Introduction: Peppermint Candy Macarons | Josh Pan

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About: Hi! I'm Josh Pan, just a typical college student in California. I go to school at UCSD, which is close to home, so I return home often. I like to cook and bake over the weekends, and I'm hoping to find some pe…

Happy Holidays everyone!! Today, I will be going over how to make Peppermint Candy Macarons. These are so cute, and are perfect for the holidays! Don't forget to check me out on YouTube!! @joshpancooking

Step 1: Collect the Ingredients

The ingredients for this recipe are...

Shell:

  • 2 Large Egg Whites
  • 40g Superfine Sugar
  • 120g Powdered Sugar
  • 70g Almond Meal
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 1 Tsp Peppermint Extract
  • Red Gel Food Coloring

Buttercream:

  • 1/2 Bar Butter
  • 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Heavy Cream
  • 1 Standard Candy Cane

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

The dry ingredients are...

  • Almond Meal
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Pinch of Salt

Step 3: Deal With the Eggs

Now we want to whip our egg meringue. Put your egg whites and superfine sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer and whip on medium high speed until you form glossy stiff peaks.

Step 4: Mix the Dry and the Wet

Now, add your peppermint extract into the egg whites (don't mix yet). Also, sift in your dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the ingredients together until you get a smooth, thick mixture that globs down when you drip it from your spatula. The mixture should slowly flow back into the shape of the bowl. For a better visual representation, please see the video.

Step 5: Prepare Your Piping Bag

Get a piping bag fitted with a circular tip (not too small, but not so large that your mixture will ooze out of your bag). With a thin tipped brush, make four strokes of red food coloring inside your bag. Each stroke should be as nice, thin, and neat as possible, and should extend from the tip of the piping tip to past the middle of the piping bag. The four stripes should be evenly spaced, and darkly colored. These stripes will create the stroke pattern on your macarons, making them look like peppermint candy.

Step 6: Pipe the Macarons

Neatly fill your batter into the piping bag, and pipe your mixture in slightly larger than quarter sized mounds on top of either parchment paper or silicon baking mats. If the batter has been properly folded, it should ooze quickly out of the bag, but instead remain in small lumps. Once you have piped all your macarons, tap your pans on a counter a few times. This will remove large air bubbles from within the macarons, and allow your macarons to flatten to the proper thickness (keep in mind when piping that your macarons will spread out during the tapping, so don't pipe too closely). Allow your macarons to dry for 30-60 minutes (or more during high humidity). For faster drying, position your pans next to a fan and blow air over the macarons.

Step 7: Bake

Pop your macarons into an oven preheated to 300-305 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow them to bake for 18-20 minutes or until your macarons lift almost cleanly off your sheets.

Step 8: Prepare Your Buttercream

In a stand mixer, beat your butter (which should be at room temperature) until nice and creamy. Sift in half of your powdered sugar and continue mixing, now at low speed. Sift in your second half and continue mixing. Once the sugar is fully incorporated, add in your vanilla extract, and if necessary, your heavy cream to bring your buttercream to the right consistency. Then, unwrap a standard sized candy cane, and break it into small pieces inside a seal-able plastic bag. Using a heavy object (like a hammer or meat tenderizer) crush your candy cane into powdery bits. Add your crushed candy cane into your buttercream and mix until well incorporated. Small chucks of candy cane are okay and add a nice crunch.

Step 9: Assemble the Macarons

Fill the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a similar sized tip from before. Pipe small mounds onto the middle of your cookies, and sandwich with another cookie.

Step 10: Enjoy!

And we are done!

These macarons are great for parties, gatherings, showing off, being bourgeois, making friends, or self-indulgence. If this video/Instructable was helpful, please <3 it, and subscribe. Also, find me on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and YouTube @joshpancooking. The greatest gift to me would be if everyone subscribed to my YouTube Channel. Well, thanks for your time, and I shall see you all soon. Goodbye!