Magical Treats at Home

Gluten Free

Matterhorn Macaroon

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Where can I find the original treat?

  • The original treat is located at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe at the Disneyland Resort.

When I started this website back in 2018, I had planned on making some of my favorite evergreen park treats to kick things off. However, that plan quickly unraveled when I attempted to make what I thought would be an easy recipe: the Matterhorn Macaroon. 

In retrospect, I was overthinking it. Was it like a cake? Or a cookie? I attempted to try a few recipes on the internet, except… they all failed. Butter? It melted! You cannot get the structure correct with butter. Six tries later I decided to put it to bed for another time. I had other recipes made and photographed, and no one wanted to eat another coconut dessert for some time. 

With some space between those frustrating weeks (weeks!!!) years ago now, I approached this again with fresh eyes, and the realization that a trusty, straightforward macaroon recipe would prevail, I bring to you today, the Matterhorn Macaroon.

What makes this recipe work is two things, whipped egg whites for structure, and a not-too-wet batter. You will pour out about 3 cups of coconut and a small amount of sweetened condensed milk and you will think the recipe is too dry; IT IS NOT TOO DRY.

After you work the liquid in, and then fold in the egg whites, you can shape the mixture, and it will change noticeably little once it’s baked. Yes, it will shrink a bit down, but not much. And it definitely will not melt into a puddle of coconut shreds. 

When you take them out of the oven, do not try and touch them! Let them get to room temperature, they shouldn’t even be warm to the touch at this point, because then they will firm up, and you will be able to dip them into the white chocolate without them breaking on you. And once they’ve set up, you’ll get a crisp outside and a chewy, soft interior. 

This recipe is very kid friendly! Let small hands mix, whip egg whites, and shape the mixture. With some supervision, younger kids can help melt the chocolate too (white chocolate should never get too hot regardless, as it will burn!).

I really hope you enjoy making (and eating) these macaroons. And I’m so happy to finally cross this bucket-list recipe off the list.

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Matterhorn Macaroons

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  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cooling Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
  • Yield: 6–8 macaroons 1x
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

A mountain of crispy, chewy, sweet coconut macaroons await your taste buds with this Disneyland-inspired treat!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups (300g) desiccated coconut (finely shredded), unsweetened
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp rice flour (brown or white)
  • 3/4 cup (250g) sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 egg whites, from large eggs
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2–3/4 cup white chocolate

Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine the coconut, sugar, and rice flour. Whisk to combine, and then pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top. Mix to combine.
  2. In a clean mixing bowl, pour in the egg white and the pinch of salt. Whip until stiff peaks are reached.
  3. Gently fold in the whipped egg whites into the coconut mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat the oven to 300°f. Line a sheet pan with parchment and set aside.
  5. After your mixture has chilled, evenly scoop out 6-8 portions of the mixture. Form each scoop into your mountain, using your fingers to make indentations. The mixture will settle slightly as it bakes, so make the mountain a bit on the skinny side. Flatten the bottoms to stand on the sheet pan.
  6. Bake for 28-30 minutes, until top and bottom edges are golden.
  7. Remove the tray from the oven and allow the macaroons to cool on the pan.
  8. Once the macaroons are cool, melt the white chocolate in the microwave in a heat proof bowl, like glass, in 15-20 second bursts, stirring in between.
  9. When the chocolate is melted and smooth, dip the top 1/3 of the macaroon into the chocolate, rolling the macaroon around to coat evenly. Set aside on a piece of parchment and repeat with all the macaroons. Allow at least an hour for chocolate to fully set.
  10. Macaroons will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week. Store in the freezer (coated or uncoated with chocolate) for up to 3 months.

Notes

  • If your mixture feels very wet, sprinkle in more shredded coconut a tablespoon at a time.
  • Brown rice flour makes this treat gluten free. However, if rice flour is unavailable, you can sub in coconut flour or cake flour.
  • The presentation of the Matterhorn Macaroon is not consistent. Sometimes there has been a powdery-like top to the white chocolate. I’ve also had it with sugar crystals on top. Feel free to decorate yours however you’d like!
  • Recipe can be halved if desired.
  • Macaroons can be frozen in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator to enjoy the next day.

Mandalorian Macarons

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Mandalorian Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com
  • These treats were inspired by Disney’s The Mandalorian show.

We love macarons around here. LOVE THEM. But most of the recipes we’ve done require some design work. Not today. Why? Because we’ve been inspired by a simple recipe we saw on t.v… and Baby Yoda.

Mandalorian Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

Yes, if you’ve been watching The Mandalorian these past few weeks (and if not, I don’t think this is a spoiler), then you spotted that cute little baby munching on.. macarons. They weren’t given a name in the show, so we’re calling them Manadalorian Macarons. Although, if you head to Williams Sonoma they’ve dubbed them Nevarro Nummies™️. And not to be a cantankerous fan, but I have a few issues with the ones they’re selling. But mostly, after the price point, the color is WRONG. They’re grey! Well, blue-grey, but still…

On the show they’re just the plain cookies, not filled. I’m showing both since everything is better with frosting. Also, Americolor makes a turquoise food gel color that is just perfect here and I’m linking to that because I’m so in love with it.

Mandalorian Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

If you’ve made some of my macaron recipes before, then you might notice I’ve included a new ingredient in the list: meringue powder. I got this tip from the Dessert for Two blog and I’ve noticed that it’s improved the stability of my egg whites when making french macarons. This ingredient is optional, but I’ve found the batter more forgiving with this addition.

Mandalorian Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

If your kids are comfortable with a piping bag, they can help pipe the macarons. They can also help pipe frosting as well if you’re doing that (you should totally do that).

As always, please check out all the tips after the recipe. This is the way.

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Mandalorian Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

Mandalorian Macarons

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: Apx. 48 Mandalorian Macarons
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Description

Baby Yoda knew a good thing when he saw it, and now you can enjoy your own Mandalorian Macarons at home with this no fail recipe! Inspired by the Mandalorian television show.

