peppermint white chocolate macarons/ sprinkledwithjules.com

Sweet, delicate peppermint french macarons sandwiched with a rich white chocolate ganache. These macaron cookies are lightly peppermint-flavored, and perfectly paired with the white chocolate filling. What makes macarons so delightful is their light and chewy texture that is almost addictive. The way I wax on poetically about them, would you believe it if I told you I used to dislike them? Yepp, at one point I thought I hated them. That is, until I attempted making them for myself..

I abstained from trying macarons until I went to Paris a few years ago to try the real deal there. Unfortunately, I was severely disappointed with the selection I tried. Maybe they were duds, who knows. But I eventually tried making them myself about 6 months after our trip to Paris, and I became hooked. It took me many tries to perfect the method of making macarons, and if you're new to making them, I suggest you check out my French Macarons 101 post, where I discuss my Paris macaron experience, and delve into the tips and tricks of making perfect french macarons.

For these I add peppermint extract to the cookie batter, along with a little red food coloring. When filling them with the white chocolate ganache I sprinkled on a pinch of crushed candy canes for an added surprise. These would be the perfect cookies to leave out for Santa Clause, if you ask me...

Check out my other flavors I've posted! Chocolate, and pumpkin spice.

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Peppermint White-Chocolate French Macarons

by Julia Hampton - Sprinkled With Jules December-05-2016

Sweet, delicate peppermint french macarons sandwiched with a rich white chocolate ganache. These macaron cookies are lightly peppermint-flavored, and perfectly paired with the white chocolate filling.

Ingredients

2 large (apx. 70 grams) egg whites
1/4 tea. cream of tartar
3/4 cup (70 grams) almond meal
1 1/4 cup (125 grams) powdered sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 tea. peppermint extract
1/4 tea. red food coloring (optional)
1/4 cup crushed candy canes (optional)
4 oz. white chocolate
1-2 oz. heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Draw circles as a guide on the underside if desired, making them about 1.5-2" in diameter.2. Measure the almond meal and powdered sugar into the food processor and process for about 20 seconds. Sift the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. If the remaining large clumps that don't fit through the seive amount to more than 1 Tablespoon, blend it again in the food processor. If it is less than 1 T, it can be added in with the rest of the sifted mixture.3. In the bowl of a stand mixer that is completely clean and free of grease, whip the egg whites until frothy, then add the cream of tartar, sugar, and beat on high for a few minutes until stiff peaks form. Add peppermint extract and food coloring and beat 30 seconds more to combine. 4. Once the egg whites have stiff peaks, dump the almond meal mixture in, and fold with a rubber spatula until the batter drops in a ribbon from the spatula when lifted. (about 50 folds). 5. Transfer the batter into a piping bag with a round tip, and pipe the batter onto the parchment-lined baking sheets in circles. Once piped, lift and drop the cookie sheet onto the counter a few times to pop any bubbles. Any peaks on the cookies can be patted down with a wet fingertip. Let the cookies sit out on the counter to "dry out" before baking, about 20 minutes. To test if they are ready to bake, gently touch the side of one- it shouldn't be sticky any more. 6. When they are ready to bake, bake at 300°F for 8-10 minutes. Oven times may vary. To test if cookies are done, they should lift off the parchment easily and should not be wet or gooey inside. Let cool on cookie sheets completely before removing and filling with ganache and crushed candy canes.7. To make the ganache, chop chocolate and place chocolate and 1 oz of heavy cream in a small bowl, and microwave 20 seconds. Stir. If not entirley melted, microwave another 20 seconds and stir. Let cool to thicken, and pipe or spread in between the cookies, topping with crushed candy canes.

Details

Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 45 mins