert and it can be made in advance so it's handy in a multitude of ways. And it is a recipe that uses only egg whites, so if you are looking for leftover egg whites recipes, definitely try this.

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Ingredients

Here is what you will need to make this fig and cardamom pavlova.

The ingredients for a caramelised fig pavlova with cardamom cream: egg whites, sugar, figs, lemon, double cream, yoghurt, lemon and cardamom pods.
  • Egg whites
  • Golden caster sugar/golden granulated sugar
  • Figs
  • Cardamom pods
  • Double cream/heavy cream
  • Yoghurt
  • Lemon
  • Butter

See the recipe card for quantities.

A close up of figs, lemon and cardamom seeds.

Instructions

First, make your meringue. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius/300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks, taking particular care not to get any egg yolk into the white. Even a tiny speck of egg yolk in your egg white will result in a failed meringue.

Whisk the egg whites until they reach a pale colour and have soft peaks.

Begin adding the brown sugar a small amount at a time whilst continuing to whisk the egg whites. The meringue mixture should turn opaque creamy white/beige colour, thick and glossy.

Spoon the brown sugar meringue onto a lined baking tray and use a spatula to spread it into a circle with a slight dip in the middle.

Brown sugar meringue on a baking tray about to be baked in the oven.

Bake the meringue in the oven for 1 hour, turning the heat down to 140 degrees Celsius/285 degrees Fahrenheit as soon as you put it in.

When the hour is up, turn the oven off but do not open it. Leave the meringue in the oven to cool and dry out, which will ideally be at least a few hours.

Meanwhile, make the caramelised figs and cardamom cream filling.

Slice the figs into quarters and heat the butter in a frying pan.

Figs and cardamom pods cooking in butter snd sugar.

Add the figs and a teaspoon of cardamom pods to the butter and sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over them.

Gently cook the figs in the butter, sugar and cardamom pods until they soften and caramelise.

Cardamom pods split open and their seeds in a pile next to them.

Take the remaining cardamom pods and carefully split them open with a knife to remove the seeds. Grind the seeds into a fine powder in a pestle and mortar, coffee or nut grinder. Some hard outer shells might remain, so pass them through a fine mesh sieve and discard the larger pieces that remain.

Cardamom seeds in a pestle and mortar being ground down.

Pour the cream into a large mixing bowl and add the ground cardamom seeds and lemon zest. Whisk the cream until it is thick and stiff, before mixing in the yoghurt which will slacken it again.

Spoon the whipped cardamom cream filling onto the brown sugar pavlova and then add the figs on top. Serve and enjoy!

A fig and cardamom pavlova surrounded by fresh figs.

Hint: If you can find ground cardamom seeds ready prepared, buy them instead of doing it yourself from cardamom pods. It does take a bit of time to crack, deseed and then grind them.

Wine pairing for fig and cardamom pavlova

This dessert provides a bit of a wine pairing challenge (which I love). The tricky factor is the cardamom, as it almost acts as a barrier between the other flavours and the wine and needs something powerful to stand up to it. The more cardamom you put in, the more you need to veer towards a much sweeter wine, like a tawny port or intense sweet wine. The other option is a sweet or off-dry sparkling wine, a Prosecco for example. I'd love to know what you try and how it works, let me know in the comments!

Substitutions and variations

Here are a few ways to change up this fig pavlova recipe to suit you.

  • White sugar - if you don't have any brown sugar, white will work just as well.
  • Yoghurt - increase the ratio of yoghurt to cream to make this recipe lighter and lower in fat.
  • Fruit - try other fruits instead of figs like plums, apples or apricot.

Love this flavour combination? Try my fig and cardamom macarons or find other elegant desserts for dinner parties here.

Equipment

Storage

The brown sugar meringue for this fig pavlova can be made in advance and kept in an air-tight container for 3 weeks, or even frozen.

Once filled and assembled, the caramelised fig and cardamom pavlova will need to be stored in the fridge and consumed within 3 days.

Top tip

It is best to store the components for this dessert separately and assemble right before eating so that the brown sugar meringue is perfectly crunchy.

Fig pavlova with cardamom cream

Caramelised Fig Pavlova With Cardamom Cream

Rosanna Stevens
A sweet and fragrant fig and cardamom pavlova that makes the ideal dessert for a dinner party.
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Drying out and assembly time 3 hrs
Total Time 4 hrs 30 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10 people
Calories 305 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large mixing bowl
  • 1 large, lined baking tray
  • 1 pestle and mortar
  • 1 small knife
  • 1 electric whisk or kitchen aid

Ingredients
 
 

Brown sugar meringue

  • 4 egg whites (large)
  • 300 grams golden caster sugar /granulated brown sugar

Cardamom cream filling

  • 400 ml double cream /heavy whipping cream
  • 100 grams yoghurt
  • 20 grams cardamom pods
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Caramelised figs

  • 8 figs
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom pods

Instructions
 

  • First, make your meringue. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius/300 degrees Fahrenheit. 
  • Separate the egg whites from the yolks, taking particular care not to get any egg yolk into the white. Even a tiny speck of egg yolk in your egg white will result in a failed meringue. 
  • Whisk the egg whites until they reach a pale colour and have soft peaks. 
  • Begin adding the sugar a small amount at a time whilst continuing to whisk the egg whites. The meringue mixture should turn opaque creamy white, thick and glossy. 
  • Spoon the brown sugar meringue onto a lined baking tray and use a spatula to spread it into a circle with a slight dip in the middle. 
  • Bake the meringue in the oven for 1 hour, turning the heat down to 140 degrees Celsius/285 degrees Fahrenheit as soon as you put it in.
  • When the hour is up, turn the oven off but do not open it. Leave the meringue in the oven to cool and dry out, which will ideally be at least a few hours. 
  • Meanwhile, make the caramelised figs and cardamom cream filling. Slice the figs into quarters and heat the butter in a frying pan. 
  • Add the figs and a teaspoon of cardamom pods to the butter and sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over them. 
  • Gently cook the figs in the butter, sugar and cardamom pods until they soften and caramelise. 
  • Take the remaining cardamom pods and carefully split them open with a knife to remove the seeds. Grind the seeds into a fine powder in a pestle and mortar, coffee or nut grinder. Some hard outer shells might remain, so pass them through a fine mesh sieve and discard the larger pieces that remain. 
  • Pour the cream into a large mixing bowl and add the ground cardamom seeds and lemon zest. Whisk the cream until it is thick and stiff, before mixing in the yoghurt which will slacken it again. 
  • Spoon the whipped cardamom cream filling onto the brown sugar pavlova and then add the figs on top. Serve and enjoy! 
  • Slice the figs into quarters and heat the butter in a frying pan. Add the figs and a teaspoon of cardamom pods to the butter and sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over them. 
  • Gently cook the figs in the butter, sugar and cardamom pods until they soften and caramelise. 
  • Take the remaining cardamom pods and carefully split them open with a knife to remove the seeds. Grind the seeds into a fine powder in a pestle and mortar, coffee or nut grinder. Some hard outer shells might remain, so pass them through a fine mesh sieve and discard the larger pieces that remain. 
  • Pour the cream into a large mixing bowl and add the ground cardamom seeds and lemon zest. Whisk the cream until it is thick and stiff, before mixing in the yoghurt which will slacken it again. 
  • Spoon the whipped cardamom cream filling onto the brown sugar pavlova and then add the figs on top. Serve and enjoy! 

Video

Notes

If adjusting the quantities of this fig pavlova, allow for 75 grams/2.6 ounces of sugar per large egg white. 

Nutrition

Calories: 305kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 3gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 47mgPotassium: 235mgFiber: 2gSugar: 39gVitamin A: 661IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 90mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Brown sugar pavlova, Fig and cardamom, Fig Pavlova
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

FAQ

When did pavlova become popular?

Pavlova became popular in the 1920s as Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova toured Australia and New Zealand and the dessert was created in her honour.

Should you use white or brown sugar for pavlova?

You can use either white or brown sugar for meringue, in this fig and cardamom pavlova recipe I use brown but white will work just as well. It is best to use a fine granulated sugar for meringue, often known as caster sugar.

Can pavlova be made in advance?

Yes you can make pavlova in advance, but I advise that you only assemble it with the cream and toppings before it is served.

Can you eat pavlova when pregnant?

Yes, the egg whites in pavlova are cooked so it is safe to eat when pregnant.

Beetroot, Walnut And Mint Hummus (Oil Free)

· 4 Comments

A beetroot and walnut hummus recipe with no oil that makes the perfect dip for sharing with friends. Earthy and fragrant with a hint of crunch, the flavours work so well together and it's very nutritious too.

If you're looking for quick recipes with cooked beetroot this oil-free hummus takes under 5 minutes to make. It uses ingredients you probably have in your store cupboard (hello, lonely can of chickpeas you've been wondering what to make with since 2019) and works well as a dip with crisps or spread onto crostini as a canape.

I like to garnish this beetroot and walnut hummus with more chopped walnuts, cubed beets and mint leaves to give it more texture and make it look beautiful on the plate. It will freeze well so you can make it in advance and it always goes down well at a party.

