1-Preparing Your Ingredients: First, prepare three piping bags with tips: two with 1/4-inch diameter and one with 1/2-inch diameter. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat, and place a macaron template under the mat for shaping. Sift 105 grams almond flour and 105 grams powdered sugar together, then set aside to ensure a fine, lump-free mixture.

2-Making the Meringue: Next, heat 100 grams egg whites and 100 grams granulated sugar in a double boiler over simmering water until frothy and the sugar dissolves, making sure to avoid overheating. Transfer the egg white mixture to a stand mixer and whisk, starting on low speed, then medium, and finally high speed until stiff peaks form for that glossy texture. This step is crucial for the fresh fruit flavor to shine through in your watermelon macarons.

3-Coloring and Piping the Batter: Now, fold the dry ingredients into the meringue until just combined, then divide the batter into three bowls. Add gel food coloring to each bowl: one for light green, one for darker green, and one for red to capture the watermelon theme. Fold each portion to achieve a glossy, thick but flowing consistency, which you can test by drawing figure 8s.

Pipe the batter: first, pipe about one teaspoon of dark green batter per shell; then pipe light green on top, followed by red in the center. For watermelon slice shapes, pipe red in the middle of triangle templates, spread it to the edges with a toothpick, then add light green and dark green bands on the edges and smooth with a toothpick. If you’re looking for more dessert ideas, check out our no-churn ice cream recipe for a complementary treat.

4-Baking and Filling: After piping, tap the trays to release air bubbles and pop any remaining bubbles with a toothpick. Let the shells rest for 20 to 40 minutes until dry to the touch, depending on humidity, as this helps with the sweet filling. Preheat your oven to 300°F and bake one tray at a time for about 18 minutes, rotating every 5 minutes for even baking.

Once cooled, fill the shells with your choice of filling. For the white chocolate ganache, finely chop 100 grams white chocolate, heat 35 ml heavy cream mixed with 1 to 2 teaspoons watermelon syrup until very hot, pour over the chocolate, let stand, and whisk until smooth. Cool and refrigerate as needed. For watermelon buttercream, cream 4 tablespoons unsalted butter until smooth, add 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar and 1 to 2 teaspoons watermelon syrup, then beat until fluffy, adjusting with milk if necessary. Pipe the ganache or buttercream onto one shell and sandwich with another for that perfect sweet filling.