'London Fog' Macarons: Earl Grey Cookies with Vanilla Buttercream
Earl Grey tea-infused traditional French almond meringue cookies, sandwiched with fluffy vanilla buttercream, for a bite-sized treat as cozy as your favorite drink.
Servings 32 macarons
Calories 211kcal
Ingredients
Earl Grey Macarons
- 200 grams Almond Flour
- 200 grams Powdered Sugar
- 150 mL Egg Whites (about 5 eggs), left at room temperature overnight, divided
- 1 Cup Sugar
- ¼ Cup Water almost boiling
- 3 Earl Grey Tea Bags divided
- Gel Food Coloring if desired
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 Cup Unsalted butter room temperature
- 5 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1-2 Tbsp Heavy Cream
- 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
- Gel Food Coloring if desired
Instructions
Earl Grey Macarons
- Add two of the tea bags to the water and set aside to infuse for about 5 minutes. Then, squeeze the excess liquid from the tea bags and discard.
- Line two flat cookie sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. If you'd like, use a pencil to draw 1 ½-inch circles about 2 inches apart on the parchment, and then flip it over on the sheet to use as a template. Add a large round tip to a large pastry bag and set it aside.
- Add the almond flour to a mesh strainer or sieve and gently push it through into a large bowl, to remove any lumps. Repeat with the confectioners sugar and then whisk these together along with the contents of the remaining tea bag until combined.
- Add half the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and mix on medium, until they lose their translucence and hold medium-firm peaks. Lower the mixer to low, but allow it to continue running in the background.
- Add the remaining egg whites (and a drop or two of food coloring, if desired) to the almond flour mixture. Use a sturdy flexible spatula to incorporate everything together, until you have a uniform paste. This can take some effort, so don't be afraid to mix and fold and use the bowl for leverage.
- In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and tea-infused water over medium-high, stirring to dissolve the sugar, until boiling. Continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer measures 243°F. Then turn off the heat.
- With your stand mixer still running on low, carefully and slowly pour the hot sugar into the egg whites. There will be some splatters, but don't try to scrape the bowl to incorporate them. Increase the speed to high, and let it mix together until the meringue has cooled down, about 10 minutes,
- Add the finished and cooled meringue into the bowl with the almond flour. Use your spatula to combine the two, mixing, mashing, and folding vigorously until it all combined. Eventually, the mixture will begin to loosen and start to flow off the spatula like a stream of lava when it's lifted from the bowl. If you'd like, this is when you can add more food coloring.
- Transfer half the batter into the prepared piping bag. Hold the bag straight up and down about an inch above one of the lined baking sheets. Slowly pipe 1 ½-inch circles about 2 inches apart. These might have a point in the center, but that's fine for now. Hold the baking sheet about 8 inches above the counter and let it drop straight down to remove any air bubbles.Repeat this entire step with the other half of the batter and the other baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Let both sheets sit out on the counter for 20-40 minutes, uncovered, until the batter forms a crust on top of each cookie. If you gently touch one and no batter ends up on your finger, they are good to go.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 6 minutes, then rotate it 180° in the oven and bake for an additional 6-9 minutes, until the macarons can be carefully peeled off the parchment or mat. Slide the paper or mat off the pan onto the counter to cool.Repeat the baking with the second sheet.
Vanilla Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes on medium speed.
- Add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, fully incorporating each batch before adding the next. If it's tough to mix at any point add a splash of cream.
- Once all the sugar has been incorporated, add the vanilla bean paste. Continue to add milk or cream until you reach your desired consistency.
- Add in the food coloring, allowing the mixer to incorporate it into the frosting on low speed, until you have reached your desired color.
Assemble the Macarons
- Once the macarons have fully cooled, carefully peel them off the parchment or mats and pair up to make sandwiches.
- For each sandwich, flip one of the cookies upside down to expose the bottom. Pipe a ring of buttercream around the outer edge, and then fill the center in completely. Top with the other cookie, and twist about a quarter turn to hold together.Repeat with the other macarons.
- Refrigerate the filled macarons overnight for best results, or for at least 6 hours.
Notes
- My base macaron shell recipe is Dorie Greenspan's from Food52. The first time I made these, it was a success, so it's definitely a winner of a recipe.
- Make ahead tips:
- Store filled or unfilled macarons in the fridge for up to 4 days, or frozen for two months. Thaw frozen macarons in the fridge overnight, and refrigerated macarons at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before serving.
- Store buttercream in the fridge for 3-4 days, and let it thaw to room temperature before piping.
- Weighing your almond flour and confectioners sugar is super important in macarons. These cookies are delicate, and small changes can greatly alter the texture and structure.