Beetroot hummus on an oval serving platter topped with chopped walnuts and fresh mint.

Beetroot is in season from early summer until autumn so this dish can be enjoyed best then when the beets are sweetest. However, I mostly use packaged cooked beetroot as it's so easy, and this hummus recipe works just as well in winter.

If you're a hummus lover like me, this beetroot and walnut oil-free hummus recipe will be right up your street and you might like to try this smoked paprika hummus too. If you like recipes with chickpeas, try this battered chickpea recipe with harissa dip.

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Ingredients

A vividly coloured beetroot hummus on a serving plate.
  • Cooked beetroot
  • Chickpeas/Garbanzo beans (including the water)
  • Walnuts
  • Lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper
  • Fresh mint

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Pour the whole can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and their water into a food processor along with the cooked beetroot. Blend until almost smooth.

Add the walnuts, lemon juice and half the mint. Blend until the hummus reaches your desired consistency. I like it still with some texture, but this is up to you. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, transfer the beetroot and walnut hummus onto a large plate or into a bowl and top with cubed beetroot, chopped walnuts and the rest of the fresh mint.

Hint: If you don't think your blender can handle the nuts, chop them up and mix them in.

A close up of a blue mint flower on top of beetroot hummus.

Variations

Here are a few ways to change up this beetroot and walnut hummus recipe to suit you.

  • Herbs - no mint? Try parsley instead.
  • Nuts - try almonds or hazelnuts instead.
  • Deluxe - Crumble some feta cheese on top too.

Equipment

You will need a food processor to blend the hummus.

Storage

Store the beetroot and walnut hummus in the fridge and it will keep for 3-4 days. You can also freeze hummus in an airtight container and consume within a month.

Top tip

Beetroot can be quite watery and if you are concerned your beetroot hummus will be too slack, keep back the water from the chickpeas and add it to the food processor as needed.

Beetroot hummus topped with chopped walnuts and mint on a serving plate.

Beetroot, Walnut And Mint Hummus

Rosanna Stevens
A delicious and earthy beetroot hummus recipe with walnuts, fresh mint and no oil.
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people
Calories 181 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 knife
  • 1 Chopping board
  • 1 food processor

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 300 grams cooked beetroot
  • 200 grams walnuts
  • 3 tablespoon fresh mint
  • ½ lemon (juiced)
  • salt and pepper

Instructions
 

  • Pour the whole can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and their water into a food processor along with all but one of the cooked beetroot. Blend until almost smooth.
  • Add the walnuts (keeping a small handful back), lemon juice and half the mint. Blend until the hummus reaches your desired consistency. I like it still with some texture, but this is up to you. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
  • To serve, transfer the beetroot and walnut hummus onto a large plate or into a bowl and top with more cubed beetroot, chopped walnuts and the rest of the fresh mint. 

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 181kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 4gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 30mgPotassium: 243mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 97IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Beetroot and walnut hummus, oil free hummus
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

13 Ways To Use Leftover Egg Whites

· 1 Comment

Searching for ways to use leftover egg whites? As a chef, this happens to me all the time if I am prepping for a gig or doing recipe development for Rosanna ETC and so I thought it would be handy to do a round of recipes for egg whites.

These recipes for leftover egg whites are a mixture of sweet, savoury and cocktail recipes and I hope you find something that works for you. Whether it's a starter, an aperitif or a sweet snack, there are lots of ways to use leftover egg whites and they don't need to go to waste!

Remember that egg whites freeze really well, so even if you don't have time to make something right away, you can freeze egg whites for up to a month and use them when it suits you. Frozen egg whites also make the best meringue, so it's actually advantageous to do this rather than using fresh egg whites.

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Macarons

The daintiest of desserts, making homemade macarons is an excellent way to use leftover egg whites.

macarons on a serving platter.
Italian Macarons
A step by step guide to making homemade Italian macarons with Italian meringue.
Check out this recipe
Pink Italian macarons with cream filling on a blue surface.

Toasted almond and apricot gin fizz

A delicious and elegant cocktail this gin fizz is shaken with egg whites for a smooth finish.

A toasted almond and apricot gin fizz on a wooden table.
Toasted Almond And Apricot Gin Fizz
A classic sour cocktail made with apricot gin, almond syrup and egg whites topped up with sparkling wine.
Check out this recipe
a toasted almond and apricot gin fizz, one of the classiest cocktails to serve

Blackcurrant mousse cake

A mousse cake is a lighter alternative to a cheesecake, and this version uses tart blackcurrants and a ginger base.

A blackcurrant Mousse Cake with a stack of dessert plates.
Blackcurrant Mousse Cake
A smooth and creamy blackcurrant mousse cake with biscuit base that works so well as a dinner party dessert.
Check out this recipe
A blackcurrant Mousse Cake with a stack of dessert plates

Asparagus mousse amuse bouche

Looking for a classy amuse bouche to serve at a dinner party? Look no further than this asparagus mousse topped with smoked trout.

Asparagus mousse amuse bouche.
Asparagus Mousse Amuse Bouche
This light asparagus mousse with smoked trout garnish is an elegant amuse bouche for dinner parties and creates a fine dining experience at home.
Check out this recipe
Asparagus mousse amuse bouche.

Eton Mess

The ultimate summer dessert for dinner parties, the Eton Mess is steeped in British history and is incredibly easy to make.

A bowl of Eton mess with fresh strawberries, cream and meringue.
Easy Eton Mess Recipe
Eton Mess is a quintessentially Britsh summertime dessert with strawberries, cream and meringues
Check out this recipe
East Eton Mess Recipe

Lemon almond biscuits

The perfect accompaniment to coffee, try these lemon almond biscuits if you need a recipe for only egg whites.

Lemon and almond biscotti on a plate surrounded by lemons.
Lemon almond biscuits
Check out this recipe
Lemon and almond biscotti on a plate surrounded by lemons.

Peppermint meringues

Refreshing yet sweet and tangy, peppermint meringues look so pretty and work well as a petit four after dinner.

Pink and white peppermint meringues in a bowl.
Peppermint meringues
Check out this recipe
Pink and white peppermint meringues in a bowl.

Lemon meringue pie bars

Love lemon meringue pie? Take it a step further and make these pie bars.

A tray of lemon meringue pie bars cut into squares.
Lemon meringue pie bars
Check out this recipe
A tray of lemon meringue pie bars cut into squares.

Ham and spinach frittata

An egg white frittata that makes a healthy option for brunch flavoured with ham and spinach. It doesn't compromise on taste!

A cast iron skillet with a cooked egg white frittata in it about to be served.
Ham and spinach frittata
Check out this recipe
A cast iron skillet with a cooked egg white frittata in it about to be served.

Strawberry Pavlova

Another famous dessert for good reason, try making pavlova with leftover egg whites.

A cake stand with a strawberry pavlova on it, surrounded by fresh strawberries.
Classic strawberry pavlova
Check out this recipe
A cake stand with a strawberry pavlova on it, surrounded by fresh strawberries.

Swiss meringue buttercream

Light and fluffy, this buttercream frosting for cupcakes san excellent way to use egg whites.

A cupcake topped with Swiss meringue buttercream made from leftover egg whites.
Swiss meringue buttercream
Check out this recipe
A cupcake topped with Swiss meringue buttercream made from leftover egg whites.

Dark chocolate mousse

Rich and velvety, a dark chocolate mousse will satisfy anyone coming for dinner.

A glass bowl of chocolate mousse.
Dark chocolate mousse
Check out this recipe
A glass bowl of chocolate mousse.

Almond bundt cake

Serve a slice of this bundt cake at tea time, it's amazing with a cuppa.

An almond bundt cake on a cake stand, dusted with icing sugar.
Almond bundt cake
Check out this recipe
An almond bundt cake on a cake stand, dusted with icing sugar.

I hope you've found a recipe among these ways to use leftover egg whites that suits you, let me know if you try anything and tag me in photos on Instagram, I'd love to see.

Three Of The Best Destinations For Foodies Travelling To Portugal

· 2 Comments

Traditional Portuguese food is some of my favourite food to eat. Portugal is well-known for its stunning range of beaches, warm weather and rich history, but those who know it best also know that it’s an amazing foodie destination. Whilst it doesn't have the worldwide reputation enjoyed by destinations like Paris and Singapore, it’s all the better for it. Its hidden gem status means that you’re actually able to get a seat at local eateries, rather than having to book months in advance, and if you travel off-peak, you’re likely to be able to enjoy your meal in relative peace. I have so many happy memories of holidays to Portugal when I was younger, trying traditional Portuguese food and learning about the flavour profiles. 

There are delicious spots all over the country to explore, but I thought I’d line up some of the best places to visit if you’re planning your own Portugal food and travel adventure!

A tram in Porto, Portugal in front of an ornate building.

Porto

Portugal’s second-largest city is a shipping port that sits on the coast, and as such, has always been a destination rich in produce. Porto is perhaps best-known for the Port wine that Portugal is famous for, but it’s also got plenty to offer for foodies as well as oenophiles.

