The initial seed for this macaron sandwich had a rather esteemed pedigree. It was while I was interviewing Adriano Zumbo that he mentioned watching Ferran Adria speak of making a strawberry shaped item made of something else entirely. And because Zumbo is know for his gorgeous macarons my mind wanders to macarons when talking with or about him.
I wanted to do a macaron strawberry that looked kind of like a strawberry. The only issue is that I have an issue with the Wilton colouring gels that I purchased. The colours fade, and badly at that, so I tend to resort to using liquids if I want a bright red colour. So I was only able to add a certain amount of liquid before stopping, worrying that I would affect the texture of the macaron. This week was also the week of horrifically hot weather so my mind was muddled when I made these macarons and I accidentally mixed in the icing sugar to the egg white mixture. It didn’t quite beat as glossy stuff as it would have and I think this is why I didn’t get the “foot” on the base. However taste wise, these are gorgeous.
Like all divas, it’s a little bit of trouble, the entire thing can’t be assembled too far ahead of time as the mousse will make the macaron too wet. Also affixing the black sesame seeds as “pips” might be frustrating unless you try and convince yourself that it’s an adult’s version of the game “Operation” where a steady hand is paramount.
Strawberry season is nearing an end here, as witnessed by some truly woeful looking strawberries on offer. But I picked through 3 punnets in order to get some decent looking specimens. You could of course make these in a heart shape for a special romantic dinner or anniversary, although as a strawberry it does evoke a similar reaction of lust. This is fiddly, but it is deliriously light and melt in the mouth. The white chocolate mousse is the perfect foil for the sweet macaron.
Strawberry Macaron Sandwiches
An original recipe by Not Quite Nigella
Makes 6 sandwiches
For macarons
- 75g almond meal
- 125grams icing sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
- a few drops of strawberry flavouring
- red food colouring
- a handful of sesame seeds
For white chocolate mousse
- 220grams white chocolate
- 70grams butter
- 2 gelatine leaves (titanium strength)
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- 300ml cream
To serve
- 2 punnets of strawberries, tops sliced off and halved
Directions for strawberry macarons
1. First draw 12 large strawberry shapes on 2 or 3 sheets of parchment.
2. Whiz almond meal and icing sugar in a food processor to make finer.
3. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form, then add caster sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
4. Combine the almond meal and egg whites very gently and add colouring and flavouring. The mixture should not be too runny and should hold it’s shape.
5. Fit a piping bag with a plain 1cm nozzle. Pipe macaron mixture onto parchment using the strawberry stencil as a guide.
6. Preheat oven to 180C. While it is preheating, get a pair of tweezers and position the black sesame seeds as strawberry pips. Having the seeds sit vertically is more accurate but don’t make yourself go crazy. Bake in oven for 20 minutes. Cool and remove from parchment very carefully once fully cooled.
Directions for White Chocolate Mousse
1. Melt chocolate and butter in a large bowl (either in the microwave or by putting the bowl over a simmering saucepan of water) and cool.
2. Soak gelatine leaves in cold water.
3. Beat eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy.
4. Beat Cream until soft peaks form.
5. Combine the cooled white chocolate mixture with the gelatine leaves, then fold in eggs and cream gently, ensuring that plenty of air is incorporated.
6. Cool in fridge for 5 minutes if the mixture does not hold shape.
7. Fit a piping bag with a star or plain tip.
To assemble
These are delicate and truly do melt in the mouth so don’t make them too far ahead of time. If you do and want to serve them, place them on a glossy square or circle of clean cardboard (much like the ones you get from cakeshop or fashion your own using foil on top of cardboard) and place on a plate while still on the cardboard. If you don’t these will be hard to transport onto a plate.
1. Take one strawberry half (a less perfect looking one) and pipe some mousse in the centre leaving a border for the strawberry halves. Position strawberry halves – I placed them cut side out but of course you could do the reverse and it would like quite Ispahan-ish.