Ingredients

Scale

For the macarons:

For the buttercream (optional):

  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon heavy cream, milk, or nondairy milk

Specialty Items:

Instructions

For the macarons:

  1. Line two open sided cookie sheets with parchment. Set aside.
  2. In a food processor, pulse together the almond flour and powdered sugar. If you do not have a food processor, sift well to combine. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a mixer, add egg whites and salt and whisk on low until foamy. Then slowly pour in the meringue powder and increase speed to medium.
  4. When soft peaks appear, add in granulated sugar. Now whip just until just about stiff peaks form.
  5. Add in food coloring to the bowl and slowly mix to incorporate (I sometimes take the whisk attachment off and just stir by hand. Don’t worry about streaks at this point as you’ll mix more when you add dry ingredients in).
  6. Sift a third of the dry mixture into the egg whites and fold until barely incorporated, about 10 turns. Repeat twice with remaining dry mix. Mix gently until all of the almond mixture has been absorbed and there are no visible lumps in batter. Then continue to fold the mixture, pushing the batter against the sides of the bowl and scraping until it falls off your spoon in ribbons like cake batter. (This technique for mixing is called macaronage and I highly suggest looking up some videos on this if you’re serious about getting a great macaron.)
  7. Add batter into a piping bag and pipe circles onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Let the batter sit about 30 minutes to 1 hour. You want the macarons to form a skin, so that when you touch them, no batter comes off on your finger.
  8. Preheat your oven to 325°f about 15 minutes before your cookies are ready to bake.
  9. Bake the cookies about 10-11 minutes, turning the cookie sheet around about halfway through.
    Mandalorian Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com
  10. Cool on the sheet and store in an airtight container.

For the buttercream (optional):

  1. If frosting, fully cool to room temperature before decorating.
  2. Cream the butter in a mixer until light and fluffy; about 1 – 2 minutes.
  3. Add in powdered sugar and mix until all the sugar is incorporated.
  4. Pour in vanilla and cream/milk and beat again for an additional 30 seconds.
  5. Spread filling between two cookie halves and sandwich together. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Meringue powder helps to ensure stability with your egg whites. It helps them form better, and less likely to deflate when mixing in the dry ingredients. This ingredient is optional.
  • Sifting the almond flour and powdered sugar together is necessary for the absorption of oils and to prevent clumping of batter.
  • Using gel based food coloring will give a much deeper, and vibrant color, than standard food dye.
  • An open sided cookie sheet allows air to move freely and your macarons will cook more evenly.
  • Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to one week.
Mandalorian Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

Raspberry Rose Mickey Macarons

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Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • This treat can be found at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe in Disneyland.

Right now I’m missing so many Disneyland treats being stuck at home during this quarantine. Although I love the specialty treats, some of the perennial treats are those I long for the most. One of those treats is the Raspberry Rose Mickey Mouse Macaron, and that’s what we’re making today.

Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

I received a package of raspberries in my grocery delivery this past week and finally made that extra step to stick them in a vinegar bath to make them last longer. I wanted them to last a few days so I could try out a few techniques for making macarons during this bizarre food shortage, although this week I’ve been happy to report that eggs seem to be plentiful on the grocery shelves, at least here in LA. So perhaps the panic buying is starting to slow down now.

And let’s talk about replacing egg whites here! The good news is that if you don’t have fresh eggs you can make a macaron. The bad news is that many issues can arise and that I never really got them looking perfect. The first substitute I considered was aquafaba. Aquafaba is a fancy name for the liquid of cooked chickpeas. I’ve written extensively about using aquafaba in place of egg whites in cocktails on my other site and have also found this a great substitute for meringues. However, when making macarons I found them to be less stable than egg whites. I had instances of macaron batter leaking and tops cracking. And then I tried using pasteurized carton egg whites. Again, many wrinkled tops and unstable shells. They were definitely edible and held their shape, but did not have the smooth, risen tops I would have like to see. So, if you just want some cookies and aren’t too picky about how they look, and don’t have fresh eggs, you can consider one of these subs. I’ve included all the substitutions in the recipe below.

Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Now on to the flavor of these. Raspberry is definitely the most dominant flavor with these macarons. The rose I’ve always found so faint it was hardly detectable. At home though, you can adjust to your own liking. I wouldn’t though go too overboard with the rose water as it can overpower the whole treat. If fresh raspberries are hard to come by right now, sub in some raspberry jam in the center, or mix right in to the buttercream.

Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Kids can help pipe the macarons (even if they don’t do Mickey Mouse they can make some shapes). They can also help assemble the cookie as well.

One last note I’ll leave here is the glittery decoration on the outside of the macaron; this is called luster dust (or edible glitter). First, I only had silver so that’s what ended up on the macarons today. It is usually gold but I wasn’t doing an Amazon order just for one tiny container. Second, decorating works best with a high proof alcohol. I know that some states don’t allow certain high proofs, so use what you got. I happened to have a bottle of Everclear from another project and that is 95 proof. You want a higher proof to quickly evaporate and just leave the glitter on the macaron without leaving the cookie soggy. Remember, this is totally optional too! The cookie tastes great without the glitter.

Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

I’ve highlighted these notes in the notes section below. Also, if you are having lots of issues with the macarons not looking like how you’d expect, I’d highly suggest you YouTube some real time macaron making videos to see techniques. Sometimes seeing is better to understand than reading.

Icon

3 inch mickey macaron template

1 file(s) 86.41 KB
Download

Ok, let’s bake!

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Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Raspberry Rose Mickey Macarons

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 3 Raspberry Rose Mickey Macarons 1x
Print Recipe

Description

These Mickey Mouse shaped macarons are filled with sweet-tart raspberry buttercream and a hint of rose. A Disneyland-inspired treat.

Ingredients

Scale

For the macarons:

  • 130 g (1 cup plus 3 tablespoons) almond flour
  • 130 g (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) powdered sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 90 g egg whites (about 3 large egg whites)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 100 g (6 tablespoons) superfine sugar
  • 2 drops red food gel (Americolor Super Red used here)

For the filling and decoration:

  • 114 g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup or 2 medium egg whites
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon raspberry extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon rose water, optional
  • 9–12 whole raspberries
  • gold luster dust
  • Everclear or neutral high proof spirit

Specialty Tools:

Instructions

For the macarons:

  1. First sift the almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt back and forth four times between two bowls using a mesh strainer. Set aside.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Using a pencil, trace 6 Mickey Mouses uses the cutter as a guide, leaving at least an 1″ between shapes. Flip parchment over so that you can still see outlines, but the graphite will not transfer to macarons. Set aside. Or print out our free template linked above and slip under the parchment. Pipe on parchment and remove template gently before baking.
    Mickey Mouse Mummy Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add in the egg white and whisk until slightly foamy. Add in the cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks appear. Then slowly pour in the sugar. Whisk on high until stiff peaks form, adding in the food gel right at the end.
    Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com
  4. Sift a third of the dry mixture into the egg whites and fold until barely incorporated, about 10 turns. Repeat twice with remaining dry mix. Mix gently until all of the almond mixture has been absorbed and there are no visible lumps in batter. Then continue to fold the mixture, pushing the batter against the sides of the bowl and scraping until it falls off your spoon in ribbons like cake batter. (This technique for mixing is called macaronage and I highly suggest looking up some videos on this if you’re serious about getting a great macaron.)
  5. Add batter into a piping bag and pipe shapes onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Let the batter sit about 30 minutes to 1 hour. You want the macarons to form a skin, so that when you touch them, no batter comes off on your finger.
  6. Preheat your oven to 350°f. Place cookies in oven to bake, and then lower the temperature to 320°f. Cook for 17-18 minutes.
  7. Let the macarons cool at least 20-30 minutes before decorating.