To start off your Portugal food and travel experience here, seek out a francesinha, the ultimate sandwich. A little like the French croque monsieur (but with some hefty additions), it’s made with thick bread, filled with several variations of meat, before being covered with melted cheese. If that’s not enough, it also comes with a tomato and beer sauce, and often a fried egg and fries. You might need a nap or a walk afterwards...

Other traditional Portuguese foods you can find in Porto include a cachorrinho, a hotdog made with thin, crusty bread rather than a traditional American-style bun, topped with cheese and a spicy hot sauce, and cut into bite-size pieces. Perfect for sharing with your travel buddies (or keeping all to yourself) and great fuel for your explorations of the city!

Check out this post for other reasons to go to Porto.

Lisbon

It’s impossible to visit Portugal’s capital without being tempted to try the legendary pastéis de nata. These irresistible little tarts are made with an egg custard encased in buttery, flaky pastry, and it’s easy to stroll around the city with one (or three) in hand to sample as you walk.

Custard tarts, a traditional Portuguese food known as pastéis de Nata on a serving platter.

They were created in the Jerónimos Monastery, one of Portugal's 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, in order to use up the egg yolks that were left after starching the nun’s habits with egg whites. Unsurprisingly, the monks realised that they could sell them to gain income. Today, the original recipe still remains a closely guarded secret. My favourite place in Lisbon to get pastéis de nata is the beautiful Pasteis de Belem cafe. Enjoy with a coffee, and pick up some other baked specialities whilst you’re at it. 

Lisbon offers a huge range of cuisines due to the diversity of the people who live there, and is home to multiple Michelin-starred restaurants, as well as a Time Out market. If you’re looking for a food and travel adventure in Portugal, this is truly a must-visit spot. It’s also become a popular destination for digital nomads, and I’m always tempted to go and spend some time running Rosanna ETC from Lisbon as I did in Belize.

Olhão

If you’re visiting the sunny southern shores of the Algarve, you may be reluctant to head into the city. Instead, head to Olhão, which is just six miles from Faro. Home to the Algarve’s largest fishing port, it’s the best place to go for getting hold of some of the freshest seafood around. It's also a more authentically Portuguese town, less geared towards tourists than other popular destinations.

Two women working in Olhão fish market in Portugal.

Saturday is the best time to visit Olhão. Although the markets are open on other days, Saturday is prime time for sardines, octopus and clams, and for window-shopping at the stands that are covered in fresh fish and vegetables. I have a vivid memory of eating an octopus salad in a restaurant near here when I was quite young, I was reluctant at first but ended up loving it. Whilst you're there, you can also take a boat tour of the Ria Formosa lagoon and national park that departs from the harbour. It's a beautiful way to see the coastline and local wildlife.

All over the country, there are local spots to find traditional Portuguese food. If you have the time, make sure to head to all the spots listed here for the ultimate Portugal food and travel trip.

When to travel to Portugal?

My favourite time to travel to Portugal is between late April and early October when the weather is warm and sunny. Avoiding school holidays within that time frame will mean fewer crowds and cheaper flights, and who doesn’t love space to roam freely and really explore a destination without huge queues and rows of tourists? If you can, hire a car and go to a few different places to make the most of your time there and try all the traditional Portuguese food ideas in this post. Let me know if you make it! 

Festive Savoury Macarons With Goat Cheese And Cranberry

· 5 Comments

Savoury macarons with a creamy goat cheese and cranberry filling. They're elegant, unusual and tasty. If you're on the lookout for elegant canapes for the holiday season, try this.

Goat cheese and cranberry macarons make the perfect festive savoury macarons for Christmas or Thanksgiving. Serve at a cocktail party or as a snack before the main meal, you'll love the sweet and savoury combination and winter flavours.

Savoury macarons with a goat cheese and cranberry filling on a wooden chopping board surrounded by fairy lights and a sparkly Christmas wreath.

When I was brainstorming Christmas macarons and flavour combinations I really wanted to create a savoury macaron recipe, something to balance the sweetness of the macaron shells. I finally settled on goat cheese and cranberry, after all, everyone has cranberry sauce around in winter and it's a new way to use it.

I love creating Christmas macaron flavours and this is a great one for the holiday season. If you're looking for other holiday season recipes try these other ideas:

Is this your first time making macarons? I always make macarons with Italian meringue, check out my detailed step by step guide to making Italian macarons here.

A serving platter with savoury macarons on a Christmas themed party table with festive decorations and wine glasses.
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Ingredients

  • Almond flour (also known as almond meal or ground almonds)
  • Powdered sugar (also known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar)
  • White granulated sugar (also known as caster sugar)
  • Egg whites
  • Water

See the recipe card for quantities.

Tupperware containers with the ingredients for Italian macarons. Powdered sugar, ground almonds, water, granulated sugar and egg whites.
  • Soft goat cheese
  • Double cream
  • Cranberry sauce
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 145 degrees Celsius / 295 Fahrenheit. 

Prepare and weigh out the ingredients, separating the egg whites from egg yolks carefully.

Sieve the ground almonds and powdered sugar and then blend together until they are a very fine consistency and completely combined. 

Place the water and granulated sugar into a saucepan. Gently warm the water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once it has dissolved, turn up the heat, stop stirring and place the sugar thermometer into the mixture. 

Once the thermometer starts to climb above 105 degrees Celsius/220 degrees Fahrenheit, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.

When the sugar syrup reaches a soft boil temperature of 115 degrees Celsius/240 degrees, start whisking the egg whites again and pour in the sugar syrup a little at a time. 

The Italian meringue will turn a smooth, glossy and opaque white. Continue to whisk once all of the sugar syrup has been added to bring down the heat until you can touch the side of the bowl and it feels warm but not hot. 

Make the almond paste by mixing the remaining egg white with the ground almond/powdered sugar mixture until it is fully incorporated.

Now mix the Italian meringue into the almond paste in three stages. 

Firmly mix in the first third of the Italian meringue with a metal or wooden spoon to loosen the almond paste and fully combine the two mixtures. 

Fold in the remaining two thirds one at a time using the softer spoon or spatula, being very gentle with the final third to not overmix the batter and make it too slack. It needs to be loosened but not sloppy and runny.

Move the macaron batter to a piping bag. Tie a knot in the end and relax the mixture slightly in the bag with your hands for a few seconds. Cut half a centimetre from the tip of the piping bag. 

Position the piping bag perpendicular to the tray with the nozzle a few millimetres above the surface. Squeeze the bag without lifting it up for two or three seconds, then stop squeezing and make a little circle to twist it off. Fill the trays leaving a 2cm gap in between each macaron. 

Firmly smack it down onto the work surface twice to settle the Italian macaron batter and get rid of any air bubbles. 

Bake straight away for 17 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow the macarons to cool on the tray. This is a no-rest macaron recipe, but if you cannot fit all of your macarons in the oven at once, it won't harm the remaining macarons to be out on the worktop for 17 minutes. 

Plain macaron shells in a pile.

Goat cheese and cranberry filling

Whisk the goat cheese with a little splash of cream to slacken it and make it smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk the rest of the cream until thickened, then fold the goat cheese into it.

Spread the goat cheese cream filling on one macaron shell, and the cranberry sauce onto another. Sandwich them together and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Two halves of a macaron, with one shell covered on cranberry jelly and one in goat cheese cream filling.

Hint: try and leave at least an hour between filling the macarons and enjoying them so that they get a chance to soften slightly and get that delicious chewy macaron consistency.

Goat cheese and cranberry macarons on a serving board with Christmas decorations, a champagne bottle and wine glasses

Equipment

  • Weighing scales. Digital is best. Baking is a science, after all, so we need precision! I do not recommend using the cup system to make macarons.
  • A sieve to ensure that the powdered sugar and almond flour is as fine as possible.
  • A blender/food processor to thoroughly combine the almond flour and powdered sugar. This ensures a completely smooth finish on your macaron shells.
  • A small saucepan to make your sugar syrup
  • A jam or sugar thermometer to measure the temperature of the hot sugar syrup. The sugar syrup needs to be at a particular temperature to make Italian meringue and it is impossible to judge without a thermometer. The best thermometers for sugar syrup do not allow the bulb to touch the bottom or sides of the saucepan, thus ensuring you are measuring the temperature of the sugar, and not the pan.
  • An electric whisk or stand mixer to whisk your egg whites into soft peaks before slowly adding the hot sugar syrup.
  • Two large bowls, preferably glass. Try to avoid using a metal mixing bowl for the Italian meringue as it will conduct heat and prevent the mixture from cooling.
  • A metal mixing spoon for combining ingredients more vigorously.
  • A silicon mixing spoon or spatula for further, more gentle mixing.
  • Baking sheets/trays - not high-sided ones as this builds up too much steam
  • Silicon mat or baking parchment paper (but the silicon mats are better and allow for lower waste as they are not single-use)
  • Piping bags - to pipe your macarons onto a baking tray, and then also to pipe your fillings.

Storage

Store these savoury macarons with cranberry and goat cheese in the fridge, they'll be good for 2-3 days.

Avoid freezing filled macarons. The shells on their own freeze very well, however.

