Matcha Macarons Raspberry Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients: Makes 21 servings

3 ounces fresh raspberries
8 ounces Neufchatel cream cheese
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, divided
6 egg whites
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 teaspoons unsweetened matcha powder, divided
6 ounces almond flour

Directions:

1. Press raspberries through a fine mesh strainer. Discard seeds from strainer and set raspberry puree aside.
2. Allow cream cheese to come to room temperature. In a bowl, stir cream cheese until smooth and softened. Add raspberry puree and 1/4 cup powdered sugar until evenly mixed. If piping filling, place cream cheese filling in a piping bag and chill.
3. Place egg whites in a large bowl. Whip with stand or hand mixer until peaks begin to form.
4. Add 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar to mixing bowl and continue mixing until stiff peaks form. Add remaining granulated sugar and continue mixing until mixture is shiny.
5. Sift together 2 teaspoons matcha powder, almond flour, and remaining 2 cups powdered sugar. Add almond flour mixture to egg whites. Using a rubber spatula, fold mixture for 1 minute; incorporating the dry ingredients and just slightly deflating egg whites. Place mixture in a piping bag. Cut 1/2" wide hole in the bottom of the bag.
6. To make cookies, trace 1 ½ inch diameter circles onto parchment paper for easy piping. Spray parchment with nonstick cooking spray. Pipe cookies into circles leaving ½ inch between cookies. Tap completed tray a few times on the counter to rid excess air bubbles.
7. Bake cookies in 275°F oven for 7 minutes. Rotate sheet trays and bake an additional 7 minutes, or until cookies are set. Allow cookies to cool and harden.
8. Spoon or pipe ½ tbsp room temperature cream cheese filling between two cookies making a “sandwich”. Using a sifter, garnish cookies with remaining 1 tsp matcha powder.

Serving Size: 
2 Macarons

Nutritional Information:
Per 2 Macarons as 1 serving: 190 calories, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 50 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrates, 27 g sugar, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein

Recipe Source:
Recipe provided by FLIK Hospitality Group