©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Reindeer Macarons
How incredibly adorable are these Reindeer Macarons?
In other news, how has Christmas crept up on us so fast?
It feels like this whole year has just flown by, but these last few months have gone at lightning speed!
If you are looking for a show-stopping holiday treat to make or bring to any holiday parties, you must make these yummy and cute macarons.
You don’t have to be an expert baker to make macarons, I am certainly not and not all of my macarons come out perfect.
So, put your fears aside and give these Reindeer Macarons a try!
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Christmas Macarons
Celebrate the holidays with these adorably delicious Reindeer Macarons.
They are the perfect treat for your upcoming celebrations!
PLUS, check out some other great Christmas recipes, crafts & more at the end of this post.
Tools Needed To Make Macarons:
- Kitchen Scale: Macarons require precision so you will need to weigh your ingredients to ensure they have the best chance of turning out.
- Sifter: You need to ensure there are no lumps or clumps.
- Oven Thermometer: Your oven may say it is heated to 300 degrees but it may not be. Temperature is important for these!
- Electric Mixer: Hand or stand doesn’t matter, but you can’t whip those egg whites by hand.
- Glass or Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls: Plastic absorbs oil and which is a big enemy to a stable meringue.
- Silicone Spatula: Folding your ingredients is much easier with a flexible silicone spatula.
- Plain Round Piping Tip: Key to a nice round macaron.
- Heavy Duty Baking Sheet: A good baking sheet will help the shells cook evenly.
- Macaron Mat: If you are not ready to freehand, having a macaron mat will help you.
You can visit my Amazon Influencer Page and in the Macaron Baking section, I have put my recommended tools for you.
If you need some first-timer tips on making macarons, check out this professional baker’s insider tips to making the best macarons.
What You Will Need:
Below are the ingredients you will need to make the Reindeer Macarons.
For the Shell
- 130 g almond flour (approx. 1 1/3 c. loosely packed)
- 130 g powdered sugar (approx. 1 c.)
- 90 g granulated sugar (approx. 1/3 c.)
- 100 g egg whites (approx. ½ c. – about 3 large eggs worth)
- ½ tsp meringue powder (optional)
- 1 tsp egg white powder (optional)
- 2 tbsp dark chocolate cocoa powder
Notes:
- Meringue powder is recommended to help stabilize the egg whites while whipping.
- Egg white powder is recommended to help fill the gaps in the macaron shells and make them fuller.
For the Filling
- 10 oz dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
To Decorate
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- ¼ cup red cinnamon candies or M&Ms
How To Make Reindeer Macarons
Follow along with the step-by-step process photos for the Reindeer Macarons and then find the printable recipe below!
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Gather all of the ingredients you will need to make these adorable holiday macarons!
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Separate the eggs and retain the egg whites – ensure there is no yolk, or they will not whip up.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Beat egg whites until foamy in the bowl of the mixer with the whisk attachment, about one minute.
Add in the meringue powder (optional).
Slowly add granulated sugar in three increments and mix well after every addition on medium speed.
Once all the sugar has been combined, increase the speed to medium/high and mix for another five minutes, until you have very stiff peaks.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Combine almond flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder and egg white powder (optional) in a fine mesh strainer.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Gently sieve, making sure to discard any large lumps.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites, making sure not to deflate the egg whites at this point.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Continue to fold the meringue but this time gently smush the batter against the sides of the bowl before folding it back together. Do this a few times before testing to see if it has reached the Figure 8 stage. The meringue is ready to pipe when you can draw a figure 8 without the stream breaking.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (I like a Wilton #10).
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Pipe 1” macaron shells onto the tray, making sure to pipe them at least 2” apart.
Once you’ve finished piping the first tray, hold it a few inches off the counter and drop it straight down. Drop the tray another 5-6 times, or until it looks like any large air bubbles have popped. Repeat with the second tray.
Set the trays aside to rest for at least 25 minutes.
They’re ready to bake when you can touch them gently without the meringue sticking to your finger.
While the macarons rest, preheat your oven to 325F. Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven reaches 325F. Most ovens run hot so you may have to set the temperature a little lower to actually reach 325F.
Bake the macarons, one tray at a time, for 12-14 minutes. If your oven has hot spots, make sure to turn the tray halfway through baking so the feet rise evenly.
Allow the macarons to cool to room temperature before removing them from the pan. This will help prevent sticking.
Store in an airtight container stacked on their sides until ready to fill.
Time To Make The Filling
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the dark chocolate chips and heavy cream for 1 minute.
Remove and stir thoroughly.