Top tip

Age your egg whites before making this savoury macaron recipe by separating the eggs the day before and keeping them in the fridge.

Savoury macarons with a goat cheese and cranberry filling on a wooden chopping board surrounded by fairy lights and a sparkly Christmas wreath.

Festive savoury macarons with a goat cheese and cranberry filling.

Rosanna Stevens
Sweet and savoury goat cheese and cranberry macarons for Christmas or thanksgiving.
5 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 17 mins
Filling time 15 mins
Total Time 1 hr 17 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine French, Italian
Servings 30 macarons
Calories 84 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Weighing scales
  • 1 Sieve Blender/food processor 
  • 1 Small saucepan 
  • 1 Jam or sugar thermometer 
  • 1 electric whisk or stand mixer
  • 2 Large bowls, preferably glass
  • 1 Metal or wooden mixing spoon 
  • 1 Silicon mixing spoon or spatula 
  • 3 Large baking sheets/trays 
  • 3 Silicon baking mat or baking parchment paper
  • 2 piping bags

Ingredients
 
 

Almond paste

  • 185 grams Powdered sugar (icing sugar or confectioners sugar)
  • 185 grams Ground almonds (almond meal or flour)
  • 63 grams Egg whites

Italian meringue

  • 185 grams Granulated sugar
  • 100 ml Water
  • 63 grams Egg whites

Goat cheese and cranberry filling

  • 3 tablespoon Soft goat cheese
  • 200 ml Double cream (heavy cream)
  • 1 tablespoon Cranberry sauce

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 145 degrees Celsius / 295 Fahrenheit. 
  • Prepare and weigh out the ingredients, separating the egg whites from egg yolks if necessary. 
  • Sieve the ground almonds and powdered sugar and then blend together until they are a very fine consistency and completely combined. 

Italian meringue

  • Place the water and granulated sugar into a saucepan. Gently warm the water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once it has dissolved, turn up the heat, stop stirring and place the sugar thermometer into the mixture. 
  • Once the thermometer starts to climb above 105 degrees Celsius/220 degrees Fahrenheit, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
  • When the sugar syrup reaches a soft boil temperature of 115 degrees Celsius/240 degrees, start whisking the egg whites again and pour in the sugar syrup a little at a time. 
  • The Italian meringue will turn a smooth, glossy and opaque white. Continue to whisk once all of the sugar syrup has been added to bring down the heat until you can touch the side of the bowl and it feels warm but not hot. 

Almond paste

  • Make the almond paste by mixing the remaining egg white with the ground almond/powdered sugar mixture until it is fully incorporated. If using food colouring, add it at this point. A half teaspoon should be sufficient depending on how intense you want the colour.

Macaronage

  • Now mix the Italian meringue into the almond paste in three stages. 
  • Firmly mix in the first third of the Italian meringue with a metal or wooden spoon to loosen the almond paste and fully combine the two mixtures. 
  • Fold in the remaining two thirds one at a time using the softer spoon or spatula, being very gentle with the final third to not overmix the batter and make it too slack. 

Piping macarons

  • Move the macaron batter to a piping bag. Tie a knot in the end and relax the mixture slightly in the bag with your hands for a few seconds. Cut half a centimetre from the tip of the piping bag. 
  • Position the piping bag perpendicular to the tray with the nozzle a few millimetres above the surface. Squeeze the bag without lifting it up for two or three seconds, then stop squeezing and make a little circle to twist it off. Fill the trays leaving a 2cm gap in between each macaron. 
  • Firmly smack it down onto the work surface twice to settle the Italian macaron batter and get rid of any air bubbles. 
  • Bake straight away for 17 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow the macarons to cool on the tray. This is a no-rest macaron recipe, but if you cannot fit all of your macarons in the oven at once, it won't harm the remaining macarons to be out on the worktop for 17 minutes. 

Goat cheese and cranberry filling

  • Whisk the goat cheese with a small amount of the cream to slacken it.
  • Whip the rest of the cream until thickened and then fold the whipped goat cheese into the cream.
  • Put the filling into a piping bag and pipe a circle in the centre of each macaron shell. Then pipe a circle around it before sandwiching with another macaron shell. 

Nutrition

Calories: 84kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 11mgPotassium: 10mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 85IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 0.2mg
Keyword christmas macarons, goat cheese and cranberry macarons, Italian macarons, macaron recipe, macarons for christmas, savoury macarons
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Food safety

  • Boiling sugar can be dangerous, so do not leave it unattended and keep pets/children out of the room.
  • Clean surfaces and utensils thoroughly after handling raw eggs.

Chocolate Cinnamon Macarons

· 10 Comments

Chocolate cinnamon macarons - sweet with a hint of fragrant spice and perfect for wintertime.

A rich chocolate ganache filling is flavoured with cinnamon and sandwiched between two macaron shells. The perfect elegant petit four to serve after Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner or at holiday season parties, I like to decorate my chocolate cinnamon macarons with a bit of gold lustre spray and piped chocolate to make them even prettier but macarons are one of the most elegant delicacies around and are just as pretty on their own.

Several chocolate cinnamon macarons with cinnamon sticks and Christmas decorations.

If this is your first time making macarons be sure to check out my full detailed guide to making Italian macarons before you dive in. I always make macarons with Italian meringue rather than French or Swiss meringue, it gives them more stability.

Love Christmas macarons? Try this savoury macaron recipe with cranberry and goat cheese filling.

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Ingredients

Tupperware containers with the ingredients for Italian macarons. Powdered sugar, ground almonds, water, granulated sugar and egg whites.
  • Almond flour (also known as almond meal or ground almonds)
  • Powdered sugar (also known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar)
  • White granulated sugar (also known as caster sugar)
  • Egg whites
  • Water
  • Dark chocolate
  • Double cream
  • Ground cinnamon

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 145 degrees Celsius / 295 Fahrenheit. 

Prepare and weigh out the ingredients, separating the egg whites from egg yolks if necessary. 

Blend the ground almonds and powdered sugar together until they are a very fine consistency and completely combined. Sieve the mixture into a large mixing bowl.

Place the water and granulated sugar into a saucepan. Gently warm the water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once it has dissolved, turn up the heat, stop stirring and place the sugar thermometer into the mixture. 

Boiling sugar syrup in a saucepan with a thermometer in it to measure the temperature.

Once the thermometer starts to climb above 105 degrees Celsius/220 degrees Fahrenheit, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.

When the sugar syrup reaches a soft boil temperature of 115 degrees Celsius/240 degrees, start whisking the egg whites again and pour in the sugar syrup a little at a time. 

The Italian meringue will turn a smooth, glossy and opaque white. Continue to whisk once all of the sugar syrup has been added to bring down the heat until you can touch the side of the bowl and it feels warm but not hot. 

An electric whisk attachment covered in glossy white Italian meringue.

Make the almond paste by mixing the remaining egg white with the ground almond/powdered sugar mixture until it is fully incorporated.

Now mix the Italian meringue into the almond paste in three stages. 

Firmly mix in the first third of the Italian meringue with a metal or wooden spoon to loosen the almond paste and fully combine the two mixtures. 

Fold in the remaining two thirds one at a time using the softer spoon or spatula, being very gentle with the final third to not overmix the batter and make it too slack. 

Move the macaron batter to a piping bag. Tie a knot in the end and relax the mixture slightly in the bag with your hands for a few seconds. Cut half a centimetre from the tip of the piping bag. 

A piping bag filled with macaron batter.

Position the piping bag perpendicular to the tray with the nozzle a few millimetres above the surface. Squeeze the bag without lifting it up for two or three seconds, then stop squeezing and make a little circle to twist it off. Fill the trays leaving a 2cm gap in between each macaron. 

Firmly smack it down onto the work surface twice to settle the Italian macaron batter and get rid of any air bubbles. 

Bake straight away for 17 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow the macarons to cool on the tray. This is a no-rest macaron recipe, but if you cannot fit all of your macarons in the oven at once, it won't harm the remaining macarons to be out on the worktop for 17 minutes. 

Italian macaron shells on a baking tray.
What the top and underside of a baked macaron looks like.

Chop the chocolate into small pieces.

Heat the cream in a saucepan until it reaches steaming point. Turn off the heat and add the chopped chocolate. Stir until it dissolves and you have a glossy ganache.

Add cinnamon to taste and allow to cool.

Put the filling into a piping bag and pipe a circle in the centre of each macaron shell. Then pipe a circle around it before sandwiching with another macaron shell. 

Melt the remaining chocolate and add to a piping bag. Decorate the shells as you like!

Macarons decorated with piped chocolate.