For the filling and decoration:

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine egg whites, sugar, and salt over a medium saucepan filled with 1/2″ of water.
  2. Bring the water to a simmer while constantly whisking the mixture. Once the mixture reaches 160°f, remove the bowl from the pan.
  3. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture until it forms stiff peaks.
  4. Then, add chunks of the butter in, one at a time, until incorporated into the mixture, scraping down the bowl a few times during mixing.
  5. Add in the raspberry extract and rose extract if using and beat an additional 30 seconds.
  6. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag. Cut off the tip and pipe on one side of the macaron in three circles. Set aside and repeat with remaining macaron halves.
  7. Next, place 3-4 fresh raspberries into the buttercream and top with the other half of the macaron. Set aside.
  8. Mix together 1/2 teaspoon of a neutral high proof spirit (like Everclear, or a high proof unflavored vodka) and a 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of the luster dust. Mix together with a clean paintbrush and tap off any excess liquid and then paint a stripe across the top of the macaron. Repeat with the others.
  9. These can be eaten straight away, or sealed in an air tight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

Notes

  • Sifting the almond flour and powdered sugar together is necessary for the absorption of oils and to prevent clumping of batter.
  • As mentioned in the copy above, aquafaba can be subbed 1:1 for egg whites however macarons are not as stable. Carton pasteurized egg whites may also be used, but make sure they are solely egg whites and be aware that some brands add water in which will weaken the meringue and you may not reach stiff peaks or also have issues with stability in baking.
    Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com
  • Using gel based food coloring will give a much deeper, and vibrant color, than standard food dye.
  • Any left over macaron batter can be piped into smaller cookies and baked off for 15 minutes.
  • Swiss buttercream heats the egg whites to 160°f to kill off any bacteria.
  • Leftover buttercream can be stored in the fridge up to two weeks, brought to room temperature, and whipped before using. It can also be stored in the freezer up to 3 months.
  • Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to one week.
Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Valentine Heart Macaron

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Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • This seasonal treat is available at Clarabelle’s in Disney California Adventure Park.

This past week, Disneyland released a bevy of pink and red treats in anticipation of Valentine’s Day and their after hours Sweethearts’ Nite. But what summed up this holiday the most for me (in treat form) was the oversized red and white heart macarons. And that’s what we’re making today!

Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com

It’s a giant macaron heart, with a surprise strawberry jam filled center surrounded by strawberry buttercream and decorated with tiny candy hearts. I think it would make a sweet gift for a loved one (and you bet I’m gifting myself a few of these too..).

These use the classic macaron base (with a little food coloring), store bought or homemade strawberry jam, and a Swiss meringue buttercream frosting flavored with that same strawberry jam. Using a Swiss meringue buttercream, as opposed to an American style buttercream, yields a light and slightly sweet frosting that pipes beautifully and softens quickly out of the fridge. Yes, you need to whip out a double boiler to warm your egg whites here, but American buttercream would be much too sweet alongside the jam and the cookies. Trust me, it’s worth dirtying a few extra pans.

Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com

You could freehand pipe the hearts out, however, to make it easy on you all, I’ve gone ahead and created another FREE printable sheet you can download below to make the hearts. You’ll need to print two as this recipe yields around 8 heart macarons. Or you can enlarge on your printer and make bigger cookies. That would also work!

Icon

3 inch heart template

1 file(s) 88.45 KB
Download
Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com

More experienced kid bakers can help pipe out shapes, mix batters, weigh out ingredients by themselves, and younger hands can plop jam and decorate with the sprinkle hearts.

Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com

Lots of notes after the recipe as macarons can sometimes be a bit finicky, but you’ll get through this and create something awesome! Now let’s make some sweets for our sweets!

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Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com

Valentine Macaron

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 8–10 Heart Macarons 1x
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Description

Oversized heart-shaped macarons filled with strawberry Swiss buttercream and strawberry jam are a special sweet for your valentine. A Disneyland-inspired treat.

Ingredients

Scale

For the macarons:

  • 180g (2 cups) almond flour
  • 240g (2 cups) powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 140g egg whites, from about 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 80g (6 tablespoons) granulated sugar
  • red gel food coloring, like Americolor

For the filling:

  • 35g egg whites, from about 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup (67 g) sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 4 tablespoons strawberry jelly or jam, divided

For the decoration:

Special Tools:

Instructions

  1. First sift the almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt back and forth twice between two bowls using a mesh strainer. Alternatively you can pulse a few times in a food processor as well. Set aside.
  2. Line two baking sheets with parchment and place the templates underneath if using. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add in the egg white and whisk until slightly foamy about 30 seconds on medium speed. Add in the cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks appear. Then slowly pour in the sugar. Whisk on high until stiff peaks form, about 1-2 minutes more.
    Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com
  4. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
  5. Sift half of the dry mixture into the egg whites and fold until barely incorporated, about 10 turns. Repeat with remaining dry mix. Fold until batter forms a ribbon when dropped into bowl.
  6. Add 1/2 of the batter into a piping bag and pipe out the white heart shapes, banging the sheet pan on the counter 2 or 3 times to remove any air bubbles.
  7. Next add two drops of red food coloring into the batter still in the bowl. Mix until no white streaks remain. (Batter will look light red in color but will bake bright red when finished.)
  8. Pour the red batter into a new piping bag and cut the tip off the bag. Pipe out the red hearts, banging the sheet pan on the counter 2 or 3 times to remove any air bubbles.
  9. Let both sheets of hearts rest 45 minutes on the counter. Do not cover.
  10. Preheat your oven to 350°f. Place cookies in oven to bake, and lower the temperature to 300°f. Cook for 17-18 minutes.
    Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com
  11. Let the macarons cool at least 20-30 minutes before filling.

For the buttercream:

  1. First make the Swiss strawberry buttercream frosting by whisking the egg whites, sugar, and salt together over a double boiler (or bowl set over simmering water on the stove), until temperature reaches 160°f.
  2. Pour heated egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until stiff peaks form.
  3. When the bowl is cool to the touch, add the butter, one piece at a time, whipping between pieces to incorporate butter, but not fully mixing it in.
  4. Next, add in vanilla and strawberry jam. Whip everything on high until smooth.