2. Fill with a little more mousse and place in fridge to firm up.
3. When ready to serve, place the top strawberry macaron on top.
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44 Comments | Add your own
Wow, where can I get some? I love this style of presentation, just like the Ispahan. Sounds like a perfect way to end summer.
Oh Lorraine , you have made yet again a piece of real food art! It looks stunning! I will have to wait until it is summer for the strawberries,;;;;but I do not know if I can wait that long,….MMMMMM…!!!
the strawberries are absolutely woeful at the moment. but this creation, wow – i don’t know how you find the patience to do such intricate things with sesame seeds and strawberries! so gorgeous
Gorgeous work! I love how they look like strawberries =)
x
I’ve always wanted to make macarons. I think this recipe is the one that finally did it.
Sad that the strawberry season is nearly over
These look lovely, I like the way you’ve even put the seeds on.
What a gorgeous work of art you have created! The strawberry macarons with the sesame seeds are perfect. Absolutely mouthwatering photos!
White chocolate mousse – Yum! I’ll have mine with coffee, please!
Oh, but those look just too pretty to eat! But since they’re made with almonds and are strawberry flavored to boot, I doubt if I’ll be able to resist.
Oh, how pretty! These must have taken you ages, and the result is stunning. Mmmmmmm, oishisoo… Your husband is truely blessed to be the recipient of such delectable creations!
Strawberry macaroons and white chocolate mousse, sounds like a killer combination. Lorraine, you really have some great creativity. The presentation is amazing, almost good enough to be in a gallery, too bad they would get eaten before they would make it there!
Hee hee these are very cute! Hmm maybe add a few small mint leaves? Mmm craving something strawberry noowww
Such a cute idea. I think for colouring macaron batter, it is suggested to use powder food colouring. I’ve been trying to find some on the net but to no avail.
why do you have to have a red colour? wouldnt just the strawberry flavouring make it a nice ‘natural’ kind of pinkish? with the same flavour… i guess with those fiddly black sesame seeds you do want these to look perfect… i think i would add some mint leaves on the ‘top’ of the strawberry to make it look even more berry-ish.
These are beautiful! Love the black sesame seeds on top and, well, love everything about this recipe! Fantastic!
Looks amazing NQN!
Gorgeous! The white chocolate mousse looks so light and creamy although I know it would be too sweet for my tastes. I would just sub with freshly whipped vanilla cream (I love cream!)
These still look beautiful despite the complications
everyone has an off day here and there 
Hey there! The macarons look delish! Anywho I just wanted to ask where you did find those lovely freestanding silver letters?
THEY’RE SO CUTE!
I love macarons and what a beautiful presentation you have for your strawberry macarons! Wow!
Hi Chris-You can make these at home!
Thankyou!
Hi Sophie-Aww I bet you have wonderful berries near you. You could definitely use those!
Hi shez-Yes they’re really the dregs that are out. I had to sort through 3 punnets to get some decent ones! I thought I had lost my mind when I was standing over them with the tweezers
Hi Iron Chef Shellie-Thankyou so much!
Hi Johanna B-It’s the fruit that did it wasn’t it?
Hi Arwen-Yes, at least we have figs now
I thought they looked too much like hearts without the pips!
Hi Lisa-Thankyou so much!
Hi Beth-Great idea, these would go well with a coffee
Hi Midge-Thankyou so much, I agree almonds and strawberries are so good together
Hi Angela-Thanks for your lovely words!
I think he really liked it which was good. I tried leaving a comment on your blog but the word verification seems to be down on blogspot today 
Hi Maria-Aww thankyou so much, that’s so sweet of you to say!
Hi Ffichiban-You know I had a total mind blank, I had mint leaves here in my planter too!
Hi Bria-I tracked down some good colour powder at Iced Affair. Well actually I bought the black so it wouldn’t really help here but it seems good. I might go back and try out the other colours!
Hi tara-Because strawberries are red. Flavouring doesn’t add any colour at all, it’s clear so adding no food colour would make them white.
Hi 5 Star Foodie-Thanks very much!
Hi Kathy-Thankyou! Would you try making these?
