Savoury Salmon Macaroons
Savory Salmon Macarons feature delicate almond shells infused with subtle herbs, sandwiching a luxurious filling of cream cheese, smoked salmon, and fresh dill. These sophisticated bites deliver a perfect balance of textures and flavors in an elegant, unexpected package.
Ingredients
For the Macaron Shells:
- 100 g almond flour blanched, finely ground
- 100 g powdered sugar
- 80 g egg whites aged at room temperature for 24 hours
- 65 g granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon dried dill or finely chopped fresh dill
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Optional: few drops of natural food coloring pale pink or light green
For the Salmon Filling:
- 100 g cream cheese softened
- 50 g smoked salmon finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon capers rinsed and chopped (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Pinch of salt if needed, but taste first as smoked salmon is already salty
Instructions
- Prepare your equipment and workspace. Line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Prepare a piping bag with a round tip (about ½ inch/1.25cm diameter). Ensure your mixing bowl is completely clean and free from any grease.
- Process dry ingredients thoroughly. In a food processor, pulse together the almond flour, powdered sugar, dried dill, and garlic powder until very fine. Sift this mixture twice to remove any lumps.
- Whip the egg whites to perfection. In a clean bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar and increase to high speed, beating until stiff peaks form (when you lift the whisk, the peaks should stand straight without flopping over).
- Fold in dry ingredients with care. Add about one-third of the almond mixture to the whipped egg whites and fold gently with a spatula. Continue adding the remaining mixture in two more batches. Add food coloring if using. The batter should flow like lava when lifted with a spatula—when dropped, it should settle back into itself within about 20 seconds.
- Pipe uniform circles onto prepared sheets. Transfer batter to the piping bag and pipe 1.5-inch rounds onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between each. Tap the sheets firmly against the counter several times to release air bubbles.
- Rest the shells before baking. Let the piped macarons rest at room temperature for 30-45 minutes until they form a skin—when you lightly touch one, it shouldn’t stick to your finger.
- Bake at the right temperature. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C) and bake one sheet at a time for 15-18 minutes. The shells should rise with “feet” at the bottom. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet before removing.
- Prepare the salmon filling while shells cool. In a medium bowl, mix softened cream cheese until smooth. Fold in the chopped smoked salmon, fresh dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, capers (if using), and black pepper until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Assemble your macarons with care. Match macaron shells of similar size. Pipe or spoon a small amount of salmon filling onto the flat side of one shell, then gently press another shell on top to create a sandwich.
- Refrigerate to develop flavors. Place the assembled macarons in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours to allow flavors to meld and textures to develop. Bring to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Aging egg whites (leaving them at room temperature for 24 hours) helps achieve better volume and stability in your macaron shells.
- Weather matters! Avoid making macarons on very humid days as they may not dry properly.
- The macaron shells can be made a few days ahead and stored in an airtight container before filling.
- For a more elegant presentation, sprinkle a tiny bit of fresh dill or a few salmon roe on top of each macaron.
- The filled macarons actually taste better after 24 hours of refrigeration as the flavors meld and the shells soften slightly.