Hint: To cool and thicken up the cinnamon chocolate ganache before piping, put it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Equipment

  • Weighing scales. Digital is best. Baking is a science, after all, so we need precision! I do not recommend using the cup system to make macarons. I use this one.
  • A sieve to ensure that the powdered sugar and almond flour is as fine as possible.
  • A blender/food processor to thoroughly combine the almond flour and powdered sugar. This ensures a completely smooth finish on your macaron shells.
  • A small saucepan to make your sugar syrup.
  • A jam or sugar thermometer to measure the temperature of the hot sugar syrup. The sugar syrup needs to be at a particular temperature to make Italian meringue and it is impossible to judge without a thermometer. The best thermometers for sugar syrup do not allow the bulb to touch the bottom or sides of the saucepan, thus ensuring you are measuring the temperature of the sugar, and not the pan.
  • An electric whisk or stand mixer to whisk your egg whites into soft peaks before slowly adding the hot sugar syrup.
  • Two large bowls, preferably glass. Try to avoid using a metal mixing bowl for the Italian meringue as it will conduct heat and prevent the mixture from cooling.
  • A metal mixing spoon for combining ingredients more vigorously.
  • A silicon mixing spoon or spatula for further, more gentle mixing.
  • Baking sheets/trays - not high-sided ones as this builds up too much steam
  • Silicon mat or baking parchment paper (but the silicon mats are better and allow for lower waste as they are not single-use)
  • Piping bags - to pipe your macarons onto a baking tray, and then also to pipe your fillings and finish your chocolate cinnamon macarons.

Storage

Store leftover chocolate cinnamon macarons in the fridge and consume within 2-3 days.

Filled macarons do not freeze well.

Top tip

Age the egg whites after separating them from the yolks by doing it a day in advance and keeping them in the fridge. It helps make a better Italian meringue.

Chocolate cinnamon macarons

Rosanna Stevens
Sweet and fragrant winter macarons for Christmas or thanksgiving with a rich chocolate ganache filling spiced with cinnamon.
5 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 17 mins
Filling time 15 mins
Total Time 1 hr 17 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine French, Italian
Servings 40 macarons
Calories 106 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Weighing scales
  • 1 Sieve Blender/food processor 
  • 1 Small saucepan 
  • 1 Jam or sugar thermometer 
  • 1 electric whisk or stand mixer
  • 2 Large bowls, preferably glass
  • 1 Metal or wooden mixing spoon 
  • 1 Silicon mixing spoon or spatula 
  • 3 Large baking sheets/trays 
  • 3 Silicon baking mat or baking parchment paper
  • 2 piping bags

Ingredients
 
 

Almond paste

  • 185 grams Powdered sugar (icing sugar or confectioners sugar)
  • 185 grams Ground almonds (almond meal or flour)
  • 63 grams Egg whites

Italian meringue

  • 185 grams Granulated sugar
  • 100 ml Water
  • 63 grams Egg whites

Cinnamon chocolate ganache filling

  • 150 grams Dark chocolate
  • 150 ml Double cream (heavy cream)
  • 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon

Piped chocolate garnish

  • 50 grams Dark chocolate

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 145 degrees Celsius / 295 Fahrenheit. 
  • Prepare and weigh out the ingredients, separating the egg whites from egg yolks if necessary. 
  • Blend the ground almonds and powdered sugar together until they are a very fine consistency and completely combined. Sieve the mixture into a large mixing bowl.

Italian meringue

  • Place the water and granulated sugar into a saucepan. Gently warm the water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once it has dissolved, turn up the heat, stop stirring and place the sugar thermometer into the mixture. 
  • Once the thermometer starts to climb above 105 degrees Celsius/220 degrees Fahrenheit, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
  • When the sugar syrup reaches a soft boil temperature of 115 degrees Celsius/240 degrees, start whisking the egg whites again and pour in the sugar syrup a little at a time. 
  • The Italian meringue will turn a smooth, glossy and opaque white. Continue to whisk once all of the sugar syrup has been added to bring down the heat until you can touch the side of the bowl and it feels warm but not hot. 

Almond paste

  • Make the almond paste by mixing the remaining egg white with the ground almond/powdered sugar mixture until it is fully incorporated.

Macaronage

  • Now mix the Italian meringue into the almond paste in three stages. 
  • Firmly mix in the first third of the Italian meringue with a metal or wooden spoon to loosen the almond paste and fully combine the two mixtures. 
  • Fold in the remaining two thirds one at a time using the softer spoon or spatula, being very gentle with the final third to not overmix the batter and make it too slack. 

Piping macarons

  • Move the macaron batter to a piping bag. Tie a knot in the end and relax the mixture slightly in the bag with your hands for a few seconds. Cut half a centimetre from the tip of the piping bag. 
  • Position the piping bag perpendicular to the tray with the nozzle a few millimetres above the surface. Squeeze the bag without lifting it up for two or three seconds, then stop squeezing and make a little circle to twist it off. Fill the trays leaving a 2cm gap in between each macaron. 
  • Firmly smack it down onto the work surface twice to settle the Italian macaron batter and get rid of any air bubbles. 
  • Bake straight away for 17 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow the macarons to cool on the tray. This is a no-rest macaron recipe, but if you cannot fit all of your macarons in the oven at once, it won't harm the remaining macarons to be out on the worktop for 17 minutes. 

Chocolate cinnamon ganache filling

  • Chop the chocolate into small pieces.
  • Pour the cream into a saucepan and heat it until it reaches a steaming point, but don't boil.
  • Add the chopped chocolate into the cream and gently stir to melt it and form a glossy ganache.
  • Stir the ground cinnamon, add more to taste if preferred.
  • Add the chocolate cinnamon ganache to a piping bag and allow it to cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • Pipe the ganache onto each macaron shell before sandwiching it with another.

Piped chocolate decorations

  • Melt the chocolate and add to a piping bag.
  • Pipe the melted chocolate onto the cinnamon chocolate macarons and allow to set in the fridge before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 106kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.002gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 8mgPotassium: 45mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 58IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg
Keyword chocolate cinnamon macarons, christmas macarons, cinnamon macarons, Italian macarons, macaron recipe, macarons for christmas
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Food safety

  • Boiling sugar can be dangerous, so do not leave it unattended and keep pets/children out of the room.
  • Clean surfaces and utensils thoroughly after handling raw eggs.

Mango Macarons

· 3 Comments

Mango macarons are a sweet summery treat with tropical flavours and a smooth cream filling.

Making perfect homemade macarons is so satisfying and I love trying different flavour combinations for all seasons. This mango cream filling for macarons is made with yoghurt which I like to add to give a touch of acidity that counteracts the intense sweetness of the mango and macaron shells.

Mango macarons on a platter.

Mango macarons are particularly tasty in summer as a tropical dessert or sweet snack. Macarons are wonderful as petit fours or as part of an elegant afternoon tea.

If this is your first time making homemade macarons check out my full step-by-step guide to making Italian macarons first.

Close up of mango macarons showing the piped cream filling.
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Ingredients

Tupperware containers with the ingredients for Italian macarons. Powdered sugar, ground almonds, water, granulated sugar and egg whites.
  • Almond flour (also known as almond meal or ground almonds)
  • Powdered sugar (also known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar)
  • White granulated sugar (also known as caster sugar)
  • Egg whites
  • Water
  • Powdered food colouring (optional)
The ingredients for a mango cream filling on a table: double cream, mango coulis, yogurt and mascarpone cheese.
  • Mango
  • Mascarpone cheese
  • Plain yoghurt
  • Double cream (heavy cream)

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 145 degrees Celsius / 295 Fahrenheit. 

Prepare and weigh out the ingredients, separating the egg whites from egg yolks carefully.

Sieve the mixture ground almonds and powdered sugar and then blend together until they are a very fine consistency and completely combined. 

Place the water and granulated sugar into a saucepan. Gently warm the water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once it has dissolved, turn up the heat, stop stirring and place the sugar thermometer into the mixture. 

Once the thermometer starts to climb above 105 degrees Celsius/220 degrees Fahrenheit, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.

When the sugar syrup reaches a soft boil temperature of 115 degrees Celsius/240 degrees, start whisking the egg whites again and pour in the sugar syrup a little at a time. 

The Italian meringue will turn a smooth, glossy and opaque white. Continue to whisk once all of the sugar syrup has been added to bring down the heat until you can touch the side of the bowl and it feels warm but not hot. 

Make the almond paste by mixing the remaining egg white with the ground almond/powdered sugar mixture until it is fully incorporated. Add half teaspoon of orange food colouring (or more if you want a more vvid colour) and stir through.

Now mix the Italian meringue into the almond paste in three stages. 

Firmly mix in the first third of the Italian meringue with a metal or wooden spoon to loosen the almond paste and fully combine the two mixtures. 

Fold in the remaining two thirds one at a time using the softer spoon or spatula, being very gentle with the final third to not overmix the batter and make it too slack. It needs to be loosened but not sloppy and runny.

Move the macaron batter to a piping bag. Tie a knot in the end and relax the mixture slightly in the bag with your hands for a few seconds. Cut half a centimetre from the tip of the piping bag. 

Position the piping bag perpendicular to the tray with the nozzle a few millimetres above the surface. Squeeze the bag without lifting it up for two or three seconds, then stop squeezing and make a little circle to twist it off. Fill the trays leaving a 2cm gap in between each macaron. 

Firmly smack it down onto the work surface twice to settle the Italian macaron batter and get rid of any air bubbles. 

Bake straight away for 17 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow the macarons to cool on the tray. This is a no-rest macaron recipe, but if you cannot fit all of your macarons in the oven at once, it won't harm the remaining macarons to be out on the worktop for 17 minutes. 