To decorate:

  1. Place the frosting in a piping bag and pipe out along inside edges of the white macarons, leaving a center well to fill with the jam. *You may have leftover frosting. Storage instructions in notes below.
  2. Fill the wells with a small amount of jam.
    Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com
  3. Place red hearts on top of the filled white hearts.
  4. Then, over a bowl, sprinkle heart decorettes on the outside of the macarons where the frosting is. Set aside and repeat until all macarons are decorated. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Sifting the almond flour and powdered sugar together is necessary for the absorption of oils and to prevent clumping of batter.
  • Using gel based food coloring will give a much deeper, and vibrant color, than standard food dye.
  • Any left over macaron batter can be piped into smaller cookies and baked off for 15 minutes.
  • Swiss buttercream heats the egg whites to 160°f to kill off any bacteria.
  • Leftover buttercream can be stored in the fridge up to two weeks, brought to room temperature, and whipped before using. It can also be stored in the freezer up to 3 months.
  • Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to one week.
Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com

Hot Cocoa Macaron

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Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • This holiday treat was part of the Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure Park.

Welcome back and Happy New Year! Are you in need of a comforting treat? Me too. Sometimes January can feel like someone let the air out of the balloon. There’s the big let down after all the holiday food and decorations have been put away for the year. And yeah, maybe there’s still a little of that, but now January marks the cozy season for me. Also, my youngest celebrates a birthday at the end of the month…. so I’m still party planning even after I put away the Christmas decorations.

Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Our first treat of 2020 is like a warm sweater by the fire in cookie form: the Hot Cocoa Macaron! This oversized cookie was part of the Festival of Holidays celebration at DCA and you could have found this at the Making Spirits Bright kiosk.

It really did remind me of the flavors of a cup of hot cocoa, I think part of that was the combination of chocolates, especially the milk chocolate filling with semisweet ganache center. The mound of mini marshmallows on top didn’t hurt either.

Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

I love making macarons. (We have two other recipes on the site if you’re looking for more after this too!) They require a little patience and technique but honestly, they’re pretty quick to put together and they definitely wow people when you tell them you made them. If you’re looking ahead towards Valentine’s Day presents, these would be a pretty special gift (I might just gift myself another batch…).

I have a whole new set of tips and tricks with these, as the addition of cocoa powder to the macaron mix changes the consistency and texture a bit. So please read through all those before starting the recipe. They will ensure you will have a good batch (and not need to make them 4 times to be perfect… like some people I know *coughcough*).

Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

BONUS! As a special gift to all of you who want to try this recipe, first, thank you, and second, I’ve made a printable template for perfectly shaped macarons. You really need both halves to match up in order to sandwich the filling, and this template will help you make sure that happens.

Icon

3 inch circle template

1 file(s) 86.61 KB
Download

I’m so excited to kick off a whole new year of treats with all of you! If there’s anything at the parks you’d like to see made on here, drop us a line in the comments below or shoot us an email!

Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com
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Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Hot Cocoa Macaron

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 3 Oversized Hot Cocoa Macarons 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Cozy up with this oversized hot cocoa inspired Macaron filled with two kinds of chocolate filling and topped with a mound of mini marshmallows and dusted with peppermint. A Disneyland-inspired recipe.

Ingredients

Scale

For the macarons:

  • 85g (1 cup minus one tablespoon) almond flour
  • 120g (1 cup) powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (8g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 70g egg whites, from about 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 40g (3 tablespoons) granulated sugar

For the chocolate ganache:

For the milk chocolate buttercream (adapted from Epicurious):

  • 1/3 cup whole milk, or milk substitute (this worked with almond milk)
  • 2 whole egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1–1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
  • 4 ounces milk chocolate, melted and cooled
  • 1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled

For the topping:

Special Tools:

Instructions

For the macarons:

  1. First sift the almond flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt back and forth four times between two bowls using a mesh strainer. Alternatively you can also pulse in a food processor 7-8 times. Set aside.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Using a pencil, trace six 3″ circles using the cutter as a guide leaving at least an 1″ between shapes. Flip parchment over so that you can still see outlines, but the graphite will not transfer to macarons. Alternatively,  place the free downloadable template (see notes above recipe for download) under the sheet of parchment. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add in the egg white and whisk on medium-low until slightly foamy, about 30 seconds. Add in the cream of tartar and whisk on medium until soft peaks appear. Then slowly pour in the sugar. Whisk on high until stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.
  4. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Sift the entire dry mixture into the egg whites. Fold them until all the dry ingredients are incorporated and no egg whites remain. Egg whites will deflate and mixture should be the consistency of cake batter when they are ready. See notes below.
  5. Add batter into a piping bag. Cut the tip off about 1/2″, and pipe shapes onto the parchment lined baking sheet keeping the tip in the center and squeezing out until about 1/4″ before the outside of the circle. Then, pick up trays about 2″ from counter and let them fall down. Repeat. This helps to remove air bubbles from the batter. Let the batter sit about 45 minutes.
  6. Preheat your oven to 350°f about 15 minutes before the rest time is finished. Place cookies in oven to bake, and then lower the temperature to 300°f. Cook for 18-20 minutes.
  7. Let the macarons cool at least 20-30 minutes before decorating.

For the ganache:

  1. In a small sauce pan, heat the heavy cream until hot (about 181°f). Turn off the heat and add in the chocolate and stir to combine.
  2. Next, add in the butter and continue to stir until everything is incorporated and smooth.
  3. Transfer to a heat proof bowl and let cool to room temperature. Then cover and refrigerate until firm (about 30 minutes).

For the milk chocolate buttercream:

  1. Heat milk in a small saucepan over moderate heat until hot. Whisk together yolks, flour, 1/4 cup confectioners sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl, then add hot milk in a stream, whisking. Transfer custard to saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat while continually whisking (about 30 seconds to one minute). Reduce heat and simmer, whisking, until mixture becomes very thick, about 30 seconds more, then transfer to a medium sized bowl. Cover surface of custard with plastic wrap and cool completely, about 45 minutes.
    Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com
  2. Add vanilla and remaining confectioners sugar to custard and beat at medium speed until combined well, then increase speed to medium-high and beat in butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, until smooth. Buttercream will look broken when mixing in butter but keep mixing and it will come together eventually!
  3. Scrape down bowl. Add chocolates and beat until combined well.

Assembly:

  1. Using a #100 disher or melon baller, scoop out small circle of ganache and place in the center of the macron bottom. Repeat with remaining macarons. See notes below for storing leftover ganache.
  2. Fill a piping bag 1/2 with frosting, cut about 1/2″ from the tip of the bag, and pipe circles of frosting around in a spiral until you hit the ganache center. Repeat with remaining macarons. See notes below for storing leftover frosting.
    Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com
  3. Place macaron tops gently to form cookies sandwiches. Set aside.
  4. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave inside a microwave safe bowl, like glass, for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave again for an additional 30 seconds. Keep stirring and microwaving in short bursts of 15-20 seconds until melted and smooth. Spoon a small mound in the center top of each macaron. Place the mini marshmallows on top to set. Drizzle a small amount of the white chocolate on top and then sprinkle crushed peppermint on the tops of each macaron.
  5. Wait about 10 minutes for the chocolate to set and then enjoy!

