Description
Celebrate the holidays with these festive Christmas Tree Cake Macarons, featuring delicate almond flour shells tinted green and filled with a rich buttercream blended with crumbled festive snack cakes. Decorated with white chocolate drizzle, colorful sprinkles, and optional edible gold stars, these macarons bring seasonal cheer to any dessert table.
Ingredients
Scale
Macaron Shells
- 1 3/4 cups (175g) powdered sugar
- 1 cup (100g) almond flour (finely ground, blanched)
- 3 large egg whites (about 90g), room temperature
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- Green gel food coloring
Filling
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups (150g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (85g) finely crumbled snack cakes (Christmas Tree Cakes or similar)
- Pinch of salt
Decoration
- White chocolate drizzle
- Red and green sprinkles
- Edible gold stars (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Macaron Batter: Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together twice to ensure a fine, lump-free mixture. In a separate bowl, beat the room temperature egg whites until foamy, add the cream of tartar, then gradually incorporate the granulated sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Add green gel food coloring to achieve the desired festive shade, then gently fold in the almond flour mixture until the batter flows like lava, indicating proper macaronage.
- Pipe the Macarons: Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe tree shapes or small circles onto baking sheets lined with silicone mats or parchment paper. Tap the trays firmly on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles. Let the piped shells rest at room temperature for 30–60 minutes until a firm skin forms on the surface, which is crucial for smooth shells and feet.
- Bake the Shells: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Bake the macarons one tray at a time for 14–16 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through the baking time for even cooking. Once baked, let the shells cool completely on the mats before carefully removing them to prevent cracking.
- Make the Filling: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter until fluffy and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt, beating until smooth and light. Gently fold in the finely crumbled Christmas Tree snack cakes to incorporate texture and flavor into the filling. Transfer this mixture to a clean piping bag.
- Assemble the Macarons: Match similar-sized macaron shells in pairs. Pipe a layer of the crumbled cake buttercream filling onto one shell and sandwich with its matching partner, gently pressing together to spread the filling evenly.
- Decorate: Drizzle melted white chocolate over the assembled macarons and sprinkle with red and green holiday sprinkles. Optionally, place edible gold stars on top for an extra festive touch.
- Mature for Best Flavor: Place the assembled macarons in an airtight container and refrigerate for 24 hours. This resting period allows the flavors to meld and the texture to perfect, resulting in the best tasting macarons.
Notes
- Ensure egg whites are at room temperature before beating to achieve better volume and stability.
- Allow macarons to rest before baking to form a skin, essential for smooth surfaces and distinct feet formation.
- Decorations can be customized to fit your preferred holiday theme or color scheme.
- Handle macarons gently post-baking to avoid cracks or breaks.
- Use a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 macaron
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 25mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