Mango cream filling

Peel and slice the mango into cubes and blend until smooth.

Mix the yoghurt and mascarpone together, then add the blended mango. 

A bowl of mango cream filling.

Whip the cream until thickened and then fold in the mango mascarpone yoghurt mixture. 

Put the filling into a piping bag and pipe a circle in the centre of each macaron shell. Then pipe a circle around it before sandwiching it with another macaron shell. 

Hint: If the filling seems too slack, put it in the fridge for an hour before filling the mango macaron shells.

Leftover mango? Try this mango fool recipe.

Equipment

  • Weighing scales. Digital is best. Baking is a science, after all, so we need precision! I do not recommend using the cup system to make macarons. I use these ones.
  • A sieve to ensure that the powdered sugar and almond flour is as fine as possible.
  • A blender/food processor to thoroughly combine the almond flour and powdered sugar. This ensures a completely smooth finish on your macaron shells.
  • A small saucepan to make your sugar syrup
  • A jam or sugar thermometer to measure the temperature of the hot sugar syrup. The sugar syrup needs to be at a particular temperature to make Italian meringue and it is impossible to judge without a thermometer. The best thermometers for sugar syrup do not allow the bulb to touch the bottom or sides of the saucepan, thus ensuring you are measuring the temperature of the sugar, and not the pan.
  • An electric whisk or stand mixer to whisk your egg whites into soft peaks before slowly adding the hot sugar syrup.
  • Two large bowls, preferably glass. Try to avoid using a metal mixing bowl for the Italian meringue as it will conduct heat and prevent the mixture from cooling.
  • A metal mixing spoon for combining ingredients more vigorously.
  • A silicon mixing spoon or spatula for further, more gentle mixing.
  • Baking sheets/trays - not high-sided ones as this builds up too much steam
  • Silicon mat or baking parchment paper (but the silicon mats are better and allow for lower waste as they are not single-use)
  • Piping bags - to pipe your macarons onto a baking tray, and then also to pipe your fillings.

Storage

Store leftover macarons in the fridge, they'll be fine for 3-4 days.

Filled mango macarons do not freeze well.

Top tip

Meringue works better with older egg whites, so if your eggs are very fresh, separate them the day before you plan to make macarons and store in the fridge. This helps break down the proteins.

macarons on a serving platter.

Mango Macarons (with Italian meringue)

Rosanna Stevens
A mango macaron recipe made with Italian meringue, the perfect tropical treat.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 17 mins
Filling time 15 mins
Total Time 1 hr 17 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine French, Italian
Servings 40 macarons
Calories 86 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Weighing scales
  • 1 Sieve Blender/food processor 
  • 1 Small saucepan 
  • 1 Jam or sugar thermometer 
  • 1 electric whisk or stand mixer
  • 2 Large bowls, preferably glass
  • 1 Metal or wooden mixing spoon 
  • 1 Silicon mixing spoon or spatula 
  • 3 Large baking sheets/trays 
  • 3 Silicon baking mat or baking parchment paper
  • 2 piping bags

Ingredients
 
 

Almond paste

  • 185 grams Powdered sugar (icing sugar or confectioners sugar)
  • 185 grams Ground almonds (almond meal or flour)
  • 63 grams Egg whites

Italian meringue

  • 185 grams Granulated sugar
  • 100 ml Water
  • 63 grams Egg whites

Mango cream filling

  • 2 tablespoon Mascarpone cheese
  • 2 tablespoon Plain yoghurt
  • 200 ml Double cream (heavy cream)
  • ½ Mango

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 145 degrees Celsius / 295 Fahrenheit. 
  • Prepare and weigh out the ingredients, separating the egg whites from egg yolks if necessary. 
  • Blend the ground almonds and powdered sugar together until they are a very fine consistency and completely combined. Sieve the mixture into a large mixing bowl.

Italian meringue

  • Place the water and granulated sugar into a saucepan. Gently warm the water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once it has dissolved, turn up the heat, stop stirring and place the sugar thermometer into the mixture. 
  • Once the thermometer starts to climb above 105 degrees Celsius/220 degrees Fahrenheit, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
  • When the sugar syrup reaches a soft boil temperature of 115 degrees Celsius/240 degrees, start whisking the egg whites again and pour in the sugar syrup a little at a time. 
  • The Italian meringue will turn a smooth, glossy and opaque white. Continue to whisk once all of the sugar syrup has been added to bring down the heat until you can touch the side of the bowl and it feels warm but not hot. 

Almond paste

  • Make the almond paste by mixing the remaining egg white with the ground almond/powdered sugar mixture until it is fully incorporated. If using food colouring, add it at this point. A half teaspoon should be sufficient depending on how intense you want the colour.

Macaronage

  • Now mix the Italian meringue into the almond paste in three stages. 
  • Firmly mix in the first third of the Italian meringue with a metal or wooden spoon to loosen the almond paste and fully combine the two mixtures. 
  • Fold in the remaining two thirds one at a time using the softer spoon or spatula, being very gentle with the final third to not overmix the batter and make it too slack. 

Piping macarons

  • Move the macaron batter to a piping bag. Tie a knot in the end and relax the mixture slightly in the bag with your hands for a few seconds. Cut half a centimetre from the tip of the piping bag. 
  • Position the piping bag perpendicular to the tray with the nozzle a few millimetres above the surface. Squeeze the bag without lifting it up for two or three seconds, then stop squeezing and make a little circle to twist it off. Fill the trays leaving a 2cm gap in between each macaron. 
  • Firmly smack it down onto the work surface twice to settle the Italian macaron batter and get rid of any air bubbles. 
  • Bake straight away for 17 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow the macarons to cool on the tray. This is a no-rest macaron recipe, but if you cannot fit all of your macarons in the oven at once, it won't harm the remaining macarons to be out on the worktop for 17 minutes. 

Mango cream filling

  • Peel and slice the mango into chunks. Blend the mango until smooth
  • Mix the yoghurt and mascarpone together.
  • Add the mango to the mixture.
  • Whip the cream until thickened and then fold in the mango mascarpone yoghurt mixture. 
  • Put the filling into a piping bag and pipe a circle in the centre of each macaron shell. Then pipe a circle around it before sandwiching with another macaron shell. 

Nutrition

Calories: 86kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 2gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 8mgPotassium: 16mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 113IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 0.2mg
Keyword Italian macarons, Italian meringue, macaron recipe, Mango macarons
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Food safety

  • Boiling sugar can be dangerous, so do not leave it unattended and keep pets/children out of the room.
  • Clean surfaces and utensils thoroughly after handling raw eggs.

A Chef's Guide To Making Italian Macarons (With Italian Meringue)

· 8 Comments

Italian macarons (macarons with Italian meringue) are the daintiest, perfectly pretty sweet treats but many people are daunted by the idea of making macarons from scratch. Whenever I'm private cheffing I often make them as little gifts or petit fours and the number one feedback I get is "I'd love to try making these, but they seem too hard!".

So I decided to put together an ultimate guide to making homemade Italian macarons. A step-by-step Italian macaron recipe with a detailed FAQ, troubleshooting section to solve your past failed macarons and really break down the method and give you all my tips and tricks to create the perfect macaron every time.

Macarons with Italian meringue are made by whisking hot sugar syrup into the whipped egg whites before combining it with an almond paste mixture. I was taught how to make Italian macarons at culinary school when training as a chef, and I personally prefer it to the French or Swiss method. Italian meringue has more stability because the egg whites are cooked, and this helps with the 'macaronage' and makes it less likely that you will overmix it.

Pink Italian macarons with cream filling on a blue surface.
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Making homemade Italian macarons from scratch can seem daunting, especially when it comes to dealing with boiling sugar so it's important to prepare correctly. I'm going to take you through the essential equipment for making macarons, what key steps to perform before you begin and then a detailed breakdown of the Italian meringue method for making Italian macarons. And then, in the FAQ section, I go through all the things that can go wrong and troubleshoot so you can avoid making mistakes.

Essential equipment to make Italian macarons

  • Weighing scales. Digital is best. Baking is a science, after all, so we need precision! I do not recommend using the cup system to make macarons. I use these ones.
  • A sieve to ensure that the powdered sugar and almond flour is as fine as possible.
  • A blender/food processor to thoroughly combine the almond flour and powdered sugar. This ensures a completely smooth finish on your macaron shells.
  • A small saucepan to make your sugar syrup
  • A jam or sugar thermometer to measure the temperature of the hot sugar syrup. The sugar syrup needs to be at a particular temperature to make Italian meringue and it is impossible to judge without a thermometer. The best thermometers for sugar syrup do not allow the bulb to touch the bottom or sides of the saucepan, thus ensuring you are measuring the temperature of the sugar, and not the pan.
  • An electric whisk or stand mixer to whisk your egg whites into soft peaks before slowly adding the hot sugar syrup.
  • Two large bowls, preferably glass. Try to avoid using a metal mixing bowl for the Italian meringue as it will conduct heat and prevent the mixture from cooling.
  • A metal mixing spoon for combining ingredients more vigorously.
  • A silicon mixing spoon or spatula for further, more gentle mixing.
  • Baking sheets/trays - not high-sided ones as this builds up too much steam
  • Silicon mat or baking parchment paper (but the silicon mats are better and allow for lower waste as they are not single-use)
  • Piping bags - to pipe your macarons onto a baking tray, and then also to pipe your fillings.