Bonus! Making the white flames:

  1. Any left over melted white chocolate can be thinly spread on a sheet of parchment in the shape of a flame. Refrigerate 5 to 10 minutes to set. Remove from refrigerator and gently remove from the parchment. These can be placed on top of the macarons to resemble the decorations at DCA.
    Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Notes

  • Sifting the almond flour and powdered sugar together is necessary for the absorption of oils and to prevent clumping of batter.
  • When mixing the macaron batter, you want to push the batter against the side of the bowl to help mix and deflate the egg whites. The cocoa powder will dry out the mixture and you will want to keep mixing more than a normal batch of macarons.
  • Do not pipe all the way to the edge of the circle as the batter will spread a bit while resting.
  • If you want a smooth top to the macaron, besides dropping the sheet pan to get out air bubbles, how you pipe is also important. Position your piping bag over the center of the circle and continually squeeze out batter until you fill 3/4 of the circle. If you pipe in a spiral, you will have noticeable lines on the top. You can use a damp, not wet, finger to push down any batter that sticks up. See below.
    Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com
  • Any additional air bubbles that are not removed from the drop onto the counter can be poked with a scribe or toothpick before resting.
  • Any left over macaron batter can be piped into smaller cookies and baked off for 15 minutes.
  • If you are having any technical issues still with your macarons, I highly suggest looking up some tutorial videos on YouTube (that is until we have some of our own up!).
  • Leftover buttercream can be stored in the fridge up to one week, brought to room temperature, and whipped before using. It can also be stored in the freezer up to 3 months.
  • Leftover ganache can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks.
  • Macarons can be stored in the refrigerator up to one week. Let them sit 10-15 minutes to come to room temp before enjoying.

5 Minute Treats: Peppermint Affogato

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Peppermint Affogato // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • This holiday time treat is available at Schmoozies! inside California Adventure.

What?! Another new series this week on the site?! YES! Today we’re launching what I hope will be a new series that will appear on here from time to time: 5 Minute Treats. And today we’re starting with this Peppermint Affogato.

Peppermint Affogato // magicaltreatsathome.com

What is an affogato? An affogato is an Italian dessert that consists of two delicious things: ice cream (or gelato) and espresso. And while it may be a simple recipe, the end result is anything but simple. Over at Schmoozies! in DCA, they regularly have the classic vanilla topped with a large pour of espresso, but this holiday season, they had both a peppermint ice cream and a cinnamon-sugar (churro!) ice cream option.

Peppermint Affogato // magicaltreatsathome.com

The peppermint ice cream affogato was just pure deliciousness, with the hot espresso slowly melting my peppermint candy specked pink ice cream, it came a whole other flavor once combined. The slightly bitter espresso was tamed by the sweetness of the ice cream and I found myself slurping up the whole thing unaware, or caring, who was watching me enjoy it.

Peppermint Affogato // magicaltreatsathome.com

But here’s why I’m giving you this “recipe” today. It’s holiday time, but that doesn’t mean you have to make complicated desserts. Especially when something simple like this tastes just so good. If you’re neck-deep in cookies and just want something easy to make, this is it. Bust this out after a meal and no one is going to ask you how long it took to make, or “is this it?”, because they’ll be too busy scarfing it down.

Peppermint Affogato // magicaltreatsathome.com

My hope with these “5 Minute Treats” is that you give yourself the space to not always feel like treats need to be complicated. They can be simple, but these recipes will always be good. I hope you enjoy one of these Peppermint Affogatos tonight or this weekend. Maybe treat yourself while you start wrapping presents and need an extra boost of caffeine (and that’s exactly what I did this week). Enjoy!

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Peppermint Affogato // magicaltreatsathome.com

5 Minute Treats: Peppermint Affogato

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  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 Peppermint Affogato 1x
Print Recipe

Description

This two-ingredient creamy Peppermint Affogato comes together in just minutes! A Disneyland-inspired treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1–2 scoops peppermint ice cream (with the candy pieces!)
  • 1 shot espresso, freshly made

Extra Tools

Instructions

  1. Brew your espresso shot.
  2. Scoop out ice cream into a heat proof glass mug or small bowl.
  3. Pour espresso over the ice cream and enjoy!

Notes

  • We are Nespresso users at home, so I found that a regular shot was plenty. The lungo shot was a bit too much and melted the ice cream more than I desired creating a warm soup.
  • If you want to make a batch for a party, portion out ice cream into small cups and freeze ahead of time. When ready to serve, brew lungo shots in a large measuring glass with a spout. Then you can pour small amounts of espresso all at once into each cup.
Peppermint Affogato // magicaltreatsathome.com

Mickey Mummy Macarons

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Mickey Mouse Mummy Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • This treat can be found at the Jolly Holiday Bakery in Disneyland.

Need a spooky treat for a Halloween party? Well, these cookies and cream Mickey Mouse shaped Mummy Macarons would be a delicious addition to any cookie spread.

Mickey Mouse Mummy Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

If the idea of French-style macarons scare you silly, don’t be afraid! You just need a gentle hand and these come together fairly easily. One tip I will have for making filled cookies like this, that need a top and a bottom, is that you should really use a stencil to map out how big to make them. Then they’ll all be uniform in size. Just remember to turn the parchment sheet over before you pipe them or you’ll get the outline on your cookies when you bake them (I speak from experience here. Whoops!).

Mickey Mouse Mummy Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

These macarons are not overpoweringly sweet. I hold back on the sugar in the actual cookie part so that you taste more of the center filling. I feel like that gives the overall treat a nice balance. If you feel like this is not sweet enough for you, feel free to add another tablespoon of sugar into the mix.

Mickey Mouse Mummy Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

Once these are baked, kids here can help fill and assemble them. An adult should help melt the candy melts, but since it only ever gets warm, not hot, small hands can hold the piping bag, or spoon, to help create the decorations.

BONUS: now you can create perfectly shaped Mickey macarons without a cookie cutter. Print out our 3″ Mickey Macaron template below and just slip under your parchment when piping! Easy!

Icon

3 inch mickey macaron template

1 file(s) 86.41 KB
Download

So let’s get in the kitchen and make these chewy, creamy, sweet treats for Halloween time! Boo to you!

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Mickey Mouse Mummy Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

Mickey Mummy Macarons

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 3 large Mickey Mummy Macarons 1x
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Description

Enjoy these cookies and cream filled Mickey Mouse Mummy Macarons this Halloween season, or any time of year! A Disneyland-inspired treat.

