Cinnamon Macarons with Rainbow Charoset Filling for Passover

Today is Macaron Day in NYC!  If you are a local, you can click on the website and follow the map to collect your free macarons.

So of course I had to post a new French macaron recipe today. Since it’s so close to Passover, I created a Charoset Macaron.

These were inspired by Exotic Charoset Truffles I made a few years back. I used brazil nuts, mango, ginger and galanga in them for what turned out to be Charoset Tropicale.

Although over the years I have made tons of traditional charoset, the walnut and fresh apple version, I personally prefer the Sephardic version using dried fruits and nuts.

This year I created another version using a rainbow of dried fruits, almonds and cashews.

Then took it one step further and used the finished charoset to fill cinnamon French macaron shells.

The result was amazing. One tip – let these sit at least one day before eating. Every day the flavor deepened and beyond day three, the flavors perfectly blended to make these some of the best tasting French macaron combination I have ever made.

Use a kitchen scale for precise measurements.

• 90 grams of egg whites – aged at least 2 days. Let them sit out on the counter uncovered.
• 25-50 grams of fine granulated sugar
• 200 grams of powdered sugar 
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 110 Grams of almond flour*
• Pinch of cream of tarter
• Pinch of salt

• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or use a silpat.
• Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together or pulse them together briefly in a food processor. Make sure there are no large pieces. 
• Remove and discard two tablespoons of the mixture and whisk in the 2 tablespoons of cinnamon and set aside. 
• Whip the egg whites. When they start to get foamy, slowly add the sugar. Continue whipping until you can turn the bowl upside down and nothing slides out. Add  the pinches of salt and cream of tartar.
• Add the powdered sugar/almond/cinnamon mixture to the egg white mixture and fold, using quick strokes at first then slow down. The batter should have a “flowing like lava” consistency.  Make a peak of the batter and if it does not disappear after 5-7 seconds, keep folding. If it’s running all over the place, you will probably have to start over. 
• Place a pastry bag fitted with a round shaped tip in a tall water and and fold the edges down around the glass.
• Fill the pastry bag with the macaron batter, twist the open top to secure and pipe circles onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or on a Silpat. 
• Let the macarons dry for about a half hour or until they harden.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place the macarons on the middle rack in the oven. I keep the oven door propped open with a dish towel or wooden spoon.
• I place another empty baking sheet on top to prevent the shells from becoming toasted and discolored.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes.
• When checking them after 10 minutes or so,  if the ones in the back of the sheet seem to be cooking faster that the ones in front, flip the tray around.
• To test to see if they are done, peel the baking paper or silpat back, if the shell comes off easily, they are done.
• If you do have a problem with the shells sticking to the surface when removed from the oven, lift up the baking paper and pour a bit of water underneath. this will steam them off the paper.
• Transfer to a baking rack and let cool completely before matching up the shells into pairs according to size and then fill.