Red Velvet Macarons With a Cream Cheese Filling

Hi everyone! I think it's about time I bless you guys with a new recipe. LOL just kidding. But yes I will share a recipe today since it's been awhile.

I seen a lot of red velvet recipes online but they don't really seem to have that 'red velvet'-esque flavor. Probably due to too little cocoa powder or not enough cream cheese. I think mine is pretty good now that I've tweaked it a bit. Before when I was testing out this recipe, someone thought it was too buttery. So I cut down the butter and added more tangy cream cheese and just the perfect amount of sweetness. Hope you enjoy :) (P.S.: Usually I take a picture out of a bite of the macaron, but these were for an order so I didn't want to waste one. I will put one up eventually!)

Red Velvet Macarons with a Cream Cheese Filling (Italian Meringue Recipe), makes about 24 completed macarons or 48 shells

Ingredients:
Mass:
-150g almond meal/flour (I use Trader Joe's Blanched Slivered Almonds and grind them in a food processor)
-145g powdered sugar
-5g cocoa powder (usually more than that makes it hollow and wet inside)
-50g egg whites (do not have to be aged)
-Gel food coloring (optional)
-2 tsp cornstarch (if weather is humid)
-pinch of salt

Italian Meringue:
-120g granulated sugar
-55g egg whites (do not have to be aged)
-40g water

Materials:
-Candy thermometer
-Kitchen/postal scale
-Piping bags/large round tip (These give the most perfect results if that's what you're going for)
-Good insulated baking sheets (I use Nordic Ware Baker's Half Sheet)
-Parchment paper or silpats (I prefer silpats but parchment is nice too)
-Stand mixer (recommended, but it is possible with a hand mixer, just takes longer)
-Rubber Spatula/pastry scraper

1. Process together your almond flour, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Sift together into a large bowl.
2. Add the 50g egg whites and mix until it becomes a dough-like consistency, and add in your food coloring. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
3. For the meringue, beat your 55g egg whites in the bowl of your stand mixer until frothy, then add a pinch of sugar if you'd like to stabilize the egg whites. Beat until soft peaks form, then turn the mixer down to low or 'stir' so that they don't deflate. DO NOT OVERBEAT EGG WHITES AT THIS STAGE. VERY IMPORTANT...if you do, your macarons will be hollow.
4. At the same time, put the water and sugar in a small saucepan over the stove at medium-high heat and attach your candy thermometer. When the mixture gets bubbly with no spots of unboiled sugar or 240 degrees Fahrenheit on your candy thermometer, take the sugar syrup off heat and slowly pour it into the egg whites, while turning up your mixer to medium-high speed. Let it beat until the bowl of the stand mixer is body temperature, and holds a nice 'beak'. The meringue should be stiff, shiny, and smooth.
5. Then add 1/3 of the meringue to the mass just to lighten it up, making it easier to fold into the meringue. Fold with a rubber spatula just a bit until no white shows. Keep folding until the batter is thick but still flowing.
7. Once the batter will fall of the spatula with a thick ribbon-like consistency, you are ready to pipe them. Pipe 1-1.5 inch diameter circles onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper or Silpat. Now is a good time to preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. Once you are done piping, drop the sheets a couple times on the counter to get rid of air bubbles and flatten out any peaks on your macarons.
9. Now let them rest for 15-20 minutes, or until the macarons are dry to the touch.
10. Bake for 10-13 minutes, depending on how solid you want your macarons. I recommend 12. Also only bake one tray at a time so that it is baked with even heat.
11. Let them cool completely before taking them off the baking sheets with an offset spatula.

Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients:

-8 oz cream cheese

-very small amount of butter (1-2 tbsp)

-About 3/4 cup powdered sugar (to taste)

-1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Whip cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

2. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.

3. Put into a piping bag and pipe a good amount of filling onto one macaron shell and sandwich together.

4. Store in the fridge for at least 24 hours for a better taste experience (flavors meld and softens the shell a bit) and serve at room temperature.