Phenomenal Phoods

Apple Cider Macarons

Ingredients:

For the spiced macarons

• 140 grams ground almonds (used blanched almonds)
• 140 grams powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 100 grams egg whites (about 3 eggs)
• 100 grams sugar
• 40 grams water

For the apple cider buttercream

• 1/4 cup butter (softened)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons apple cider

Instructions:

For the spiced macarons

1. Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine the almonds, powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves in a food processor until finely ground.
3. Sift the mixture into a large bowl to remove any lumps.
4. Add 50 grams of the egg whites and mix into the almond/sugar mixture to form a paste. Set aside.
5. In another bowl, beat the remaining egg whites until soft peaks form.
6. Meanwhile, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan.
7. Bring to a boil over low heat and continue to heat until it reaches 115 degrees C (check with a candy thermometer).
8. Once the sugar mixture reaches 115 degrees C. remove from the heat and slowly add to the beaten egg whites.
9. Mix on high for about 3 minutes or until the bowl is cool and stiff peaks form. You want to be able to turn the bowl upside down without the meringue falling out.
10. Fold the meringue into the almond paste mixture, using your spatula to press onto the sides of the bowl to smooth it out and remove any lumps.
11. Mix until you have a smooth batter that runs off of the spatula slowly in a thick ribbon.
12. Add the batter to a piping bag or ziploc with the corner cut off and fit with a size 12 round cake tip.
13. Pipe small, 1 1/2 inch circles onto the parchment paper-lined cookies sheets. You should get about 60 cookies.
14. Pipe the circles by holding the piping bag upright with the tip just above the sheet and pipe without pulling your hand up or moving it in circles.
15. Tap the baking sheets a few times on the counter to remove any air bubbles and let the cookies sit out for about 30 minutes to dry.
16. When ready, preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
17. Bake cookies for 16 minutes*. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely on cooling racks before removing them from the parchment paper (they will stick when warm).
18. *I used to use a baking time of 18 minutes when I had a gas oven, and it was always perfect. I have found that in my electric oven, 18 minutes results in cookies that are a teensy bit too hard so I use 16 now. Give 16 minutes a try for your first tray and see how they turn out. Unfortunately, it is difficult to tell until they are cooled and you have tried them.

For the apple cider buttercream

1. While the cookies are cooling, make the frosting.
2. Combine the all ingredients in a bowl with a mixer until smooth. Add more apple cider if your frosting is too thick or more powdered sugar if it is too thin. It should be stiff enough to pipe but not so stiff that it's difficult to pipe.
3. Pipe frosting onto half of the cookies and sandwich with the remaining cookies.