Hi Christie-I think macarons would be too sweet for you, I know some friends of mine find them too sweet and I know you’re a savoury person but with some tart strawberries it does work for us sweet lovers
Hi Alexandra-Thanks a lot!
Hi Stacey-Thanks very much
I bought them from Moontree candles in Leura over Christmas. They had all sorts of words: Joy, Peace and a couple of others I can’t recall.
Hi yaelin-Thankyou! I still miss the sweetness of the Finnish strawberries
awww, they’ve got little seeds on top.
so cute. remind me of my favourite cartoon as a child – strawberry shortcake.
great idea, great execution, and bless you for using white chocolate for your mousse. it’s all too often overlooked, in my opinion.
I think I once read somewhere that you can add liquid food colouring to sugar, which you can then add into the meringue mixture… which kind of achieves the same effect as powdered food colouring. I was told why it isn’t advisable to use liquid food colouring in macarons (can’t remember why though), but I think yours has turned out brilliantly! Well done.
x
These look great! I definitely see the Zumbo inspiration
Wow! Those are too cute. I just watched Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations yesterday that talked about El Bulli’s strawberry molds. Cool that you created something inpired by a combination of things.
I’ll definitely check out Zumbo’s cafe the next time I’m in Sydney. Thanks.
Stunning presentation! They look like delicious strawberries to us.
Those are quite simply too cute!!!!!!
WOW! Those look great… AND I LOVE THE SPOON! Can you please tell me where it’s from? Thank you!
These are so gorgeous! I really love the sesame seeds!
Thanks for sharing! Beautiful photos!
Hi reddoorred-Oh eys I remember her. She smelt so delicious, like strawberries and plastic
Hi grace-Thankyou! I’m not against white chocolate in any way. In fact I wholly embrace it
Hi Su-yin-Ahhh interesting, I hadn’t heard that but it makes sense! I might try that! Thanks so much
Hi Brittany-hehe that’s very cool, thankyou!
Hi Nooshi-I wish I had cabletv, I really liked No Reservations although it made me awfully hungry
Oh yes and let us know what you think!
Hi The Duo Dishes-Awww thankyou so much!
Hi Jennifer-Thankyou very much!
Hi Marlene-Thankyou! The spoons are by Alessi by Mariam Mirri
Hi finsmom-Thankyou for your kind words!
What a great presentation for V-Day. Gorgeous colours and beautiful pictures.
Hi NQN, sure would! But I would probably start with something more beginner… like the plain round shaped ones first before attempting something as elaborate as this
I wish you lived close by!
wow how nice! so creative
These are gorgeous Lorraine. I saw Ferran Adria speaking while he was here too – what he does is amazing, but I think I’d be just as happy with a normal garden variety menu.
Too cute! I love the little seeds. They sound delicious, too.
Haha nice. I like how you used the sesame seeds to make them look like strawberries. The finished product reminds me of le fraisier.
Hi jo-Thanks! I served it after Valentines Day but I agree it would suit the occasion perfectly!
Hi Kathy-With macarons, just be prepared for how temperamental the little buggers can be. I don’t think it’s anything personal on their behalf, although it feels that way sometimes
Hi snooky doodle-Thankyou so much!
Hi Cakelaw-Wow, lucky you! He is quite the visionary
Hi anna-Thankyou so much!
The seeds drive you crazy after you’ve done quite a few of them but I think they’d look too heart like without them 
Hi Jude-Thanks! I wanted to make giant strawberries. That’s great!
ooo I bought a strawberry macaroon for my boyfriend on valentines day.
I bought it from the french bakery called La Renaissance
Hi Leona-Cool!
I saw them at so many places-Zumbo had some and even the Guylian cafe had them (unsandwiched though unfortunately).
These look gorgeous to me! What a pretty colour!
These look like such a delicious and refreshing dessert!
My head hurts, thinking about you painstakingly tweezering those black sesame seeds on! Done to great effect though!
oh these look gorgeous lorraine, i’m quite scared to try and make macarons :s
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