I'm not gonna lie and say I didn't fist-pump like crazy when these beauts came out of the oven. Zer-o cracks! Zer-o cracks! I chanted to Samson. Celebrating my newfound (yet hardwon) French macaron skills is not getting old.
I made these particular ones when my pals came from Boston for Bag Day -- 50% because I knew they'd be delicious (they are) and 50% because the crushed candy cane around the cookie's perimeter adds a special Pinterest-worthy pretty factor. (Please read the whole recipe before you get started! These tricky little cookies are finicky and time-consuming, and planning ahead helps so much.)
Peppermint Almond Cookies: This recipe is my version of the one Mindy Cone shares in the Atly French macaron class (which I can't recommend highly enough). Makes 24 sandwiched cookies.
- 95g aged egg whites at room temp
- Pinch of cream of tartar
- 35g superfine sugar
- 120g almond flour
- 200g powdered sugar
- A few drops of peppermint oil (Optional, but do not try to use peppermint extract, it's too watery!)
- Green gel food coloring
1. Do this first! I highly recommend aging your egg whites for at least 24 hours before baking. Leave them in a small bowl covered with a dish towel in a place in your kitchen where they won't be thrown away by accident. Don't weigh them until after the aging period.
2. Prepare. Weigh all your ingredients and have them set out, ready to go. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (The Atly class offers an indispensable piping guide you can slide under your parchment paper to keep all your cookies uniform!) Prepare a piping bag or Ziploc bag open in a tall drinking glass with scissors nearby. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Get started. Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together. Do this twice. Reserve the larger almond pieces that won't pass through the sifter. If you have more than a tablespoon left over, try sifting them through one more time.
4. Using the whisk attachment of your stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until they become foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to whisk on medium-low until stiff, shiny peaks form. Slowly add the sugar.
5. Switch to medium-high on your mixer and continue whipping until stiff, dull peaks form. Check your egg whites periodically until you have a stiff meringue. Add a few drops of green gel food coloring and a few drops of peppermint oil.
6. Turn off your mixer and remove the whisk. Add 1/3 of your dry ingredients and fold in with a spatula. Combine the rest of the dry mixture this way, folding until incorporated. Continue folding until the batter falls off the spatula in a ribbon-like drizzle, disappearing pretty quickly back into the rest of the batter.
7. Transfer the batter into the prepared piping bag. Snip off the end and pipe 1" rounds onto your prepared sheets. Once all of the piping is complete, bang the trays on a table or counter a few times to release any trapped air bubbles. Let the trays sit out until the tops of the cookies feel dry to the gentlest of touches (about 30 minutes for me).
8. Bake the trays one at a time for 10 minutes, rotating once halfway through. Transfer the parchment paper or baking mat to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.
Chocolate Ganache: Try making this ahead of time. It keeps well in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months.
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- Optional: 5 candy canes, crushed (We crushed ours by putting them in a Ziploc bag and doing the dirty work with a hammer!)
1. In a medium-sized saucepan over low heat, heat the milk and butter together until the butter is totally melted.
2. Stir in the chocolate chips a little bit at a time until they're completely incorporated. Store this heavenly mixture in the fridge for an hour or two, then let sit out to soften for 30 minutes to an hour before piping.
3. Transfer ganache into a piping bag, and snip off the tip. Pipe ganache inside a cookie, sandwiching it with one of a similar size and shape. Turn the cookie on its side and roll it carefully in the crushed candy canes to coat.
4. Refrigerate the finished product for at least a few hours, and let sit out for 10 minutes before serving.
I'm already brainstorming my next French macaron combo and I think you guys are really gonna like it! So what do you say? Are you going to give French macarons a try?
PS - A few more French macaron tips.
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