Description
Santa Claus Macarons blend French pastry elegance with playful holiday cheer. Delicate almond shells and creamy filling create a festive treat perfect for winter celebrations.
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups (175 g) powdered sugar
- 1 cup (120 g) almond flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Red gel food coloring
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
- 12 tbsps (180 mL) heavy cream or milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- White royal icing or melted white chocolate
- Edible black marker or melted dark chocolate (for eyes)
- Pink food coloring (for cheeks)
- Mini marshmallows (for hat fluff)
- Red and white sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Sift powdered sugar and almond flour through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean mixing bowl, eliminating any lumps or coarse particles.
- Meringue Creation: Whip egg whites at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar while continuing to beat, creating a glossy, stiff meringue. Blend in vanilla essence and scarlet gel coloring until uniformly distributed.
- Macaronage Technique: Fold dry ingredients into the meringue using a flexible spatula. Gently incorporate until the mixture reaches a lava-like consistency that flows and settles smoothly, forming ribbons that briefly hold their shape before reabsorbing.
- Piping and Resting: Transfer batter to a piping bag with a circular nozzle. Pipe Santa hat-inspired circular shells onto a silicone mat or parchment-lined baking sheet. Tap the tray firmly against the counter to release air bubbles. Allow shells to rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until a protective skin forms and feels dry to the touch.
- Baking and Cooling: Preheat oven to 300F (150C). Bake a single tray at a time, rotating midway through the 14-16 minute baking process. Remove from oven and let shells cool completely before carefully removing from the baking surface.
Notes
Precision Sifting: Remove all lumps in almond flour and powdered sugar to guarantee smooth, crack-free macaron shells with perfect texture.
Temperature Control: Allow egg whites to reach room temperature before whipping to create more stable, voluminous meringue that holds structure during folding.
Macaronage Mastery: Stop mixing when batter flows like lava and forms temporary ribbons – overmixing leads to flat, brittle shells while undermixing causes rough surfaces.
Resting Ritual: Let piped macarons develop a dry skin before baking, ensuring signature crisp exterior and signature “feet” by waiting until shells feel tacky when gently touched.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg