Raspberry Cremieux Macaron Tart Recipe

Prep dry ingredients

Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar into a large bowl. Repeat the sifting one more time to ensure a very fine, lump-free mixture. Stir in the salt and set aside.

Make Italian-style meringue (adapted)

Place the 3 room-temperature egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed until foamy. Meanwhile, bring 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 2 tbsp water to a simmer in a small saucepan until syrup reaches 238°F (114°C) — if you don't have a thermometer, heat until syrup is clear and slightly thickened. With the mixer on medium-high, slowly pour the hot syrup into the egg whites in a thin stream, avoiding the whisk. Continue whisking until the meringue is glossy and holds medium-stiff peaks, and the bowl is cool to the touch (about 6–8 minutes). Add the vanilla extract and optional pink food coloring during the last minute of whipping.

Macaronage

Gently fold one third of the meringue into the almond/powdered sugar mixture with a rubber spatula to lighten it. Fold in the remaining meringue in two additions using a figure-8 motion, deflating the meringue just enough so the batter flows in ribbons and settles back slowly — it should fall off the spatula in a thick ribbon and smooth slightly within 10–15 seconds. Do not overmix.

Form tart crust

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Prepare a 9-inch (23 cm) tart pan with removable bottom by lining the bottom with parchment and lightly greasing the sides. Transfer macaron batter to a piping bag fitted with a round 1/2-inch tip. Pipe an even layer across the tart pan bottom to form a continuous crust about 1/4–3/8 inch thick, smoothing lightly with an offset spatula if needed. (Alternatively, spoon and spread carefully.) Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove large air bubbles.

Bake and cool crust

Bake the macaron crust at 300°F (150°C) for 18–22 minutes until the surface is set and the crust has slight 'feet' at the edge and a dry matte finish. Rotate the pan halfway through if your oven has hot spots. Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack (about 30–40 minutes). Once cool, gently remove the outer ring and lift the crust on its base to a cooling rack.

Cook raspberry purée

In a medium saucepan, combine the raspberries, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the raspberries break down and the mixture comes to a simmer (6–8 minutes). Pass the hot purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard seeds and return the sieved purée to the saucepan. Measure so you have about 1 cup; if you have more, reduce until you reach 1 cup by simmering briefly.

Temper egg yolks

Whisk the 4 egg yolks with the cornstarch in a bowl until smooth. Slowly add about 1/3 cup of the hot raspberry purée to the yolks in a thin stream, whisking constantly to temper. Return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan with the remaining purée and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil, 2–4 minutes. Continue stirring and cook one additional minute to activate the cornstarch.

Finish cremieux

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Immediately whisk in the cold cubed butter, one piece at a time, until fully incorporated and the custard is glossy and smooth. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed. Pour the hot cremieux through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to ensure extra smoothness. Cover surface with plastic wrap touching the custard to prevent a skin and chill until just thickened but still pourable, about 1–1.5 hours in the refrigerator.

Assemble filling into crust

When the cremieux is chilled but still soft enough to pour (spoon-test), pour it into the cooled macaron crust, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Leave a small border (1/8 inch) if you plan to pipe a decoration around the edge. Chill the assembled tart in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to set fully (longer for firmer set).

Make glaze

Warm the seedless raspberry jam with 1 tablespoon water in a small saucepan over low heat until it becomes runny and smooth (about 1–2 minutes). Strain briefly if there are large pieces. Cool slightly.

Glaze tart

Remove the tart from the refrigerator and brush a thin layer of the warm jam glaze over the set cremieux to give a glossy raspberry finish. Do this gently so you don't disturb the filling.

Garnish

Arrange fresh raspberries around the edge or in a decorative pattern on top of the tart. Dust very lightly with powdered sugar if desired and apply small pieces of edible gold leaf for an elegant touch. Return tart to the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes to let the glaze set before serving.