Santa Claus Macarons
These charming Santa Claus Macarons add a festive twist to your dessert repertoire, featuring light, airy shells filled with delicious buttercream and adorned with a whimsical Santa design, perfect for holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
For the Macaron Shells
- 100 grams Domino® Golden Sugar
- 4 grams egg white powder (optional) Read notes below
- 100 grams egg whites
- 105 grams almond flour
- 1.5 cups Domino® Powdered Sugar (187 grams)
- 1 tablespoon meringue powder
- 4 tablespoons water
- 2 drops black gel food coloring
- 1 drop yellow gel food coloring
For the Buttercream Filling
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (63 grams)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113 grams)
- ¼ cup Domino® Golden Sugar (50 grams)
- 1.25 cups Domino® Powdered Sugar (156 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ tablespoon milk or heavy cream
- ¼ cup desiccated coconut (shredded) (50 grams)
Instructions
Preparation
- Start by clearing your workspace. Gather all your ingredients and tools, including baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mat, mixing bowls, a piping bag with a round tip, and a whisk or electric mixer. Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F) for baking.
- In a dry bowl, combine the almond flour and Domino® Powdered Sugar. Sift these ingredients together to remove lumps.
- In another bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric mixer until frothy. Gradually add the Domino® Golden Sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form, which will take about 5-7 minutes.
- If using, add the egg white powder during this process for added stability.
Baking
- Gently fold the almond flour mixture into the whipped egg whites. Use a spatula to incorporate the ingredients slowly. Aim for a batter that flows like lava and forms a ribbon when lifted from the bowl.
- Divide the batter into two portions. Add the black gel food coloring to one portion and yellow to the other, creating the classic Santa color palette.
- Transfer each colored batter into separate piping bags and snip the ends. Pipe circular shapes onto your prepared baking sheets, creating the macaron shells, and leave some space between them.
- Allow the piped macaron shells to rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes, until a skin forms on the surface.
- Once the shells are dry and slightly tacky to the touch, place them in the preheated oven. Bake for 16-18 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through for even baking.
- Let them cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack.
Filling and Assembly
- While the shells cool, prepare the filling. In a bowl, beat the unsalted butter until light and fluffy. Gradually mix in the Domino® Golden Sugar and Domino® Powdered Sugar until smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and milk or heavy cream, then mix until combined. If desired, fold in the desiccated coconut for texture.
- Pair up the macaron shells by size. Pipe a dollop of the buttercream filling onto the flat side of one shell and sandwich it with its partner.
- Decorate the assembled macarons with royal icing if desired, or use the black and yellow gel colors to create Santa's face.
- Your Santa Claus Macarons are now ready to impress! Arrange them on a festive platter, and they will be the highlight of any holiday gathering.
Notes
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature or two weeks in the fridge. For freezing, place in an airtight container separated by parchment paper for up to a month.