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Lemon poppyseed macarons stacked on a wooden platter.

Lemon Poppyseed Macarons with Easy Custard Buttercream

Bright, zesty, and full of summery flavour, these Lemon Poppyseed Macarons are filled with a rich custard buttercream and a tangy lemon curd. A fresh twist on a classic flavour combo!
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting time 1 day
Servings: 25 macarons
Course: Afternoon Tea, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: French
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 batch of macaron shells dyed yellow, with poppyseeds sprinkled on top
Poppyseed Custard Buttercream
  • 11 g custard powder
  • 35 g granulated sugar
  • generous pinch fine sea salt
  • 115 g whole milk
  • 120 g unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon poppyseeds
Lemon Curd
  • 42 g granulated sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon lemon zest about half a medium lemon
  • 10 g custard powder
  • pinch fine sea salt
  • 25 g lemon juice
  • 23 g unsalted butter cold
  • 124 g whole milk

Method
 

Poppyseed Custard Buttercream
  1. Add 11 g custard powder, 35 g granulated sugar, generous pinch fine sea salt and 115 g whole milk to a small saucepan and whisk until smooth.
  2. Bring to a simmer while whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. Transfer to a heat-proof container and cover with a piece of plastic wrap directly touching the surface. Chill completely in the refrigerator.
  3. Beat 120 g unsalted butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the cooled custard one spoonful at a time, waiting until each spoonful is incorporated before adding the next. Add 1 teaspoon poppyseeds and mix until evenly distributed.
Lemon Curd
  1. Add 42 g granulated sugar to a small saucepan. Rub in ¾ teaspoon lemon zest with your fingertips until very fragrant and the sugar is slightly damp. Add 10 g custard powder and pinch fine sea salt, and whisk until combined. Add 25 g lemon juice, 23 g unsalted butter, and 124 g whole milk and whisk to combine.
  2. Bring the mixture to a simmer while whisking constantly, until it thickens. Transfer to a heat-proof container and cover with a piece of plastic wrap directly touching the surface. Chill completely in the refrigerator.
Assemble the Macarons
  1. Find same-size pairs of macaron shells, and arrange them on a baking sheet. Transfer the fillings to piping bags. The curd should use a medium round piping tip (or simply cut the end off a disposable piping bag). For the buttercream, use any shape of piping tip you like.
  2. Pipe a ring of buttercream on the bottom of a macaron shell, and fill the center of the ring with lemon curd. Place a matching shell on top, and gently press down until the fillings just come out to the edge.
  3. Place the macarons in an airtight container, and refrigerate for 12-24 hours. This gives the shells time to absorb moisture from the fillings and get perfectly chewy. Before serving, bring the macarons back up to room temperature for 20-30 minutes for the best flavour and texture.

Notes

See the post above for tables that will help you scale these filling recipes up or down depending on the size of your macaron shell batch. The quantities given here are based on a batch of macaron shells made using my master Swiss meringue macaron shell recipe with 100 grams of egg whites, which should make 20-25 sandwiched average-size macarons.