Perfectly crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside, these Cara Cara macarons are filled with bright Cara Cara orange curd and silky orange Swiss meringue buttercream. This recipe uses the Italian method for stable, glossy meringue and reliable shells.
I’ve been eager to create a new citrus macaron, and when I spotted Cara Cara and mandarin oranges at the market I knew I had to make these. The subtle tartness of Cara Cara oranges pairs beautifully with the sweet Swiss meringue buttercream. The curd and buttercream also work wonderfully in other desserts—cakes, cupcakes, scones, or cookies.
Macarons can be challenging at first, but once you master the techniques they’re fun and rewarding. They’re also irresistibly cute. Below I walk through the macarons, curd, and buttercream, plus common mistakes to avoid so you can bake consistent shells and flavorful fillings.
How to Make Cara Cara Macarons
Make the Macaron Shells
I prefer to make the shells first; you can bake them a day ahead or freeze them for longer storage. To start, sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together—three times if possible—to remove lumps and help create smooth, shiny tops. Discard any large pieces. Transfer the sifted mixture to a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add 82 g of the egg whites to the well and fold with a rubber spatula. The mixture will look dry at first but will come together into a paste with continued folding. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan combine the water and granulated sugar. Heat over medium-high and monitor with a candy thermometer. Meanwhile, place the remaining 90 g egg whites and a pinch of sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk. When the sugar syrup reaches 200°F (93°C), begin whipping the egg whites on medium-high until soft peaks form. Heat the syrup to 248°F (120°C) then remove from heat.
With the mixer running on low, slowly pour the hot sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the whipping egg whites. After all the syrup is added, increase the speed to high and whip until the meringue reaches stiff, glossy peaks—about 7–8 minutes.
Fold the meringue into the almond-sugar paste in three additions. After the final addition, add a touch of orange gel or paste food coloring and continue folding until the batter flows in a ribbon and you can draw a figure-eight without the batter breaking. This step—macaronage—is crucial: under-mixed batter will be lumpy and over-mixed batter will flatten and spread too much.
Fit a piping bag with a small to medium round tip and fill with batter. Pipe rounds onto a silicone macaron mat or parchment-lined baking sheet; mats help keep uniform size. Hold the piping bag straight up, squeeze, finish with a quick swirl, then pull away to avoid peaks. Rap the tray on the counter several times to pop air bubbles and poke any remaining ones with a toothpick. Let the macarons rest 30–60 minutes until a dry skin forms and they’re not tacky to the touch—this helps form feet when baking.
Preheat the oven to 295°F (146°C) and bake for about 18 minutes; oven temperatures vary so you may need to adjust. If shells brown too fast, reduce to 285°F (140°C). If shells are hollow, try increasing to 305°F (152°C). Allow shells to cool completely before filling.
Make the Cara Cara Orange Curd
You can prepare the curd while the shells rest or make it several days ahead and refrigerate. In a medium saucepan whisk together the sugar, orange zest, and egg yolks. Add freshly squeezed Cara Cara orange juice and a pinch of salt, whisking until combined. Place over medium-high heat and add the cubed cold butter. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 5–7 minutes. Do not allow it to boil.
Remove from heat and strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass bowl to remove any cooked egg bits. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Orange Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Place egg whites and granulated sugar in a heatproof mixer bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water (bain-marie) so the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth—test between your fingers; it should not feel grainy. Remove from heat.
Whisk the mixture on the mixer with the whisk attachment until it becomes glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 13–15 minutes; the bowl should not feel warm. Add vanilla, orange zest, and orange juice, then switch to the paddle attachment. Add room-temperature butter a tablespoon at a time, waiting for each tablespoon to incorporate. Continue mixing until the buttercream is silky and smooth, about 3–5 minutes. If it looks curdled, keep mixing; if it’s warm and loose, chill 15–20 minutes and whip again.
Assemble the Cara Cara Macarons
Pair shells by size. Pipe a ring of buttercream around the edge of one shell, spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of Cara Cara curd into the center, then top with the matching shell and press gently to sandwich. Chill assembled macarons at least 30 minutes before serving for best texture. Stored in the refrigerator, they keep up to one week.
Cara Cara Macarons
- Author: Elizabeth Buuck
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 18 minutes + rest time
- Yield: 40-50 macarons
Description
Perfectly crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside macaron shells filled with Cara Cara orange curd and orange Swiss meringue buttercream.
Ingredients
For the Macaron Shells
- 212 g Powdered Sugar
- 212 g Almond Flour
- 82 g and 90 g Egg Whites, separated
- 235 g Granulated Sugar, plus a pinch
- 158 g Water
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Orange Food Coloring
For the Cara Cara Orange Curd
- 1/2 C Granulated Sugar
- 1 TBSP Cara Cara Orange Zest
- 1/3 C Fresh Cara Cara Orange Juice
- 4 Large Egg Yolks
- Pinch of Salt
- 5 TBSP Unsalted Butter, cold and cubed
For the Orange Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 3 Large Egg Whites
- 1 C Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 C (1 1/2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, room temperature and cubed
- Zest and Juice of 1 Orange
- Pinch of Salt
Instructions
For the Macaron Shells
- Sift powdered sugar and almond flour together three times for smooth tops. Fold the sifted mixture with 82 g egg whites until a thick paste forms; set aside.
- In a saucepan combine water and granulated sugar and heat, watching with a candy thermometer.
- Place the remaining 90 g egg whites and a pinch of sugar in a stand mixer bowl fitted with the whisk.
- When syrup reaches 200°F start whipping the egg whites to soft peaks.
- Heat syrup to 248°F, remove from heat, and slowly pour into the mixer on low speed.
- Whip on high until stiff glossy peaks form, about 7–8 minutes.
- Fold the meringue into the almond mixture in thirds. Add orange coloring and fold until the batter flows in a ribbon and holds a figure-eight without breaking.
- Pipe onto a macaron mat or parchment, tap the tray to release bubbles, pop remaining bubbles with a toothpick, and rest 30–40 minutes until a skin forms.
- Bake at 295°F for ~18 minutes, adjusting for your oven. Cool completely before filling.
For the Cara Cara Orange Curd
- Whisk sugar, orange zest, and egg yolks in a saucepan. Add orange juice and salt, then add butter and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the curd coats the back of a spoon. Do not boil.
- Strain into a bowl, press plastic wrap onto the surface, and chill until ready to use.
For the Orange Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Place egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl over simmering water and heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.
- Whip to stiff glossy peaks and allow bowl to cool. Add orange zest and juice.
- Switch to the paddle and add softened butter a tablespoon at a time until smooth and silky. If curdled, keep mixing or chill briefly and whip again.
To assemble
- Pipe a ring of buttercream on one shell, spoon about 1/2 tsp orange curd into the center, and top with a matching shell. Chill before serving.
If you enjoyed this Cara Cara macaron recipe, try other macaron flavors like pistachio or triple chocolate for more inspiration.
Common Macaron Mistakes
- Oven Temperature – Use an oven thermometer. Temperatures vary widely, so test and adjust as needed.
- Improper Macaronage – Batter should flow in a ribbon and hold a figure-eight. Under- or over-folding causes flat or cracked shells.
- Not Resting the Batter – Resting allows a skin to form and produces the characteristic feet.
- Under-Whipping Egg Whites – Meringue must be glossy and hold very stiff peaks for stable shells.
- Skipping Sifting – Sifting removes lumps and gives smooth tops; it’s worth the effort.
