Description
This Christmas Tree Cake Macarons recipe features delicate almond meringue shells flavored and colored to resemble Christmas trees, filled with a smooth, creamy vanilla buttercream. Perfect for holiday celebrations, these festive macarons are decorated with edible glitter and red candies to mimic ornaments, making them as visually delightful as they are delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Macaron Shells
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 large egg whites, aged at room temperature for 24 hours
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Green gel food coloring (to desired shade)
Buttercream Filling
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Decoration
- Edible glitter or sprinkles (optional, for decoration)
- Red candies or small fruit chews (for ornament decoration)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to ensure your macarons do not stick during baking.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, sift together almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt. This step removes lumps and ensures a smooth batter.
- Whip Egg Whites: In a clean, dry bowl, whip the aged egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Gradually add granulated sugar while increasing the speed to high, whipping until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Add Flavoring and Color: Mix in the vanilla extract and green gel food coloring with the meringue until the desired shade of green is consistent throughout.
- Fold in Dry Ingredients: Gently fold the almond flour mixture into the meringue in three additions, using a spatula. Be careful to maintain airiness; the batter should flow like lava and form a figure eight without breaking.
- Pipe Macarons: Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe small 1.5-inch circles spaced evenly on the prepared baking sheets.
- Remove Air Bubbles and Rest: Tap the baking sheets firmly on the counter to release air bubbles. Let the piped macarons rest for 30-60 minutes until a skin forms and they are no longer sticky to the touch.
- Bake Macarons: Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes until feet are set and tops are firm. Rotate pans halfway through for even baking.
- Cool Macarons: Cool the baked shells completely on the baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to prevent breaking.
- Prepare Buttercream Filling: Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar and heavy cream, continuing to beat until smooth and fluffy. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Assemble Macarons: Pair shells of similar size. Pipe a dollop of buttercream onto one shell’s flat side and sandwich with its pair. Repeat for all macarons.
- Decorate: Adorn assembled macarons with edible glitter or sprinkles to mimic Christmas tree decorations. Finish by adding red candies or fruit chews as ornaments on top.
Notes
- For best results, age egg whites at room temperature for 24 hours to improve meringue stability.
- Use gel food coloring as it does not affect batter consistency like liquid colors.
- Resting the macarons before baking forms a skin that helps create the signature ‘feet’ during baking.
- Handle the batter gently when folding to maintain its airy texture, critical for light macarons.
- Macarons are best eaten within 24-48 hours stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Allow macarons to come to room temperature before serving for optimal flavor and texture.
