Spiced Gingerbread Macarons (Printable Version)

Light almond shells blend cinnamon and ginger, filled with creamy molasses buttercream, topped with festive sprinkles.

# Ingredients Required:

→ Macaron shells

01 - 137 grams superfine almond flour
02 - 117 grams confectioners' sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger
05 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cloves
06 - 100 grams egg whites, at room temperature
07 - 110 grams superfine white sugar
08 - 1-2 teaspoons brown gel food coloring

→ Macaron tops (optional)

09 - 57 grams white chocolate, melted
10 - 2 tablespoons gingerbread men sprinkles

→ Molasses buttercream

11 - 114 grams unsalted butter, softened
12 - 210 grams confectioners' sugar
13 - 20 grams molasses
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Guide to Cooking:

01 - Sift almond flour and confectioners' sugar each separately through a fine mesh sieve over a large mixing bowl, discarding any large pieces. Combine sifted almond flour, confectioners' sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves by whisking thoroughly. Set aside.
02 - Beat egg whites in a stand mixer starting on low speed until soft peaks form (about 2 minutes). Gradually add superfine white sugar while increasing speed to medium, then high, until stiff peaks are achieved (approximately 2 more minutes). Incorporate brown gel food coloring and mix until just combined.
03 - Sift the dry almond flour mixture into the meringue bowl. Gently fold using a rubber spatula until the batter ribbons off the spatula in continuous streams without breaking, performing the figure 8 test to check proper consistency. Avoid overmixing to maintain volume.
04 - Transfer batter into a piping bag fitted with a large 12-15 mm round tip. Pipe 2.5 to 4 cm diameter circles onto silicone-lined baking sheets held perpendicular to the surface. Tap sheets firmly against the counter multiple times to release air bubbles; pop remaining bubbles with a toothpick if needed.
05 - Allow piped shells to rest at room temperature until a firm skin forms, approximately 8 to 60 minutes. The surface should be dry to the touch without batter sticking to fingers.
06 - Preheat oven to 150°C. Bake shells for 15-20 minutes, checking at 15 minutes for readiness. They are done when the tops are firm and shells do not move around their base. Cool completely on the silicone mat before removal.
07 - Melt white chocolate using a double boiler or microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Drizzle melted white chocolate on half of the cooled macarons and sprinkle with gingerbread men decorations. Allow to harden at room temperature or refrigerate briefly.
08 - Beat together softened butter, confectioners' sugar, molasses, and vanilla until creamy and pale in color using an electric hand mixer.
09 - Fill a piping bag with the prepared buttercream fitted with a large 12-15 mm round tip. Pipe buttercream onto the bottom halves of macarons (undecorated shells), then sandwich with decorated tops. Refrigerate assembled macarons overnight to mature for optimal flavor and texture melding.

# Extra Suggestions:

01 - Forming a skin on the macaron shells before baking is essential to prevent cracking and ensure smooth tops.

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