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Sour Watermelon Macarons

The new grown up version of classic sour water melon candies are these sour watermelon macarons, featuring a sour sugar shell and a sweet watermelon flavored filling. Get ready to pucker with these highly addicting macarons!

Equipment

  • 4 qt stand mixing bowl with whisk and paddle attachment
  • large bowl
  • rubber spatula
  • small round piping tip
  • silpat mat
  • baking tray
  • pastry brush

Ingredients

  • 124 grams powdered sugar about 1 ¼ cup
  • 140 grams almond meal about 1 ⅔ cup
  • 110 grams sugar about ½ cup
  • 107 grams egg whites, room temperature about 3 large eggs
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 drop super red gel food coloring, Americolor

Sour Sugar Mixture

  • cup citric acid
  • cup sugar
  • small bowl of water

Watermelon Buttercream

  • 12 tablespoon soft butter
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 packet watermelon koolaid, about 1 ½ tsp

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, scale the 140g almond meal and 124g powdered sugar. Sift both of them into a larger bowl and discard any large pieces. Set aside.
  • In a stand mixing bowl, add the 107g room temperature egg whites and begin whisking on medium speed (speed 3-4) for 1-2 minutes. When the whites get foamy, add the cream of tartar.
  • Very slowly, begin adding the 110g sugar by the spoonful, sprinkling it into the whites as they whip. When all of the sugar is added increase the speed to medium high (speed 5-6). Whip for about 5-6 minutes then stop the mixer and add the drop of red food coloring. Continue mixing on medium high for 1-2 minutes more, or until stiff peaks form.
  • Add the whipped egg whites to a large bowl.
  • Add ⅓ of the almond meal/sugar mixture to the whites. Fold very gently with a spatula until combined. Then add the next ⅓ and fold to combine. Continue until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated.
  • Using your rubber spatula, scrape the batter against the side of the bowl. Every few scrapes, pick up the batter and let it fall into the bowl. The batter should flow slowly in ribbons. Try to make a figure 8 with the batter. If it falls without breaking, its ready!
  • Line an upside down pan with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and fill a piping bag and round tip with the batter. Pipe directly over the top of the parchment. When the pan is full, rap and drop the pan on the counter to release any air bubbles. You can use a tooth pick to pop any bubbles that come to the surface.
  • Preheat your oven to 300. (If your oven in on the hotter side, lower temperature might be better ie: 275-285)
  • Allow the macarons to sit out to dry and form a skin. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on the level of humidity in your house. They are ready to bake when the shell can be touched without it sticking to your finger or leaving an impression.
  • Bake each tray for about 13-14 minutes. The macarons are done baking when you gently touch the top of the shell, it should just barely budge from the foot. Allow to cool completely before filling!

Making the Watermelon Buttercream

  • In a stand mixing bowl, add the 12 tablespoon of soft butter and mix with the paddle on medium (speed 3-4) for 1-2 minutes or until the butter is smooth and lump free.
  • Stop the mixer and add the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, mixing on low (speed 1-2) until each addition is combined before adding more. Continue adding the sugar until it is all combined.
  • Turn the mixer speed up to medium high (speed 5-6) and beat the buttercream for 2-3 minutes or until its very light and fluffy.
  • Stop the mixer and add the watermelon koolaid powder. Mix on low until combined for 1-2 minutes more or until its completely combined into the buttercream.

Assembling the Macarons

  • In a small bowl, combine the citric acid and sugar and mix to combine. Set aside
  • Match up the macaron shells in pairs and lay they out onto your surface. Face one shell of each pair up so that the bottom is facing up, but keep the other shell with the top facing up.
  • Using a pastry brush, dip it in a small bowl of water just to barely get the brush damp. Lightly brush the top of one shell in each pair and then dip it into the sour sugar mixture. Gently press it into the sugar so that it sticks to the top. Continue until every pair of macarons has one shell that is dipped into the sour sugar mixture.
  • Fill a piping bag fitted with a small round tip with the watermelon buttercream. Pipe a dollop of buttercream onto each shell that is bottom facing up. Once all the shells have buttercream, take the top of the shell and place it on the buttercream to sandwich it together.
  • Place the finished macarons in an airtight container and place them in the fridge overnight for the best taste and texture. Enjoy the next day! The macarons will stay fresh for 3-4 days if kept in the fridge and only taken out when ready to be enjoyed.

Notes

If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Step by step process photos are provided above, in the body of this post.
 
Ingredient Notes
  • Almond meal- this recipe calls for blanched almond meal, a pale yellow flour. My personal favorite is Kirkland from Costco or Bob's Red Mill.
  • Citric Acid- a common acid found in citrus fruits which you can get citric acid in some stores or online through Amazon.
  • Watermelon Koolaid- most stores sell single packet Koolaid flavors for $1 usually.
Expert Tips
  • Set everything up before you start- pre-measure your ingredients, set up all the tools you will need, and have everything ready to go before you even start baking. This will prevent common mistakes like missing ingredients or letting the batter sit too long!
Common Macaron Mistakes
  • Making macarons when it's raining
    • The most important part of the macarons is the meringue. The one thing a meringue does not like is excess moisture! Baking macarons on a humid day will result in wet shells that don't form a skin or bake right.
  • Doing dishes or running the dishwasher while making the batter
    • Again, this one support the fact that macarons and meringue do not like excess moisture! If you are running the hot water in the sink or having steam come out of your dishwasher, it could ultimately affect your batter.
  • Not shaking your food coloring before using it
    • When food coloring sits for a bit, it begins to separate with the water coming to the top of the bottle and the coloring sinking to the bottom. It's very similar to nail polish, you should always shake your bottle to re-emulsify the contents before using it!