Lemon Macaron with Lemon Buttercream

 My niece really loves Macaron, well think because it's sweet and has a lot of buttercream ^^.

 Yesterday while I read a magazine she came close and pointed at the cover of the magazine and told me that "I want to eat this."
"It's the Macaron", I said. 
"Yes, we don't have it for months" She said and started counting her finger, "2 months"
"I never known that I have to bake it every month" I told her 
"You have to bake it for me"
"What flavour do you want?"
"Because I'm in the lemon room this year (her class has lemon symbol), so it should be lemon"
And that's the order from her ^^"
I have to bake it and serve this little princess (or devil) my macaron as soon as I can, or I can't do anything else, haha.
This time I make French macaron (made by whipping the egg white with sugar), and add lemon zest into the meringue to crate lovely fragrance. Because the lemon zest have liquid I add some egg white powder to balance it too (anyway you can omit it ^^). For the filling it's Lemon Butterceam, made from egg, lemon juice, sugar and butter. I add Cocoa butter to help it set better at room temperature (use white chocolate if you don't have Cocoa butter).
I had to take the photo quickly as she wanted to eat it, so forgive me for this time, hehe.

Lemon Macaron with Lemon Buttercream

Makes 32-34 pairs 

Lemon macaron

90g ................................ Almond powder*

135g ................................ Icing sugar

75g ................................. Egg whites 

2g ................................... Egg white powder

50g ................................. Granulated sugar

......................................... Lemon zest from 1 lemon

......................................... Yellow food coloring

Lemon buttercream

15ml .............................. Lemon juice

10ml .............................. Water

80g ................................ Granulate sugar

10g ................................. Cocoa butter*

1 ..................................... Egg

125g ............................... Unsalted butter

......................................... A pinch of salt

*If grinding your own nuts, combine nuts and icing sugar in the bowl of a food processor and grind until nuts are very fine and powdery.

*If using white chocolate, use 25g of white chocolate and reduce the sugar to 70g

Sift together the almond powder and icing sugar.

 Mix the lemon zest in to the almond mixture.

Mix the egg white powder with granulated sugar. 

Beat the egg whites in the clean dry bowl.

Slowly add the granulated sugar mixture, yellow food coloring, and whip to combine. 

Beat until the mixture holds soft peaks.

Add 1/3 of the almond flour mixture into the meringue and fold to combine. 

 Add  in the remaining almond flour in two batches. Don’t overfold, but fully incorporate your ingredients.

 Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain half-inch tip (Ateco #806).

 Pipe 3.5 cm rounds onto baking sheets lined with nonstick liners (or parchment paper).

When you’ve pipe out all the macarons lift each baking sheet with both hands and then bang it down on the counter (you need to get the air out of the batter), place the rose tea petals on top of half of the macarons.

Set aside for 1 hour. After 1 hour the top of the macarons will be dry, and ready to bake.

Preheat oven to 160°C. Bake for 12 minutes (baking time can be varied, from 12-15 up to your oven) or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and cool on trays. Slide a knife under each macaroon to release from paper. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or until ready to assemble.

 In a sauce pan, put the sugar, lemon juice and water and bring to boil over medium low heat.

When the syrup reaches 100°C, start whisking the egg.

The syrup is ready when it reaches 115°C; pour it over the egg  and continue whisking until cold.

Add the salt the cocoa butter, and beat to combine.

When the mixture cool to 34C . Add the butter  Increase the mixer speed to high for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the butter is fully incorporate.

Beat until smooth.

Sandwich the macaron shells with the Lemon buttercream, refrigerate until set before serving.

Lemon Macaron with Lemon Buttercream