If you like sesame, you’ll love these sesame macarons that are sort of east meets west. Between two sweet macaron shells topped with sesame seeds lays a halva spread filling, and you get a great gluten free cookie that is so beautiful and mostly delicious!
Photo: Natalie Levin
Sesame Macarons
For macaron shells:
- 100 grams sugar powder
- 65 grams almond meal
- 50 grams egg whites
- Pinch of salt
- 20 grams sugar
- Sesame seeds for decoration
For the filling:
- 200 grams halva spread
- Sift powdered sugar and almond powder into a large bowl. It is important to sift carefully and do not leave large chunks in the mixture.
- Put the egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisking hook and beat on high speed until meringue begins to form and the mixture starts to whiten.
- Add sugar and continue beating until a glossy and stable meringue forms. Add food coloring and beat until it is absorbed into the meringue.
- Add almond powder to the meringue and fold carefully with a spatula. At first, stir slightly aggressive, and then go through a gentle fold until the mixture is uniform, stable but not liquid.
- Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a 1 cm round tip and pipe macarons on an oven tray lined with silicon mat.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds on top generously.
- Leave the macarons for about an hour at room temperature before baking to dry and create a thin membrane on top.
- Preheat the oven to 150c degrees.
- Bake the macarons for about 10-13 minutes or until set.
- Cool completely at room temperature. Only when macarons are completely cold it can be separated from the pan. Arrange the macarons in pairs.
- Transfer the halva spread into a pastry bag and fill the macarons. Refrigerate in a sealed box for 24 hours and serve at room temperature.
- Keep the macarons in a sealed box for up to 5-6 days in the refrigerator.
- Don’t have halva spread? You can fill the macarons with white chocolate and tahini ganache: melt 100 grams white chocolate, 1 tbsp. raw tahini paste and 1 tbsp. heavy cream and mix until smooth. Cool until set and fill the macarons.
Photo: Natalie Levin