Vanilla Honey Lemon Cream Cheese Doughnut Macarons

I usually don't accept last minute requests but since only a small quantity was requested and the requester was fine with the filling I was making for my major bake, I took on this request. I have made many designs but not made doughnut macarons before. Here's my version :)

I made these along with some seashell macarons and a Frozen cum Pororo themed bake. I usually use the Italian method for bakes like these that involve larger quantities and many colours. You may use your favourite macaron recipe or any recipe in our blog. You may refer to my macaron books Creative Baking: Macarons and the upcoming Creative Baking: Macaron Basics for a more systematic review of the basics and piping techniques.

What I really want to share here is an awesome filling recipe that is flavourful but yet not too sweet.

Just to share some photos of the process of making the shells...

Piping rings of doughnuts. Please select a piping tip that is not too large so that the hole in the doughnut doesn't close up after you pipe the batter. I used Wilton #8.

Freshly baked shells. I love the feet!

Decorate the shells with pink royal icing and some rainbow sprinkles.

I prepared a large batch of filling as it was supposed to be enough to fill many other macaron shells, a macaron cake and a chiffon cake. So feel free to scale down the recipe. For cake frosting/filling I recommend further lightening up the filling with more dairy cream. I will share the recipe in my post for the Frozen and Pororo themed bake.

Vanilla honey lemon cream cheese filling
Ingredients:
140g cream cheese, softened at room temperature
40g honey
120g white chocolate
120g unsalted butter
30g whipping cream/ heavy cream
Zest of 2 lemons
1 tbs vanilla bean paste (or extract)
1/2 tsp sea salt

Steps:
1. Boil some water in a saucepan. Turn off the heat once the water is boiled. Place white chocolate, butter and heavy cream in a heat proof bowl over the saucepan. Melt and stir the contents in the bowl with a spatula. Bring the water to boil again if the contents in the bowl stops melting. Do not overheat as the white chocolate will seize.

2. Place the melted white chocolate mixture in the fridge for 10-15 minutes or until firm but not hard. As long as the mixture doesn't flow when you tilt the bowl, you may start whipping it.

3. In the mean time, beat cream cheese with electric mixer until fluffy. Add honey and continue beating until well mixed. Add lemon zest, salt and vanilla bean paste. Mix well with electric mixer.

4. Take white chocolate mixture out from fridge. Use spatula or electric mixer to beat until light and fluffy.

5. Fold white chocolate mixture into cream cheese mixture in a few additions.

Transfer into piping bag and pipe onto bottom shells. Sandwich with top shell.

Filling doughnuts! You can see a little bit of the seashell macarons that I am filling at the same time.

Store in airtight container in the fridge for at least 24h before consuming. Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before consuming.

With love,
Phay Shing