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White Chocolate Peppermint French Macarons
White Chocolate Peppermint French Macarons
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Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
26 minutes
Total Time:
816 minutes
Festive French macarons inspired by starlight mints, featuring red and white shells filled with white chocolate peppermint cream.
Ingredients:
  • For the ganache filling
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
  • 1 to 2 drops peppermint extract
  • For the macaron shells
  • 1 1/4 cups (100g) blanched almond meal
  • 3/4 cup (80g) powdered sugar
  • Distilled white vinegar, for cleaning the bowl
  • 2 or 3 (80g) large egg whites at room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/3 cup (80g) sugar
  • Red food coloring
Instructions:
  • Heat the heavy cream in a small pot over medium-high heat until it gently boils, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Melt the chocolate: Place chocolate chips in a medium heatproof bowl. Pour hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 1 minute. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
  • Enhance the ganache filling: Incorporate the peppermint extract by stirring it in. Leave it at room temperature as you prepare the macaron shells. Avoid refrigerating as it may become too firm!
  • Sift almond meal and powdered sugar in a large bowl using a sifter or fine mesh strainer. Remove any large pieces of almond meal and set aside.
  • Prepare the mixing bowl: Moisten a paper towel with distilled white vinegar and wipe the inside of a 4- or 5-quart bowl. Use a glass or metal bowl. Add egg whites and whisk at medium-low speed for 3 minutes until foamy but not stiff. I recommend using a Kitchen Aid mixer on speed 3; if using a handheld mixer, set it to medium and note it may take slightly longer. Watch for desired texture.
  • Prepare the meringue: Begin by adding the cream of tartar and whisking for 3 minutes. While the mixer is running, slowly add the sugar one tablespoon at a time. Once all the sugar has been incorporated, increase the speed to medium and continue whisking for approximately 5 minutes until the egg whites have increased in volume, turned white, and thickened. I recommend using a Kitchen Aid mixer at speed 4 for optimal results.
  • Check for stiff peaks: After stopping the mixer, lift the whisk from the egg whites and turn it upside down. It should form a stiff peak of meringue that slightly bends at the tip without sliding off the whisk. If the peak curls or falls over, continue to whisk the meringue for 1 to 2 minutes. If the meringue looks chunky or curdled, the egg whites are overwhipped, and you'll need to start over.
  • Gently incorporate one third of the dry ingredients into the meringue using a rubber spatula. Repeat this process with the remaining dry ingredients until fully combined.
  • Scrape the batter: Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the batter against the sides of the bowl a few times to release excess air. Preventing cracks in the shells while baking is crucial, so be gentle.
  • To test the batter, drizzle some batter from the rubber spatula over the top in a steady stream, like honey. Swirl a figure 8 pattern over the surface. The figure 8 should slowly sink back into the batter within 10 to 20 seconds.
  • Prepare baking sheets and piping bag: Place two large baking sheets upside down and cover the bottom with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside. Fill a 12- to 18-inch pastry bag fitted with a small round pastry tip, such as a small #12 Wilton tip. To create a decorative red swirl, dab red food coloring on the tip, then brush 3 streaks of red along the inside of the bag. Fill the bag with batter using a rubber spatula, twist the top to secure, and if using parchment paper, pipe small dots of batter in each corner of the baking sheet to hold the paper in place.
  • Pipe the shells: Place 1- to 1 1/2-inch circles 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Hold the pastry tip straight down for uniform and round shells. If any tops have a pointy tip, gently flatten with an offset spatula or the back of a small spoon. This will make 30 to 32 circles, resulting in 15 or 16 macarons.
  • Eliminate air bubbles: Hold the baking sheet firmly and give it a strong tap against the counter to help any air bubbles rise to the surface of the shells. Optionally, use a toothpick to gently pop the bubbles. Rotate the baking sheet as needed to ensure all sides are tapped evenly.
  • Let the shells relax for 30 to 40 minutes, or up to 1 hour in humid conditions, until they appear matte and feel dry to the touch without any stickiness. This indicates they are ready for baking.
  • Bake the shells on the center rack at 300°F, one baking sheet at a time, for 13 minutes. Test if done by gently touching the top - it shouldn't move from the pan's feet. Bake for 1 minute more if it moves slightly.
  • Cool the shells: Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and let the shells cool completely before gently peeling them off the mat with your hands. Avoid using a spatula or any tool to prevent sticking.
  • Match similar-sized shells in pairs and set them aside on the counter for filling with the white chocolate ganache.
  • Pipe the peppermint ganache: Fill a small piping bag fitted with a round #12 Wilton tip with the peppermint ganache using a rubber spatula. Twist the top of the bag to secure the ganache. Pipe slightly less than a tablespoon of ganache onto one macaron shell, then sandwich it with another shell. Repeat until all macarons are filled.
  • Enhance the macaron shells: Store the macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 12 hours to soften and improve texture. This process is known as maturing.

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