Raspberry Filling

I'm making a birthday cake for a chocolate raspberry fan this weekend.

My plan is to make a few layers of the "Greatest and Easiest Chocolate Cake" and fill them with this homemade raspberry filling.

I much prefer making my own cake fillings as opposed to buying them or using jam because then I can control the sweetness and they taste fresh and so much better.

After I fill the cake, I'm going to coat it with Swiss meringue chocolate buttercream and I'll definitely share the results.


Raspberry Filling
1 12 ounce bag frozen raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Heat the frozen raspberries and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Keep a watch over them and periodically give them a stir.

In a small bowl whisk together the cream and cornstarch. When the raspberry mixture is simmering, add the cream mixture and whisk constantly over medium heat for two to three minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let cool completely before using.

Chocolate Raspberry Macarons

My latest French macaron creation is an ode to the classic flavor combination of chocolate and raspberry.

To make chocolate macarons just add 10 grams of sifted cocoa powder to the dry ingredients. The raspberry filling is just cream cheese, butter and raspberry preserves.

No coloring is needed since these macarons are natural beauties.

Chocolate Raspberry Macarons
180g ground almonds, sifted
270g powdered sugar, sifted
10g cocoa powder

150g egg whites, aged 2 to 4 days in the fridge and then brought to room temperature
100g granulated sugar


Line four heavy baking sheets with good quality parchment paper and set aside. Also, set aside two pastry bags for the piping of the macarons.

Sift together your ground almonds with the powdered sugar and cocoa powder and set aside.

Just add 10g of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients to make chocolate macarons.

Whisk the egg whites (at room temperature) to glossy firm peaks adding the granulated sugar gradually in four parts.

Incorporate the dry ingredients into the beaten egg whites using a large rubber scraper.  Mix well. 
Fold the mixture with the rubber scraper by pulling down the sides and flipping the mixture over. Do this until you have a smooth mixture that falls like a “ribbon” off the scraper.

Transfer the mixture into the two piping bags. Use rubber bands to close the piping bags. Clip the tip of the bags, one at a time, and pipe small quarter sized rounds, leaving 1-inch of space between each because they spread as they set.

Leave to set for about 30 minutes or until the top has formed a crust and is not sticky to the touch.

While they are setting, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. A convection oven is preferable. 

Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for about 12 minutes or until the cookie is firm, matte and doesn't wobble when touched.
Leave on the baking tray until cool then lift them all off the parchment carefully. You may need to use a thin knife to help lift them off.

Sort into pairs and fill with Raspberry Filling.

Raspberry Filling
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup reduced sugar raspberry preserves

Whip butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add raspberry preserves and mix well.

Use a pastry bag to fill the macarons.