If needed, heat for an additional 15-30 seconds and stir well again until all chocolate chips have melted and the mixture is smooth.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Transfer the ganache to a piping bag and allow to cool until ready to assemble.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
When ready to assemble, lay out the macaron shells and partner up with similar-sized shells. Fill one-half of the shells with the ganache by piping a mound in the centre.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Then, top it with the remaining shell to create the Macaron.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips in 15-second increments and stir well between each interval until the mixture is smooth.
Transfer to a pastry bag.
Cut a small hole in the end of the chocolate bag and pipe two antlers, two eyes and a nose on each macaron.
Place a red candy on the nose, if desired, to create a Rudolph reindeer.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Enjoy your adorable Reindeer Macarons!
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
These Reindeer Macarons would also make the most festive dessert to bring to any holiday parties you are attending.
Reindeer Macarons
Ingredients
Macaron Shell
- 130 g almond flour
- 130 g powdered sugar
- 90 g granulated sugar
- 100 g egg whites (about 3 large eggs worth)
- ½ tsp meringue powder (optional)
- 1 tsp egg white powder (optional)
- 2 tbsp dark chocolate cocoa powder
Filling
- 10 oz dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
Decorations
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- ¼ cup red cinnamon candies or M&Ms
Instructions
Making the Shells
- Separate the eggs and retain the egg whites – ensure there is no yolk, or they will not whip up.
- Beat egg whites until foamy in the bowl of the mixer with the whisk attachment, about one minute.
- Add in the meringue powder (optional). Slowly add granulated sugar in three increments and mix well after every addition on medium speed. Once all the sugar has been combined, increase the speed to medium/high and mix for another five minutes, until you have very stiff peaks.
- Combine almond flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder and egg white powder (optional) in a fine mesh strainer. Gently sieve, making sure to discard any large lumps.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites, making sure not to deflate the egg whites at this point.
- Continue to fold the meringue but this time gently smush the batter against the sides of the bowl before folding it back together. Do this a few times before testing to see if it has reached the Figure 8 stage. The meringue is ready to pipe when you can draw a figure 8 without the stream breaking.
- Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (I like a Wilton #10). Pipe 1” macaron shells onto the tray, making sure to pipe them at least 2” apart.
- Once you’ve finished piping the first tray, hold it a few inches off the counter and drop it straight down. Drop the tray another 5-6 times, or until it looks like any large air bubbles have popped. Repeat with the second tray. Set the trays aside to rest for at least 25 minutes. They’re ready to bake when you can touch them gently without the meringue sticking to your finger.
- While the macarons rest, preheat your oven to 325F. Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven reaches 325F. Most ovens run hot so you may have to set the temperature a little lower to actually reach 325F.
- Bake the macarons, one tray at a time, for 12-14 minutes. If your oven has hot spots, make sure to turn the tray halfway through baking so the feet rise evenly.
- Allow the macarons to cool to room temperature before removing them from the pan. This will help prevent sticking. Store in an airtight container stacked on their sides until ready to fill.
Make the Filling
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the dark chocolate chips and heavy cream for 1 minute. Remove and stir thoroughly. If needed, heat for an additional 15-30 seconds and stir well again until all chocolate chips have melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Transfer the ganache to a piping bag and allow to cool until ready to assemble.
Assemble
- When ready to assemble, lay out the macaron shells and partner up with similar-sized shells. Fill one-half of the shells with the ganache by piping a mound in the centre. Then, top it with the remaining shell to create the Macaron.
Decorate
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips in 15-second increments and stir well between each interval until the mixture is smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag.
- Cut a small hole in the end of the chocolate bag and pipe two antlers, two eyes and a nose on each macaron.
- Place a red candy on the nose, if desired, to create a Rudolph reindeer.
Age and Serve
- Transfer the filled macarons to an airtight container and place them in the fridge to age overnight.
- Bring to room temperature before enjoying.
Notes
- Make sure to use Almond Flour. It is not the same thing as Almond Meal. Bob’s Red Mill Superfine Almond Flour is my go-to.
- Your egg whites can, but do not need to be at room temperature.
- Two things can help ensure the success of macarons. First, make sure you are deflating the batter only to the lava (figure 8) stage. If you don’t deflate enough, the batter will be too thick and your macarons will have peaks (typically called nipples). If you deflate too much, your batter will be too runny and the macarons won’t rise properly. Secondly, using an oven thermometer is highly encouraged. An oven that is too hot will cause the feet on the macarons to spread and result in hollow shells. An oven that is too cold will result in wrinkly, undercooked macarons.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Holiday Treats + More
Check out these other great Christmas treats, DIY's, Printables + more!
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
- Amazon Canada Boxing Week Sale - December 21, 2024
- Easy Cinnamon Bun Casserole - December 13, 2024
- Smoked Salmon Dip - December 11, 2024
Leave a Reply