Ingredients

Scale

For the macarons:

  • 90g (1 cup) almond flour
  • 120g (1 cup) powdered sugar
  • 70g egg whites, from about 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 40g (3 tablespoons) granulated sugar

For the filling:

  • 35g egg whites, from about 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup (67 g) sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 3–4 Oreo cookies, crumbled into fine pieces, divided
  • 1 drop black food gel paste

Special Tools:

Instructions

For the macarons:

  1. First sift the almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt back and forth four times between two bowls using a mesh strainer. Set aside.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Using a pencil, trace 6 Mickey Mouses uses the cutter as a guide, leaving at least an 1″ between shapes. Flip parchment over so that you can still see outlines, but the graphite will not transfer to macarons. Set aside.
    Mickey Mouse Mummy Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add in the egg white and whisk until slightly foamy. Add in the cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks appear. Then slowly pour in the sugar. Whisk on high until stiff peaks form.
    Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com
  4. Sift a third of the dry mixture into the egg whites and fold until barely incorporated, about 10 turns. Repeat twice with remaining dry mix. Mix gently until all of the almond mixture has been absorbed and there are no visible lumps in batter.
  5. Add batter into a piping bag and pipe shapes onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Let the batter sit about 1 hour.
    Mickey Mouse Mummy Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com
  6. Preheat your oven to 350°f. Place cookies in oven to bake, and then lower the temperature to 300°f. Cook for 17-18 minutes.
  7. Let the macarons cool at least 20-30 minutes before decorating.
    Mickey Mouse Mummy Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

For the filling and decoration:

  1. First make the Swiss cookies and cream buttercream frosting by stirring the egg whites, sugar, and salt together over a double boiler (or bowl set over simmering water on the stove), until temperature reaches 160°f.
  2. Pour heated egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until glossy, soft peaks form.
  3. When the bowl is cool to the touch, add the butter, one piece at a time, whipping between pieces to incorporate butter, but not fully mixing it in.
  4. Next, add in vanilla extract and black food coloring. Whip everything on high until smooth.
  5. Then, add in 2/3 of the Oreo cookie pieces and stir until well combined.
  6. Place the frosting in a piping bag (with either a round tip attached, or just the tip of the bag cut off) and pipe filling onto bottom half of the macaron. *You may have leftover frosting. Storage instructions in notes below.
  7. Sprinkle reserved cookie pieces on top of the frosting and lightly press the other macaron to top.
  8. Next, melt the white candy melts in the microwave inside a microwave safe bowl, like glass, for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave again for an additional 30 seconds. Keep stirring and microwaving in short bursts of 15-20 seconds until melted and smooth. Use can alternatively use a double boiler for melting.
  9. Transfer to a piping bag with the tip cut off, or using a spoon, drizzle over the top of the macaron in a crisscross pattern.
  10. Put two small dots of candy melts where you want the eyes and place the M&M’s there. Then make a small dot in the center of the M&M’s.
  11. Let the macarons set for about 15-20 minutes then enjoy!

Notes

  • Sifting the almond flour and powdered sugar together is necessary for the absorption of oils and to prevent clumping of batter.
  • Any left over macaron batter can be piped into smaller cookies and baked off for 15 minutes.
  • Swiss buttercream heats the egg whites to 160°f to kill off any bacteria.
  • Leftover buttercream can be stored in the fridge up to two weeks, brought to room temperature, and whipped before using. It can also be stored in the freezer up to 3 months.
  • Macarons can be stored in the refrigerator up to one week. Let them sit 10-15 minutes to come to room temp before enjoying.
Mickey Mouse Mummy Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

MSEP Ladybug Macarons

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Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • This treat can be found at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe in Disneyland.

This past summer, Disneyland brought back the beloved Main Street Electrical Parade (MSEP) for a short run, ending September 30th. Besides the thousands of glittering lights, they also brought out a slew of tasty treats to commemorate the event. Like the giant Ladybug Macaron.

Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

This treat is not new to the park, and was last seen in 2017 during a longer run of the MSEP, and I’m sure will be ending its run at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe when the parade closes. But now that we’ve recreated the recipe, you can enjoy it again until the next (hopefully longer) run of the parade returns!

Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

This oversized ladybug-shaped macaron is filled with strawberry buttercream, strawberry jelly, and freeze dried strawberry pieces. These are also gluten free, as the cookies are made using ground almonds and no gluten containing flour if that’s an issue.

Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

I’ve included some additional notes below the recipe, so please read all the way through before making these. However, I will point out that sifting the almond flour and the powdered sugar together is a must. It might seem crazy to sift it four times, but you need that amount of sifting to make sure the sugar has absorbed the oils from the almonds otherwise it will be clumpy. Also, working with egg whites means you need to have a gentle hand when folding in the mix, or even pouring in the sugar. Patience and steadiness will result in great puffy macarons.

Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

BONUS: Download our printable template for these Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons below! Perfectly shaped and spaced, with outlines for both colors. Never worry about mismatched macaron halves!

Icon

4 inch MSEP ladybug template

1 file(s) 89 KB
Download

Questions? Leave them in the comments below and you’ll probably be helping out another reader! Now let’s bake!

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Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

MSEP Ladybug Macarons

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 3–4 large macarons 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Oversized ladybug shaped macarons with three kinds of strawberry filling to commemorate the Main Street Electrical Parade. A Disneyland-inspired treat.

Ingredients

Scale

For the black macarons:

  • 67g (apx. 3/4 cup) almond flour
  • 90g (apx. 3/4 cup) powdered sugar
  • 52g egg whites, from about 1–1/2 eggs
  • 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 30g (1–1/2 heaping tablespoons) granulated sugar
  • gel based black food dye

For the red macarons:

  • 645g (apx. 1/2 cup) almond flour
  • 60g (apx. 1/2 cup) powdered sugar
  • 35g egg whites, from about 1 large egg
  • 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 20g (1–1/4 heaping tablespoons) granulated sugar
  • gel based red food dye

For the filling:

  • 35g egg whites, from about 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup (52 g) sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon of strawberry extract (or bakery emulsion)
  • 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 2 tablespoons strawberry jelly or jam
  • 1 teaspoon freeze dried strawberry pieces

Special Tools:

Instructions

For the black macarons:

  1. First sift the almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt back and forth four times between two bowls using a mesh strainer. Set aside.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add in the egg white and whisk until slightly foamy. Add in the cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks appear. Then slowly pour in the sugar. Whisk on high until stiff peaks form.
    Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com
  4. Add in four drops of the black food coloring to the egg whites and slowly whisk to combine. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
  5. Sift a third of the dry mixture into the colored egg whites and fold until barely incorporated, about 10 turns. Repeat twice with remaining dry mix. Fold until batter forms a ribbon when dropped into bowl.
  6. Add about 1/4 of the batter into a piping bag and set aside. Pour remaining batter into a new piping bag and cut the tip off the bag. You want it large enough to pipe out the large ladybugs.
  7. Pipe the bottom lady bug shape onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Let the batter sit about 1 hour.
  8. Preheat your oven to 350°f. Place cookies in oven to bake, and lower the temperature to 300°f. Cook for 17-18 minutes.
  9. Let the macarons cool at least 20-30 minutes before decorating.

