Name: Lemon French Macarons with Lemon Curd and Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 58 min
Ingredients: 110 grams Egg white (approx 3 eggs); 1/8 tsp Cream of tartar; 50 grams Castor sugar ((1/4 cup)); 200 grams Powdered sugar/confectioners sugar/icing sugar ((1 3/4 cups)); 100 grams Almond meal ((1 cup)); 1/2 tsp Lemon zest; 1/2 tsp Lemon extract; 1 Lemon curd (my recipe here); 2 Swiss meringue buttercream (my recipe here )

Recipe Video Print

Table of Contents

Lemon French Macarons with Lemon Curd and SMBC

French Macarons are in demand all year round. These lemon French macarons filled with lemon curd and Swiss meringue buttercream are especially refreshing and light. This simple, easy and effortless recipe uses my foolproof macaron recipe as a base. So you can successfully make these over and over again. People are going to think you are a macaron master baker!!

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If you like lemon you will probably love lemon French macarons. Personally, I am a huge fan of lemon and I can eat lemon curd from a jar by the spoon just as I can eat a whole block of chocolate without blinking. Now I can't stand the combination of lemon, orange or citrus fruits with chocolate but that's a whole different topic for some other time.

There is something about macarons that is very addictive. Isn't it? I'm not just talking about eating them. Yes, of course, we love eating macarons. But I find that if I start making macarons, then I have this sudden addiction to making more of them. So, I will make a few too many batches until we have way too many macarons at home. After that, I will make a conscious effort to stop and guess what - It's gone...! Next thing I know it's been months since I last made it unless someone request or ask for them.

20 Tips for Perfect Macarons

Now, we have had a few macaron recipes on this blog, with videos of course. And I plan to make some more. And yet, most importantly I hope you have seen my most popular post - 2o tips to perfect macarons. It's honestly what brings macaron fans to my macaron recipes. These tips really are helpful. So make sure you check them out. My macaron recipes did not have videos before but I have since updated them and added videos to all. Because I know that when it comes to macarons they are temperamental. Therefore, you have to see how I make them so you will know how to make them yourselves.

These 20 Tips to perfect macarons with a no-fail macaron recipe and step by step tutorial will have you making perfect macarons every single time.

20 Tips to Perfect French Macarons with a No-Fail Macaron Recipe

Macarons can be tricky but I have a full-proof macaron recipe with 20 must know simple, easy and effortless tips to follow which will make sure you get the perfect macarons every single time whether you are a novice or seasoned baker. Use my basic recipe to explore lots more variations of your own.

Ingredients and substitutes (Save/Pin)

Almond meal - You can buy these commercially or make them home yourself as long as you can sift them dry!! (read more)
Castor sugar - What you really need is fine sugar. You want the sugar crystals to be fine so they melt into the egg whites easily. So if you can't find caster sugar just use regular white sugar and pulse them once or twice to make them fine (not powder).
Powdered sugar - This needs to be sifted with the almond meal. Which means you need to buy this commercially for best results. Commercial powdered sugar has an anti-caking agent that helps dry out the shells too.
Food colors - When making macarons always use food color gel or powder food colors - not supermarket brand water-based colors. Why? Because you want to keep the liquid in the recipe to the minimum.
Cream of tartar - I personally think that anyone who wants to make macarons more than once must have this on hand. It really helps keep those egg whites whipped longer. If you don't have cream of tartar a pinch of salt also works.
Lemon zest -You can add the lemon zest either into the batter or as a garnish sprinkled on top of the piped shells.

Lemon Curd

You can, of course, use store-bought lemon curd but I do have a simple, easy and foolproof recipe for lemon curd right here on this blog. Now, I must warn you, once you make this recipe, you are never going to enjoy store-bought lemon curd ever again!! Yup, It's ruined me for life. I only enjoy homemade lemon curd. Just look at how LUSH that is. Can you resist that? Well, you've been warned.

Useful Tips and Tools

You will need a clean grease-free bowl for whipping your egg whites. Any trace of grease in the bowl and your meringue will not whip to peaks.
Also, you can use your stand-mixer such as K-Mix / Kitchen Aid. I use a hand-mixer just for my videos so you can see inside the bowl.
In addition, it is important to grind the almond meal in a food processor to a fine grind.
A thick baking tray works best for macarons.
Also, always use macaron templates to pipe macarons. You can get these printed on the baking mat, or you can print these from the web for free.
This small piping tip works best for piping macarons. A larger tip will make the batter flow out faster, and you will not have control.
I prefer to use a clean new piping bag for every new batch of macarons so I know there is no grease from any previous buttercream. Disposable bags work best.

How to make a Lemon French Macarons with Lemon Curd and Swiss Meringue Buttercream (Save/Pin)

Prepare dry ingredients

Place almond meal and powdered sugar in a food processor and pulse a few seconds.
Sift and discard any coarse nuts.

Whip egg whites

Place egg whites and cream of tartar in a grease-free bowl.
Whip a minute then sprinkle in the granulated sugar.
Once all the sugar has been added - whisk on medium-high until stiff peaks.
Add zest, food color and extract.

French Macarons are in trend all year round. Take a few of these over with you and every body will think you are a master Macaron baker. These are simple easy and delicious to make.

Macronage

Add sugar/almond mixture into the whipped egg whites.
You can do this in three batches or all at once.
You need to fold the mixture until you have what is called a dropping consistency or a thick cake batter consistency. Which means when you hold a little batter in your spoon and drop it back into the bowl it should drop smoothly.

Pipe

Pour batter into a piping bag with a large round tip.
Pipe similar size macarons on to a parchment paper using a template.
The best way to pipe is to squeeze until you have a good mound then swirl the tip to one side. But don't' worry if you don't get it. Just take the tip of your finger and tap the points down.
Tap the baking sheet on the counter a couple of times so all the air pockets will rise to the top and release. That way you won't have big holes in your macarons.

Rest

Let the macarons rest in a cool dry place for about 15 to 20 minutes so the tops will get lightly crusted.
While the macarons are drying - preheat the oven to 160 C/320 F.

Bake / Cool

Bake these for 15 to 18 minutes depending on your oven. The tops will look set and the bottom should not be wet.
The top shell should be shiny and the bottom crusty (also called macaron feet).
Let cool on the parchment for a while then take them off and let cool completely.

Fill / Store

Once cooled pair similar size macaron shells.
You can pipe any filling of your choice. Here I have used lemon curd and Swiss meringue buttercream.
On the bottom shell pipe a thick circle of Swiss meringue buttercream.
Then pipe a generous squeeze of lemon curd right in the middle of that circle.
Place the top shell on and give it a gentle squeeze so it's stick together. Do not press hard or the filling will ooze out.
Macarons must be stored in the fridge and are best eaten one or two days later - if you can wait.
Enjoy.

Don't forget to save this recipe on Pinterest for later.
You can find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.

Lemon French Macarons with Lemon Curd and Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Author: Veena Azmanov

4.95 from 20 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 18 mins

Total Time: 58 mins

Calories: 88kcal

Adjust Servings Here: 30 macarons

Description

ADJUST SERVINGS HERE - 30 macarons

Ingredients

For the shells

110 grams (0.50 cups) Egg white approx 3 eggs
1/8 tsp Cream of tartar
50 grams (0.25 cups) Castor sugar (1/4 cup)
200 grams (7.00 oz) Powdered sugar/confectioners sugar/icing sugar (1 3/4 cups)
100 grams (4.00 oz) Almond meal (1 cup)
1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) Lemon zest
1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) Lemon extract

Fillings

1 Lemon curd my recipe here
2 Swiss meringue buttercream my recipe here