These French macarons are a perfect addition to your holiday sweet table. A minty twist of crushed candy cane will make this delicious treat a new holiday favorite.

 

The ingredients below are for one batch of macarons.

For the second batch, repeat ingredients and follow same directions.

Serves 15 or more

 

 

Ingredients for the macaron shells

 –  1 3/4 cups of confectioners sugar

–  1 cup ground almond meal

–  3 egg whites, room temperature

–  ¼ cup granulated sugar

–  3-4 drops of peppermint flavor

–  pink and red gel food coloring

–  one container of crushed candy cane

–  silicone macaron baking mat or double parchment paper

– 16 inch pastry bag

–  one number 12 decorating tip

 

Ingredients for butter filling

–  2 cups of unsalted butter

– 1 cup of confectioners sugar

– 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2.  Sift the almond meal and confectioners sugar into a mixing bowl or blend in a food processor until finely ground. Set aside.

3. Beat the egg whites in a mixmaster with a whisk attachment on medium speed until the mixture is foamy and soft peaks.

4.  Gradually add the granulated sugar to the egg whites and mix on high until the egg mixture is glossy and stiff peaks.

5.  Add the food colors and peppermint favoring and whisk on low to combine well.

6.  Gently fold half of the egg white mixture into the almond meal mixture, taking the egg mixture from the middle and up while rotating the mixing bowl. Continue until all of the batter has been folded into the almond meal mixture and is thoroughly combined (about 30 folds), but not too runny or overmixed.

7.  Place silicone mat or parchment paper onto a baking tray.

8.  Cut tip of pastry bag, twist the end, and place number 12 decorating tip onto end of bag.

9.  Place pastry bag, tip side down, into a tall cup.

10.  Fill pastry bag with macaron mixture.

11.  Twist top of pastry bag to close.

12. Pipe 1 and 1/2 inch circles onto silicone mat or parchment paper until all mixture is used.

13. Tap your tray onto table a couple of times to release the air from the macarons.

14. Let maracons stand for 20 minutes until the top of the shells are dry.

15. Place macarons on middle rack of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.

16. Remove from oven and let stand for one hour.

17. For the filling, mix 2 cups of unsalted butter and 1 cup of confectioners sugar in a food processor with ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract and. Beat until soft and place into a pastry bag.

18. Pipe onto most of the shell and place second shell on top to close.

19. Roll the macaron edges into the crushed candy cane all around. 

20. Place on decorative plate and serve.

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New year from your Petite Gourmande!

 

 © 2016 by Ruth Barnes, all rights reserved

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