For the red macarons:

  1. Follow steps 1-5 above, adding in RED food coloring instead of the black.
  2. Place all the batter into a piping bag, cut the tip of the bag, and pipe out the top ladybug halves as circles.
  3. Using the black macaron batter that was set aside, pipe heads and spots on the red batter to represent ladybugs.
  4. Again, let batter sit for one hour and follow cooking directions from above.
    Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

For the filling:

  1. First make the Swiss strawberry buttercream frosting by stirring the egg whites, sugar, and salt together over a double boiler (or bowl set over simmering water on the stove), until temperature reaches 160°f.
  2. Pour heated egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until stiff peaks form.
  3. When the bowl is cool to the touch, add the butter, one piece at a time, whipping between pieces to incorporate butter, but not fully mixing it in.
  4. Next, add in vanilla and strawberry extracts. Whip everything on high until smooth.
  5. Place the frosting in a piping bag and pipe out along inside edges of the black macarons, leaving a center well to fill with the jam. *You may have leftover frosting. Storage instructions in notes below.
  6. Fill well with strawberry jelly/jam and sprinkle freeze-dried strawberry pieces on top.
  7. Attach top and enjoy!

Notes

  • Sifting the almond flour and powdered sugar together is necessary for the absorption of oils and to prevent clumping of batter.
  • Using gel based food coloring will give a much deeper, and vibrant color, than standard food dye.
  • Any left over macaron batter can be piped into smaller cookies and baked off for 15 minutes.
  • Swiss buttercream heats the egg whites to 160°f to kill off any bacteria.
  • Leftover buttercream can be stored in the fridge up to two weeks, brought to room temperature, and whipped before using. It can also be stored in the freezer up to 3 months.
Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

Cheshire Cat Tails

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Cheshire Cat Tail // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • These treats can be found at the Candy Palace on Main Street in Disneyland.

These sweet treats, based on the iconic pink and purple coloring of Alice in Wonderland’s Cheshire Cat, are more than meets the eye. At its base, it’s a marshmallow wand, enrobed in a layer of caramel, and then dipped in pink colored white chocolate. The white chocolate is strawberry flavored, and the whole thing is finished with stripes of purple sanding sugar held on with white chocolate.

Cheshire Cat Tail // magicaltreatsathome.com
Wands on the left have have had excess caramel removed. Wands on the right were placed immediately onto sheet without excess caramel removed.

While these marshmallow wands might seem straightforward, there is actually a lot of temperature control needed, as well as precise ingredients. Why? Because we’re dealing with caramel and chocolate.

Now, admittedly I started this recipe off with the wrong caramel recipe. See, I have this super yummy salted caramel recipe that I love. So without thinking I started there and only when I tried to dip the marshmallows in it, and it just started falling off the marshmallows, did I realize that this yummy recipe was in fact the wrong type of caramel. A soft, liquid-y caramel is not what one wants here for two reasons. One, well, it falls off the marshmallows and does not become fully solid. And two, when the not fully solid caramel hits the very warm white chocolate… it all just melts off into a puddle. Yuck.

Cheshire Cat Tail // magicaltreatsathome.com

So, melting caramels are a good bet here. And on second try this was the perfect solution to getting a firm caramel that held up to being dipped in warm chocolate. Alternatively, there are homemade caramel recipes out there that will become solid, you’ll just need to use that type of recipe. Usually there is corn syrup in it.

With melting chocolate, there are a few factors you need to remember. First, the type of chocolate you’re using will determine how hot you can get your temperature. White chocolate, which isn’t technically chocolate, should not go above 110°f. If you temper your chocolate you will lose its temper and you also risk burning your chocolate if you get it too hot. Also, if you get your chocolate too hot, it will start to “break” when you try to coat items like these caramel covered marshmallow wands. Check out the notes below the recipe for tips dealing with this if it happens. The trick with coating is to get it warm enough to drip off your spoon and keep it warm, not hot, for even coating.

Cheshire Cat Tail // magicaltreatsathome.com

I did say this was a “kid friendly” recipe and you might think I have lost my mind. Molten caramel! Scalding hot chocolate! What the heck?! But really, the fun part for kids is the decorating. Older kids can dip wands into the pink white chocolate because really, at the dipping point the chocolate should not be hot enough to burn skin. And small kids will have lots of fun covering their marshmallow wands with purple sprinkles. And it’s OK if adults enjoy it just as much (I do!!).

So let’s get into the kitchen and whip up a batch of Cheshire Cat Tails! They’re sure to make you grin!

Cheshire Cat Tail // magicaltreatsathome.com
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Cheshire Cat Tail // magicaltreatsathome.com

Cheshire Cat Tails

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  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 6 Cheshire Cat Tails 1x
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Description

These ooey-gooey marshmallow wands found at the Candy Palace at the Disneyland Resort are more than meets the eye! Sweet, buttery caramel covers a marshmallow wand while the whole treat get covered in strawberry flavored pink white chocolate and topped with purple sanding sugar stripes… just like the Cheshire Cat’s tail. A Disneyland-inspired treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Place four marshmallows, round side facing out, on each lollipop stick. Set aside.
  2. Place a sheet of parchment on a sheet pan. Butter it lightly and set aside.
  3. Unwrap all the caramels and add to a small saucepan. Pour water in and heat over medium-low heat.
  4. Stir constantly until everything has melted and caramels are smooth (about 7-8 minutes).
  5. Once melted (caramels should drip in a ribbon from a spoon back into the pan), dip each wand into the caramel, turning quickly to coat. Let excess caramel drip off for at least 30 seconds, turning while it drips for even coating, and then place on the buttered parchment.
  6. When all the wands have been dipped, refrigerate for thirty minutes.
  7. About 15 minutes to wands coming out of refrigerator, set up your sanding sugar station by setting out an empty wide, shallow bowl and another bowl with sanding sugar in it.
  8. Remove wands from the refrigerator. Then, in a double boiler, combine pink candy melts, strawberry flavoring, and coconut oil (this can alternatively be melted in the microwave as well. Please see notes below.). Melt over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Do not let the temperature go above 110°f (you might want to use a candy thermometer if you’re unsure).
  9. Once smooth, dip caramel covered marshmallow wands in the chocolate, turning evenly to coat and fill in any gaps. Let the pink chocolate drip back into pan and lightly scrape one side on the edge of pan to remove any additional excess. Place back on buttered parchment. Repeat for all wands and let coating dry about 30 minutes.
  10. Next, melt the white chocolate (you can melt in a heavy duty piping bag as well), and create stripes on the first marshmallow wand, and immediately pour the purple sanding sugar over the stripes, letting excess catch in the empty bowl. You can press the wand lightly into sugar if you’d like a more thicker coating (I was fine with the lighter stripes). Set aside. Repeat with additional wands. If sanding sugar adheres to the pink coating, use a small brush to brush crystals away after fully dried. Then enjoy!

