Snowflake Macarons filled with Vanilla White Chocolate Ganache


Who doesn't love pinterest??  I'm well, slightly obsessed!  

A few nights ago I was spending way to much time pinning, and found the most adorable snowflake macarons!  Ironically, I was planning on making some vanilla macarons the following day; fate must have brought me and these snowflake macs together! 


Duhlicious made her macaron shells a beautiful sky blue piped with white chocolate ganache snowflakes.  I didn't have any powdered blue food dye, so went with Martha Stewarts macaron shell recipe and filled them with a vanilla bean white chocolate ganache I created.  

They turned out fantastic, incredibly cute and festive!  Next year I think I'm going to package them up and give them out as holiday gifts.  I would love to get these decadent, and oh so fancy cookies as a gift! 


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Snowflake Vanilla Macarons
Macaron Base adapted from Martha Stewart
Vanilla ganache and royal icing adapted from Epicurean Mom


Ingredients


French Macarons:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup almond flour (I made my own almond flour by finding blanched and slivered almonds, pour into a food processor and pulverise them into powder.)
2 large egg whites, room temperature (I left mine overnight in a dark closet)
pinch of cream of tartar
1/4 cup superfine sugar

Pulse the confectioners sugar and almond flour in a food processor until combined.  Sift mixture 2 times.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  With a mixer on medium speed, whisk the egg whites until foamy.  Add cream of tartar and mix until soft peaks form.  Reduce speed to low, adding the superfine sugar slowly. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes.  In 2 separate additions, add the flour mixture into the egg whites, folding after every addition. Be sure not to over work batter.  Batter should be smooth and shiny.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Spoon the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe 3/4-inch rounds (1-inch apart) on parchment paper, dragging pastry tip to the side of the rounds, rather then up forming peaks.  Rap each sheet on counter top, to release air bubbles.  Let rounds rest on countertop for 30 minutes,  Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake, 1 sheet at a time until crisp and firm, about 10 minutes.  After each batch increase the oven to 375 degrees for 5 minutes then bring temperature down to 325 degrees before baking.

Let macarons cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Find two macarons that are the same size, fill with 1 teaspoon vanilla ganache and sandwich the macaron shells together.  Serve immediately, or store between parchment paper and wrap in plastic wrap, freeze for up to 3 months.


Vanilla Ganche:
3 ounces good quality white chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 seeded vanilla bean

Pour the chocolate in a medium heat proof bowl, set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy cream, butter and seeds of vanilla bean.  Bring to a slow boil and immediately pour over the chocolate.  Let sit a few minutes (until most of the chocolate is melted) before stirring.  Add the vanilla extract and gently stir, until just combined and no chocolate lumps remain.  Let cool completely before filling macaron shells.

Royal Icing (for decorating):
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups confectioners sugar, plus 4 tablespoons
blue (or any color) food dye

In a bowl of a standing mixer on medium speed, whisk the egg whites and vanilla together, until frothy.   Turn the mixer to lowest setting and add confectioners sugar, 1 cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.  To find the perfect consistency add a tablespoon of sugar at a time.  It may take 1-4 tablespoons, depending on personal preference.  Cover until ready to use.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a size 2 wilton tip, carefully spoon the icing into the pastry bag and pipe snowflakes onto macarons.

18 comments:

  1. These turned out fantastic:)

    -Madalina (duhlicious)

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  2. These turned out fantastic! *so proud* :)

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  3. Oh my goodness. You need to teach me to pipe like you. Wonderful recipe and gorgeous pics. I am totally obsessed with pinterest as well. I have to avoid it some days or I'd never get anything done.

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  4. Okay...these are stunning. Here it is December 23rd and I have total macaroon envy. That must be a sin right? I tired macaroons once and while they tasted fine, they never got "feet." We live in Houston (humidity city) and I heard it is touch to make them when it is humid.So I blamed it on that but now I am wondering if I did not have the proper piping technique. I think I formed peaks??? You can see them here:
    http://3peanuts.blogspot.com/2010/06/princess-tea-party-part-i.html


    Congratulations. I know some very accomplished bakers here that struggle with macaroons I know they are a tough skill to get just right skill and yours look amazing!

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  5. Thanks so much friends!! And Madalina- so creative! Lovely idea, thanks so much! :)

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  6. Katie, these are just gorgeous. I do love pinterest, it's so great for inspiration. I love everything about your macarons. I've never made them but you make it sound pretty easy!

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  7. Yum! and beautiful!

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  8. Fantastic Macarons, simply to die for Love you! Bill

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  9. Beautiful cookies! I personally have a Pinterest problem :)

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  10. Absolutely gorgeous macarons Katie!!! The snowflake pattern is so gorgeous! Making macarons is on my to do list for 2012 as I still haven't attempted making them yet. Far too many horror stories have put me off, but it's time to give it a go.

    I hope you and your family have an absolutely wonderful Christmas and New Year!

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  11. Katie,
    Thanks for visiting my blog and liking my facebook page :)

    These macarons are so beautiful! I need to make some, soon :)

    Happy New Year!!!

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  12. These cookies are absolutely GORGEOUS, Katie! Thank you so much for visiting my blog, It's Yummilicious. I'm so glad I found your wonderful site... every post is more wonderful than the one before it!

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  13. Great looking Chrismassy macarons. I must try making them.

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  14. These macarons look fantastic! I love making and eating macarons. I may have to do these next time I make them. Thanks for sharing. :)

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  15. These are just gorgeous! I have tried at least 4 macaron recipes/methods so far trying to find the magic ONE for me (that won't crack, mostly!) so you'll be #5 ;) I usually use buttercream frosting for the filling, but ganache sounds divine. I love to dye the ganache as well :)

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  16. Just attempted these macaroons yesterday! (my first attempt at making macaroons!) Could do some improvement on my part but yours look SO lovely! Did a post on my blog, would appreciate if you could check it out and let me know how I can improve on mine! Thank you so much!

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  17. Just made these and it could do some improvement on my part but yours look SO lovely! I did a post on it on my blog and would appreciate it if you could let me know how I can improve on mine, if you have the time, of course. Thank you so much, and for the recipe too! (:

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  18. Gorgeous cake and I adore how you've decorated it! Well done.

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