Here's a Christmas version of macarons, those elegant little confections. Catherine de’ Medici is credited with bringing almond cookies from Italy to France in the 1500s, but the sandwich-style macaron as we know it today—two shells with filling—was popularized in Paris in the 20th century, notably by Ladurée and Pierre Hermé.
INGREDIENTS
For the Macarons:
175g icing sugar
150g almond flour
65g sugar
3 egg whites (room temp)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
¼ tsp salt
For the Ganache:
80g dark chocolate chips
60ml double cream
For the Filling & Decorations:
180g marshmallow fluff
Handful of mini marshmallows
Food dye
METHOD
For the macarons:
In a food processor grind the ground almonds and icing sugar together, then sift this into a large bowl.
In another large bowl, whisk the egg whites on high until they become foamy, then add the sugar & salt. Continue to whisk on high until you have stiff glossy peaks. Add the vanilla.
Add a third of the almond mix to the egg whites folding carefully until all is incorporated, then repeat this in 2 more stages.
Prepare 2 baking trays with parchment paper. On the parchment paper using a small circle (appx 1.5 inches) and larger one (appx 2.5 inches), draw around the circles to create the head and body of the snowman, you will use this as a template for the macaron. Repeat this 16 times leaving space between each.
Turn the parchment paper over so the ink is face down on the tray. Place a circle nozzle in a large piping bag and transfer the mixture to the bag. Snip the end and pipe the mixture into the circles you have drawn so that the head and body touch. Once the macarons have all been piped tap the baking trays gently on the work surface to release any air bubbles. Leave this for appx 30 mins to dry out.
Preheat the oven to 150c and bake each tray for appx 12 mins, they should be firm to the touch but slightly wobbly. Once ready take out the oven and allow to cool for a few mins. The macarons should easily peel off the parchment paper if they are ready. Place on a wire rack to fully cool.
For the Ganache:
Place the chocolate in a small bowl. Gently heat the cream, don’t let it boil. Pour this over the chocolate and leave to stand for a minute, then mix it together until it is smooth. Place in the fridge to cool for appx 20-30 mins, you don’t want it to set, just thicken.
In separate bowls place some marshmallow fluff and then use your food dye to colour each portion. Match up the macaron shells. Place the ganache in a piping bag and pipe around the perimeter of the open bottom macaron, then fill the centre with the marshmallow fluff and a couple of mini marshmallows. Top with the other macaron shell. Repeat for all 8 snowmen and then use the dyed marshmallow full to decorate.
Enjoy.
Gaby Van Clarke
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