Notes

  • Melted caramel is HOT! Use caution in the kitchen. Do not dip your fingers or hands into the caramel has it can adhere to skin and burn you. Keep away from children.
  • Use hot water to remove caramel from pans and utensils.
  • If you wish to microwave your candy melts, combine them with strawberry flavoring, and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl, and heat for 30 seconds on half power, stir, and continue to microwave in about 15-20 second increments until smooth.
  • If you have extra melted caramel that has dried around your wand, use kitchen shears to remove it immediately after removing from the refrigerator.
  • Did your chocolate coating break when you first dipped your wand in? Wait for the chocolate to cool down more. It should drip freely from a spoon without it seizing when the spoon is shaken slightly (will cause crevices in the chocolate on the spoon). If it breaks on the wand, your wand also might be too cool, so let them warm up more. And don’t worry, once that chocolate starts to firm up, you can dip it AGAIN into the chocolate to get a more even, although slightly thicker, coating.
Cheshire Cat Tail // magicaltreatsathome.com

Piranha Lemonade Slushy

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Piranha Lemonade Slushy // magicaltreatsathome.com
  • This beverage was part of the “Get Your Ears On” celebration at Disneyland Resort found at the Bengal Barbecue.

Part drink, part frozen treat, part molecular gastronomy wonder, the Piranha Lemonade Slushy was one of the more popular drink items during the “Get Your Ears On” celebration at the Disneyland Resort. Part of the fun of drinking this was the pomegranate and lychee “popping pearls” that were found on top…and you can actually make those at home!

Piranha Lemonade Slushy // magicaltreatsathome.com

But I’m not going to lie here, it might not be that easy for someone to casually make these. In fact, this post had to keep getting pushed back for more and more R&D as I worked out a few ways you could make these. In the end, I also found out that the popping pearls can be bought on Amazon. And really, unless you really want to try some culinary experiments at home, you should probably just pick up a pack. But for those of you who’d like to try your hand at this cool way to turn a liquid into a jelly sphere… keep reading!

Piranha Lemonade Slushy // magicaltreatsathome.com
Popping pearls on the left. Homemade spheres on the right.

Molecular Gastronomy, which combines science and the culinary arts, has been popular for quite a long time and I’m not surprised to see Disney experimenting with this fun way to “play” with your food. Now, they might not be doing too much experimenting, and chances are they’re buying these little guys in bulk (which would be waaaaay more cost and time effective). But that doesn’t mean you have to.

Piranha Lemonade Slushy // magicaltreatsathome.com

Now, if you are interested, you will need three things that you might not own in your kitchen: a scale that can measure grams, calcium lactate gluconate, and sodium alginate. And don’t worry, Amazon has all of these (and I’ve listed them all in the recipe below)! In fact, there are a few companies that offer kits for creating these popping pearls, otherwise known as spherification or reverse spherification. I prefer to use the frozen reverse spherification method as I find this more forgiving when making the popping pearls.

Initially I was going to suggest using reverse spherification because that is the technique I learned to use years ago when I was working with chefs doing this. However, in a home environment, I now, after running through this many times over the past couple of weeks, suggest the frozen method. It’s simply way easier to get a sphere to form.

Piranha Lemonade Slushy // magicaltreatsathome.com

Since these techniques are quite detailed I’m linking out to the sites whose products and instructions I used so that you can see the breakdown of how they suggest forming the spheres. Also, I HIGHLY suggest that you watch a few videos online on technique. For example, instructions will tell you to swirl the spherification bath after you drop in your liquid. But if you don’t start swirling that water immediately, it’s going to stick to the bottom of your pan. So, just watch the steps a few times before you proceed.

Another option, if you don’t want to buy the popping pearls, and you don’t want to make your own spheres, is to partially freeze the syrups so that they form balls, but don’t freeze all the way, so they sort of break open, but don’t pop. You can use the sphere ice cube tray listed below to freeze the spheres for the spherification process, or to just freeze them.

Piranha Lemonade Slushy // magicaltreatsathome.com

OH and hey! There’s also a slushy here too that all these popping pearls are sitting on top of! Well, my local grocery store sells a mango lemonade that I added fresh pineapple juice into and that worked out great. This was in lieu of using a separate mango juice and making lemonade from scratch. It’s all up to you whether you’d prefer to make it all fresh, some fresh, or all store-bought. Just use what tastes good to you and it will taste good in the end.

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Piranha Lemonade Slushy // magicaltreatsathome.com

Piranha Lemonade Slushy

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  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 2 lemonades 1x
Print Recipe

Description

A tropical blend of mango and pineapple lemonade slushy with lychee and pomegranate popping pearls. A Disneyland-inspired treat from the “Get Your Ears On” celebration.

Ingredients

Scale

For the slushy:

  • 3 cups mango lemonade, divided
  • 1 cup pineapple juice, divided

For the popping pearls:

OR

Pineapple wedge for garnish

Specialty Tools:

Instructions

For the slushy:

  1. First pour 2 cups of the mango lemonade and 1/2 cup of the pineapple juice into a gallon sized freezer bag. Lay flat and freeze at least 6 hours until solid.
  2. When frozen, use a rolling pin to break up into smaller frozen chunks. Add to a blender or food processor. Pour in remaining mango lemonade and pineapple juice. Blend to desired consistency. Set aside.

For the popping pearls:

  1. If you are making the pearls using the reverse spherification method, follow all the directions for that on the ChefSteps site below.Otherwise proceed to next step.
    1. Spherification Bath
    2. Frozen Reverse Spherification

Assembly:

  1. Add some popping pearls to the bottom of two pint glasses.
  2. Pour pineapple mango lemonade between two pint glasses.
  3. Top with more popping pearls and garnish with a pineapple slice. Enjoy with a wide straw!

Notes

  • Distilled water is necessary here, as regular tap water will congeal when introduced to the Sphere Magic powder.
  • Let the spherification bath sit at least a few hours for the Sphere Magic to get absorbed and for all the air bubbles to disappear. 
  • Swirling the spherification bath immediately after dispersing the calcium lactate gluconate infused syrups will prevent the sphere from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  • I prefer a food processor to blend my frozen drinks now. Pulsing will make the ice fluffier and more of a “slushy” consistency than a standard blender.
  • Regular sized straws will be too narrow to suck up popping pearls. Use a wide straw or boba straw.
Piranha Lemonade Slushy // magicaltreatsathome.com