Magical Treats at Home

macarons

Mandalorian Macarons

by Leave a Comment

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.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Mandalorian Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

Mandalorian Macarons

  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: Apx. 48 Mandalorian Macarons
Print Recipe

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.

Keywords: treat, macaron, The Mandalorian, Baby Yoda, turquoise, blue, vanilla, buttercream

Mandalorian Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

Mickey Shaped Caramel-Peanut-Milk Chocolate Macarons

by 3 Comments

Mickey Caramel-Peanut-Milk Chocolate Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • This specialty treat was found at the Off the Cob Booth as part of the Food and Wine Festival at Disney’s California Adventure Park.

Woo! Try saying this name five times fast! Well, you might have had to, as this specialty Mickey Shaped Caramel-Peanut-Milk Chocolate Macaron was a fan fav at the Food and Wine Festival this year and many guests found they had to ask for it multiple times because the booth was constantly sold out. So, if you missed it during the festival, you’re in luck today, as we’ve got a recipe that is as delicious as the real thing!

Mickey Caramel-Peanut-Milk Chocolate Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Clearly we’re fans of macarons on here, and today we’ll be using our standard Mickey Mouse template to make these yummy macarons. Intimated by these french cookies? Don’t be! We’ve got lots of tips and tricks in the notes section below to help you make your best macaron yet!

These oversized macarons were milk chocolate at the parks, but right now, as we’re going through this crazy time, certain pantry items might not be available. When I made these at home I had to substitute semisweet chocolate instead of milk chocolate (I just couldn’t get my hands on any!), and that resulted in a darker exterior coating for the macarons. But you know what? It was still delicious! And a tad less sweeter than the original so that was OK by me. I’ll list both ingredients below and you can use what you have on hand. Also, I did not confirm, but those peanut caramel pieces studded throughout the macaron, once I removed them from the macaron to get a better look, sure seemed pretty similar to pieces of a Snickers bar, so…. that’s what we’ve got inside. If you just happen to have some caramel covered peanuts in your house, use those!

Mickey Caramel-Peanut-Milk Chocolate Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Assembling the macarons from piping to putting the candy pieces in is kid friendly, as well as dipping and decorating the outside of these. Making the actual macarons might be a better task for older kids, or the adults.

If you’re looking for the link to the Mickey macaron templates, you can download that below. And check out the notes section for lots of tips and tricks. Now lets grab whatever chocolate we can get our hands on and BAKE!

Icon

3 inch mickey macaron template

1 file(s) 86.41 KB
Download
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Mickey Caramel-Peanut-Milk Chocolate Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Mickey Shaped Caramel-Peanut-Milk Chocolate Macaron

  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 3 Caramel-Peanut-Milk Chocolate Macarons 1x
Print Recipe

Description

These Mickey Mouse shaped macarons are filled with sweet, milk chocolate buttercream, chunks of caramel-peanut candy, and topped with a coating of more chocolate and chopped peanuts. A Disneyland-inspired treat.

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 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 filling and decoration:

  • 2 Snickers bars cut into 1/4” slices
  • 1 ounce milk chocolate (or semisweet chocolate), chopped finely
  • 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

Specialty 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. Either print and place the Mickey Mouse template (download link above!) under the parchment OR using the Mickey Mouse cookie cutter, trace six outlines 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. 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 template. 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 until a surface is no longer tacky when your finger touches it.
  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 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.

For the assembly:

  1. First, melt the 1/4 cup milk chocolate (or semisweet 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.
  2. Set aside 3 macaron halves for the bottoms. With the remaining three, dip the tops in the bowl of melted chocolate, letting any excess drip away, or edges smooth with a scribe or toothpick. Place dipped side up on parchment, and then sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Repeat with the remaining macarons. Use the remaining chocolate in the bowl to drizzle over the decorated tops.
    Mickey Caramel-Peanut-Milk Chocolate Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com
  3. Next, fill a piping bag with the buttercream. Cut the tip off about 1/4″ up from the tip and pipe the insides for the macarons.
    Mickey Caramel-Peanut-Milk Chocolate Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com
  4. Then, place the Snickers slices inside the ears, and in the center of the macaron. Pipe more buttercream if so desired. Place tops on and enjoy!

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.
  • 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!).
  • If your macaron cracks, or an ear comes off during dipping, just stick it all back together and let the chocolate set on the sheet pan. It will stay in one piece once everything hardens.
  • 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.
  • Macarons can be stored in the refrigerator up to one week. Let them sit 10-15 minutes to come to room temp before enjoying.

Keywords: treat, macaron, milk chocolate, caramel, Food and Wine Festival, Disneyland, buttercream, peanuts, Mickey Mouse, chocolate, semisweet chocolate

Mickey Caramel-Peanut-Milk Chocolate Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Valentine Heart Macaron

by Leave a Comment

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!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com

Valentine Macaron

  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 8–10 Heart Macarons 1x
Print Recipe

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.

Keywords: treat, Sweethearts’ Nite, heart, Valentine’s Day, macarons, strawberry

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

Hot Cocoa Macaron

by Leave a Comment

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
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Hot Cocoa Macaron

  • 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.

Keywords: treat, macaron, cookie, chocolate, peppermint, buttercream, ganache, marshmallows

Mickey Mummy Macarons

by 1 Comment

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!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Mickey Mouse Mummy Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

Mickey Mummy Macarons

  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 3 large Mickey Mummy Macarons 1x
Print Recipe

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

by 1 Comment

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!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

MSEP Ladybug Macarons

  • 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.

Keywords: treat, Main Street Electrical Parade, ladybug, macarons, strawberry

Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com
%d bloggers like this: