Description
This festive Christmas Tree Cake Macarons recipe combines delicate, crisp-edged French macarons with a rich, creamy filling inspired by Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes. These elegant green macarons are decorated with melted white chocolate, colorful sprinkles, and red buttercream frosting or royal icing to look like holiday trees—perfect for seasonal celebrations or gifting.
Ingredients
Scale
Macaron Shells
- 70 grams almond flour
- 63 grams powdered sugar
- 55 grams egg whites (at room temperature)
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)
- 55 grams granulated sugar
Filling
- 1 stick unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1½-2 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes (crumbled)
Decorations
- ½ cup white chocolate (melted)
- Green sprinkles
- Red buttercream frosting or royal icing
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: Measure and sift the almond flour and powdered sugar into a bowl. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Make Meringue: In a stand mixer bowl, combine the room temperature egg whites with cream of tartar and whisk until frothy, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually add granulated sugar one tablespoon at a time, continuing to whisk until stiff peaks form, which takes around 7-9 minutes. The meringue should hold a firm peak when the whisk is lifted.
- Fold Dry Ingredients: Sift half of the almond flour and powdered sugar mixture into the meringue and fold carefully by moving the spatula around the bowl and through the center. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and continue folding until the batter reaches a lava-like consistency. This means the batter flows slowly and you can draw a figure 8 without it breaking. Avoid overmixing to retain air bubbles.
- Pipe Macaron Shells: Fit a piping bag with a large round tip and fill it using a large mug or glass to hold it steady. Pipe about 1½ inch diameter circles evenly spaced on a baking tray lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Remove Air Bubbles: Tap the baking sheet firmly 5 times against the counter to release air bubbles. Use a toothpick to gently pop any remaining bubbles on the surface of the piped batter.
- Form Skins: Allow the piped shells to rest at room temperature for 20-40 minutes until a dry skin forms on the surface. You can test by gently touching the top; it should feel dry and not stick to your finger. This step is crucial for proper macaron development.
- Bake the Shells: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) while the shells set. Bake for 15-17 minutes until the shells have puffed and the feet have formed. The shells should not move when gently touched. Avoid opening the oven within the first 13 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through bake time if your oven has uneven heat.
- Cool Completely: Remove the shells from the oven and let them cool fully on the baking sheet before attempting to remove them to prevent cracking or breaking.
- Prepare Filling and Assemble: Cream the softened butter with powdered sugar and heavy cream until smooth. Gently fold in the crumbled Christmas Tree Cakes. Pipe or spread the filling onto the flat underside of one macaron shell, sandwich with another shell. Dip or drizzle melted white chocolate over the assembled macarons, decorate with green sprinkles, and add red buttercream or royal icing details to resemble Christmas trees.
Notes
- Use a kitchen scale for precise measurements, especially for almond flour and sugar.
- Allow the macaron shells to rest before baking to develop a proper skin; this helps formation of the characteristic ‘feet.’
- Room temperature egg whites whip better and yield more stable meringue.
- Be gentle when folding to not deflate the meringue but ensure batter consistency reaches lava-like texture for perfect shells.
- Cool shells fully before filling to avoid melting or breaking the filling.
- Customize decoration with sprinkles and icing colors to create stunning holiday-themed macarons.
- Store assembled macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature before serving.
