Vanilla-Lavender Macarons: Step Away from the Food Coloring

Are you an observant person? If so, you may have noticed something when I posted about my visit from Leigh and the raspberry-goat cheese buttercream macarons that I made for her.

Not her awesome glasses. Well, maybe those. But more importantly: weren’t there ALSO purple macarons? Go check it out.

What the heck was that about? Did I withhold a recipe from you? Only temporarily, as I now present: Vanilla- Lavender Macarons.

Ingredients for Shells (as adapted from Tartlette)

1 2/3 cups powdered sugar

¾ cup almond flour

3 egg whites

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Few drops purple food coloring

Blend the powdered sugar and almond flour in a food processor until very finely ground, set aside. Whip the egg whitess until foamy, then continue whipping while slowly adding the granulated sugar.

Finally, add a few drops of purple food coloring.

Or, shall I say, a few too many. I was going for a subtle lavender shade. Instead, I got neon purple. Score.

Once you screw up your meringue color, go ahead and keep on going, because the macarons will still be tasty. Carefully fold the meringues and almond-powdered sugar mixture in fewer than 50 strokes, taking care to scrape the bottom of the bowl on the strokes.

Still. Really. Purple.

Pipe the mixture in rounds about 1 ½” in diameter on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Have I mentioned yet how purple they were? Even with coloring difficulties, feet can still be achieved. Let the piped rounds sit for 45 minutes, bake at 280° F, for 20 minutes.

Well, they were still purple. But they had feet. Yes, very bright purple feet, but feet nonetheless.

Now to make some matching filling.

Lavender-Vanilla Ganache Filling Ingredients

6 ounces chopped white chocolate (Callebaut)

¼ cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons lavender extract

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

Few drops purple food coloring.

The white chocolate started out nice and subdued. This needed to change.

Heat the cream to a simmer, then pour over white chocolate. Let sit for 1-2 minutes, then stir until combined; add lavender, vanilla and food coloring.

Ah, that’s better. NOW we have something that can go between those macaron shells.

I promise they taste great. That lavender vanilla combination in a white chocolate base is a winner – remember that custard and that tart? You should try these.

Just take it easy on the purple food coloring, OK? Trust me on that, too.

Have you ever used too much food coloring in something? How bright was it?