Preparation before you begin

Clean all your bowls and utensils thoroughly. Having residue or oil on any bowls, spatulas, spoons or thermometres can have a knock-on effect in this Italian macaron recipe so don't skip this step.

Assemble and weigh out all your ingredients and utensils.

Separate the ingredients for each part of the recipe (Italian meringue, almond paste, filling) and group them together.

Get your piping bags and baking sheets lined and ready to go and the oven preheated.

Macarons on a serving platter.

The great thing about macarons is you can create any flavour filling you want, and make them pretty colours too. They make a great elegant dessert or petit four, perfect for parties or special occasions. I'll show you exactly when to add food colouring to macaron batter, and how to pipe and fill them perfectly every time.

Ingredients for macaron shells

Tupperware containers with the ingredients for Italian macarons. Powdered sugar, ground almonds, water, granulated sugar and egg whites.
  • Almond flour (also known as almond meal or ground almonds)
  • Powdered sugar (also known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar)
  • White granulated sugar (also known as caster sugar)
  • Egg whites
  • Powdered food colouring (optional)

Ingredients for basic macaron cream filling

  • Lemon zest
  • Plain yoghurt
  • Double cream
  • Mascarpone cream

See the recipe card for quantities.

Best food colouring to use in macarons

Powdered food colouring is the best to make macarons. Using liquid or gel colouring affects the consistency and can cause your macarons to split or crack. Adding liquid to the macaron mixture can have the same effect as overmixing when the feet/base of the macaron spreads and curls up and they flatten.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 145 degrees Celsius / 295 Fahrenheit.

Weigh out all your ingredients.

Sieve the ground almonds and powdered sugar and then blend together until they are a very fine consistency and completely combined. Add to a large mixing bowl.

How to make Italian meringue

Place the water into a saucepan and pour in the granulated sugar. Begin to gently warm the water and stir so that the sugar dissolves into the water. Once it has dissolved, turn up the heat, stop stirring and place the sugar thermometer into the mixture.

You will notice the thermometer reach 100 degrees Celsius/212 degrees Fahrenheit and stay there for a while, before gradually beginning to rise as the water evaporates and the sugar starts to reach its own boiling point. Be patient.

Boiling sugar syrup in a saucepan with a thermometer in it to measure the temperature.

Once the temperature does start to rise, whisk your egg whites until they go white and form soft peaks. Stop the whisk and return to your sugar syrup, which should now be reaching the soft boil point.

Some thermometres have 'soft boil' and 'firm boil' written on them, which is helpful. We need our sugar to reach a hard boil of 120 degrees Celsius/250 degrees Fahrenheit. I generally remove my sugar from the heat when it reaches and starts to creep up from a soft boil of 115 degrees Celsius/240 Fahrenheit as the residual heat in the pan will keep the temperature going up from here whilst you carefully take the saucepan over to your egg whites.

Start whisking the egg whites again whilst very slowly pouring the hot sugar syrup into it. Avoid pouring the sugar syrup onto the whisk attachment itself. Otherwise, you'll end up with very a sticky attachment covered in spun sugar!

An electric whisk attachment covered in glossy white Italian meringue.
Italian meringue

Add the sugar syrup a little at a time, or in a very slow constant trickle. We don't want to add too much at once as it is very hot and it will cook and scramble the egg white. Feel the side of the glass bowl, it will be hot.

The Italian meringue will turn a smooth, glossy and opaque white. Continue to whisk once all of the sugar syrup has been added to bring down the heat until you can touch the side of the bowl and it feels warm but not hot. This is so we don't cook and scramble the rest of the raw egg white that is in the almond paste mixture.

Almond paste made from egg whites mixed with ground almonds and powdered sugar.
Almond paste

Mix the remaining egg white with the almond/powdered sugar mixture. It will form a stiff almond paste. Use a metal spoon to stir it together firmly and fully incorporate. Add your powdered food colouring at this point. A half teaspoon should be sufficient depending on how intense you want the colour.

We now combine the two mixtures in three stages to form the Italian macaron batter and this part is very important to get right.

Macaronage - mixing macaron batter

The Italian meringue is mixed into the almond paste, not the other way around.

Mix the Italian meringue into the almond paste in thirds, not all at once.

The first third needs to be mixed vigorously with a metal spoon to slacken/loosen the almond paste and ensure there are no streaks or lumps.

The next third needs to be folded in more gently, and I prefer to use a silicone spatula for this stage and the final stage. Using light movements, scoop the mixture up and turn it over to combine whilst keeping the air in. This is where using Italian meringue to make macarons becomes worthwhile, as it has more stability and keeps its lightness without collapsing.

Mix in the final third of the meringue with extreme care, gently folding it together with the spatula by scooping it around the edge of the bowl and then into the middle.

We don't want a sloppy consistency, it needs to be medium loose but not runny.

Macaron batter in a mixing bowl.
Macaron batter

How to pipe macarons

Using a spatula, add the macaron batter to the bag. Tie a knot in the end and relax the mixture slightly in the bag with your hands for a few seconds. Cut half a centimetre from the tip of the piping bag.

To pipe perfect macarons, position the piping bag perpendicular to the tray with the nozzle a few millimetres above the surface. Squeeze the bag without lifting it up for two or three seconds (until the desired size macaron). Stop squeezing and make a little circle to twist it off. You will be left with a small peak, but don't worry about that now. Continue to fill the tray with macarons using the 'squeeze, stop, twist off' motion. Leave a 2cm gap in between each macaron as they will expand slightly as they bake.

When the tray is filled, pick it up and firmly smack it down onto the work surface twice to settle the Italian macaron batter and get rid of any air bubbles. This will also help settle the peak left by the piping bag.

Bake straight away for 17 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow the macarons to cool on the tray. This is a no-rest macaron recipe, but if you cannot fit all of your macarons in the oven at once, it won't harm the remaining macarons to be out on the worktop for 17 minutes.

Macaron shells on a baking tray.

How to fill macarons

Now you can fill your Italian macarons. I find it helps to pair the macaron shells up first to make sure each macaron shell has its perfect partner in size and colour.

Fill another piping bag with your filling of choice, for this recipe I use my favourite lemon mascarpone.

Mix the yoghurt and mascarpone together and grate in the lemon zest.

Whip the cream until thickened and then fold in the other mixture. Add to a piping bag.

Cut the end off the piping bag and start with a blob in the middle of the flat side of the macaron shell. Then pipe a circle around it. Remember we want the filling to slightly bulge out the sides when we sandwich the macaron shells together so pipe right to the edge.

Place another macaron shell on top and voila! A perfect Italian macaron.

Macarons on a patterned serving platter.

Macaron filling ideas

  • Chocolate ganache - melt some good quality chocolate into hot double cream to make a glossy and smooth chocolate ganache filling
  • Jam - grab a jar of your favourite jam out of the cupboard and spread thinly onto the shells
  • Fruity cream - Mix fruit coulis with whipped double cream

How to store macarons

Macaron shells can be frozen or stored in an airtight container. Filled macarons should be kept chilled.

Top tip

Older eggs make better meringue than really fresh eggs because the proteins have been broken down more. And if you can, separate your eggs 24 hours in advance and keep the egg whites in the fridge until ready to make your Italian meringue, as this improves the way they bake even further.

Ready for more? Here are some of my macaron recipes

Pink Italian macarons with cream filling on a blue surface.

Italian Macarons (with Italian meringue)

Rosanna Stevens
A step by step guide to making homemade Italian macarons with Italian meringue.
5 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 17 mins
Filling time 15 mins
Total Time 1 hr 17 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine French, Italian
Servings 40 macarons
Calories 85 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Weighing scales
  • 1 Sieve Blender/food processor 
  • 1 Small saucepan 
  • 1 Jam or sugar thermometer 
  • 1 electric whisk or stand mixer
  • 2 Large bowls, preferably glass
  • 1 Metal or wooden mixing spoon 
  • 1 Silicon mixing spoon or spatula 
  • 3 Large baking sheets/trays 
  • 3 Silicon baking mat or baking parchment paper
  • 2 piping bags

Ingredients
 
 

Almond paste

  • 185 grams Powdered sugar (icing sugar or confectioners sugar)
  • 185 grams Ground almonds
  • 63 grams Egg whites

Italian meringue

  • 185 grams Granulated sugar
  • 100 ml Water
  • 63 grams Egg whites

Basic lemon cream filling

  • 2 tablespoon Mascarpone cheese
  • 2 tablespoon Plain yoghurt
  • 200 ml Double cream (heavy cream)
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon zest

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 145 degrees Celsius / 295 Fahrenheit. 
  • Prepare and weigh out the ingredients, separating the egg whites from egg yolks if necessary. 
  • Sieve the ground almonds and powdered sugar and then blend together until they are a very fine consistency and completely combined. 

Italian meringue

  • Place the water and granulated sugar into a saucepan. Gently warm the water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once it has dissolved, turn up the heat, stop stirring and place the sugar thermometer into the mixture. 
  • Once the thermometer starts to climb above 105 degrees Celsius/220 degrees Fahrenheit, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
  • When the sugar syrup reaches a soft boil temperature of 115 degrees Celsius/240 degrees, start whisking the egg whites again and pour in the sugar syrup a little at a time. 
  • The Italian meringue will turn a smooth, glossy and opaque white. Continue to whisk once all of the sugar syrup has been added to bring down the heat until you can touch the side of the bowl and it feels warm but not hot. 

Almond paste

  • Make the almond paste by mixing the remaining egg white with the ground almond/powdered sugar mixture until it is fully incorporated. If using food colouring, add it at this point. A half teaspoon should be sufficient depending on how intense you want the colour.

Macaronage

  • Now mix the Italian meringue into the almond paste in three stages. 
  • Firmly mix in the first third of the Italian meringue with a metal or wooden spoon to loosen the almond paste and fully combine the two mixtures. 
  • Fold in the remaining two thirds one at a time using the softer spoon or spatula, being very gentle with the final third to not overmix the batter and make it too slack. 

Piping macarons

  • Move the macaron batter to a piping bag. Tie a knot in the end and relax the mixture slightly in the bag with your hands for a few seconds. Cut half a centimetre from the tip of the piping bag. 
  • Position the piping bag perpendicular to the tray with the nozzle a few millimetres above the surface. Squeeze the bag without lifting it up for two or three seconds, then stop squeezing and make a little circle to twist it off. Fill the trays leaving a 2cm gap in between each macaron. 
  • Firmly smack it down onto the work surface twice to settle the Italian macaron batter and get rid of any air bubbles. 
  • Bake straight away for 17 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow the macarons to cool on the tray. This is a no-rest macaron recipe, but if you cannot fit all of your macarons in the oven at once, it won't harm the remaining macarons to be out on the worktop for 17 minutes. 

Lemon cream filling

  • Mix the yoghurt and mascarpone together and grate in the lemon zest. 
  • Whip the cream until thickened and then fold in the lemon mascarpone yoghurt mixture. 
  • Put the filling into a piping bag and pipe a circle in the centre of each macaron shell. Then pipe a circle around it before sandwiching with another macaron shell. 

Nutrition

Calories: 85kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 8mgPotassium: 12mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 85IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 0.2mg
Keyword Italian macarons, Italian meringue, macaron recipe
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FAQ

My macarons spread out into a puddle, what did I do wrong?

Your mixture was overmixed, so when combining the meringue with the egg white/almond paste you possibly stirred too hard or for too long.

Why were the peaks on my macarons still visible after baking?

The mixture was slightly undermixed. This is where it is useful to relax it slightly whilst in the piping bag with your hands.A macaron shell with the piping peak still visible.

Can I freeze macaron shells?

Yes, Italian macaron shells freeze really well. Just freeze before they are filled. Place in layers in an airtight container separated by sheets of greaseproof paper.

Can I use cartons of egg white?

Personally, I have never made a successful meringue using cartons of pre-packaged egg white. I don't know what it is, there must be some preservative or chemical used that prevents it from whipping up properly. So you're welcome to try, but I personally do not recommend it.

Why did my macarons split?

This is often to do with air bubbles in your macaron batter, and that is why we smack the tray down on the countertop before baking as it pops the air bubbles. I have also found macarons can split when using gel or liquid food colouring and that's why I avoid it. A split macaron shell.

Why do my macarons look grainy?

The powdered sugar and almond flour mixture was not fine enough. To get a smooth and glossy macaron shell, the mixture needs to be very finely milled. This is why we blend the two ingredients together in a food processor and then sieve it as well.

What colour are macarons without food colouring?

Without food colouring, macarons are a very pale cream/white colour. It is a pretty and neutral colour that can then be jazzed up with colourful fillings.Plain Italian macaron shells with no food colouring.

How long do macarons last?

Without being filled, macarons can last for up to 5 days in an airtight container before going stale. Once filled, it will depend on the nature of the filling. A macaron with cream filling will last 3-4 days.

Should you rest macarons before baking?

The 'to rest, or not to rest' question in the art of making macarons is divisive. Those in the 'rest' camp believe that doing so allows them to form a crust on top, reducing the chance of them cracking and forming better 'feet' because escaping air is forced to go out of the bottom rather than the top of the macaron. With this Italian macaron recipe I have tried both resting, and not resting, and saw no difference. It may in part be due to using Italian meringue which is more dense and stable. But without a lab to do proper scientific tests (which is something I would LOVE to do) I can't say for sure!

Food safety

  • Boiling sugar can be dangerous, so do not leave it unattended and keep pets/children out of the room.
  • Clean surfaces and utensils thoroughly after handling raw eggs.

Heirloom Tomato Salad With Hot Honey And Feta

· 7 Comments

A fresh heirloom tomato salad with hot honey and feta is the perfect summer recipe to make when you want to pack a flavour punch. The hot honey is made by cooking garlic paste and chilli flakes before adding honey and warming it through to infuse. Drizzled over an heirloom tomato salad and crumbled feta cheese, this easy salad recipe is a sweet, salty AND spicy taste revelation. Tiktok recipes are always on my radar and when I saw many people making the hot honey trend I had to try it, but put my own twist on it, of course. Adding garlic gives it an extra savoury contrast which I love, and garlic and tomatoes always go so well together. The saltiness of feta is the perfect complement to the sticky spicy honey, especially paired with the heirloom tomatoes which come into a league of their own in the summertime.

Heirloom tomatoes or heritage tomatoes are tomatoes that are not mass-produced, and instead, their seeds are passed down from season to season. My favourites (and the heritage tomatoes I used in this recipe) are the Black Russian tomato, the Lemon Grape tomato, the Green Zebra and Tumbling Tom Red Tomatoes. Heirloom tomatoes come in beautiful colours and shapes and make salads look so much prettier as well as being incredibly tasty and full of flavour.

Heirloom tomato salad in a bowl with feta cheese and hot honey dressing.

This heirloom tomato salad with hot honey and feta works especially well in the summertime when the heritage tomatoes are in season and ripe. I love to serve it at lunchtime alongside other tasty summer dishes like this black garlic chicken and popcorn calamari and if you love salads with feta cheese, you should also try this grilled peach Panzanella salad.

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Ingredients

Different varieties of heirloom tomatoes on a chopping board.
  • Heirloom tomatoes (heritage tomatoes)
  • Basil
  • Garlic
  • Chilli flakes
  • Honey
  • Feta cheese
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Make your hot honey first so it has time to cool.

Crush the garlic cloves into a paste, and gently fry them in a pan with some olive oil.

After a minute or two (taking care that it does not burn), add the chilli flakes and stir through for another 30 seconds until fragrant.

Pour the hot spicy honey into the pan and turn the heat down, allowing the flavours to infuse for 5-10 minutes but do not let it boil. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the hot honey into a jug or jar and allow to cool.

Slice your heirloom tomatoes into pieces, or leave some whole for variety.

Place the tomatoes in a salad bowl and crumble the feta over the top. Add the fresh basil leaves and then pour over the hot honey. Serve and enjoy!

Hint: You can vary the amount of chilli you put in the hot and spicy honey depending on your personal preference.

Heirloom tomato salad in a large blue salad bowl with feta cheese and hot honey dressing.

Substitutions and variations

Here are some ways you can adapt this feta, hot honey and heirloom tomato salad to suit you.

  • Cheese - Try other cheeses like fried halloumi or creamy mozzarella.
  • Vegetables - Add red onion and cucumber to make this salad even crunchier.
  • Chilli - You can use fresh chilli instead of dried chilli flakes.

Love a bit of spice? Try this homemade habanero pineapple hot sauce.

Equipment

  • Frying pan
  • Jug or jar
  • Salad bowl

Storage

Store any leftovers in the fridge Good for 2-3 days.

These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.

Top tip

You can keep any leftover hot honey in a clean, sterilized jar for a few weeks, try drizzling it over other things! It's great on pizza...

What is hot honey?

Hot honey is honey that has been infused with chilli spice, to give it some heat. The sweet and spicy flavour is delicious and can add real depth to dishes.

What kind of cheese is feta?

Feta cheese is a Greek cheese made from ewe's milk (sheep) or sometimes a mixture of sheep and goat milk. It is a white cheese that is quite crumbly, and has a strong and tangy flavour. It is salty due to being aged in brine.

Do heirloom tomatoes taste different?

Heirloom or heritage tomatoes typically have a stronger flavour and are juicier, too. I consider them the Rolls Royce of tomatoes.

Heirloom tomato salad in a bowl with feta cheese and hot honey dressing.

Heirloom Tomato Salad With Hot Honey And Feta

Rosanna Stevens
A sweet, salty and spicy summer salad with vibrant heirloom tomatoes, tangy feta cheese and sticky hot honey dressing.
5 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 30 mins