Ingredients
For the shell:
100 grams almond flour
100 grams powdered sugar
10 grams cocoa powder
Dash of salt
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
100 grams egg whites (room temp)
100 grams granulated sugar
For the filling:
1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
4 cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon rose water
3 tablespoons whole milk
Gel food coloring (optional)
For the decorating:
Salted pretzel sticks
Candy eyeballs
Gel writing icing
Tools Needed
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Bake with Me
Preparation
Make the shells: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Sift the almond flour, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, and salt through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl, twice. Toss any clumps that remain in the sieve.
In a medium bowl, add cream of tartar and egg whites and mix with a hand mixer on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add the sugar (1 tablespoon at a time), beating on high, and continue to mix until the peaks become very stiff and glossy.
Scoop the meringue into the almond flour mixture, taking care to only use the meringue from the middle of the bowl and not scraping down the sides.
Use a rubber spatula to fold the almond mixture into the meringue until the batter resembles wet sand. When the spatula is lifted from the bowl, the batter should fall back in smooth ribbons, or you should be able to make a “figure-8” shape 1-2 times with the batter. Transfer the batter into a piping bag with a round tip.
Pipe the macaron batter onto the parchment paper in small, equal-sized circles (approx. 1-inch in diameter), and at least 1 inch apart.
Lightly drop the baking tray onto a hard, flat surface (like the countertop) at least 5 times to release any air bubbles. Let the tray rest for at least 30 minutes, but no longer than 1 hour, until the batter becomes dry to the touch.
Preheat oven to 300℉. Bake the macarons for 16-18 minutes*, rotating the baking tray halfway through, until the feet are well risen.
Allow the shells to cool completely before removing them from the parchment paper, about 45 minutes.
Make the filling: Using the paddle attachment, cream the butter in a stand mixer until creamy and smooth.
Slowly add in the sugar 1 cup at a time, on medium speed. Add in salt.
Once all sugar and salt are incorporated, beat in rose water and milk. Add food coloring as desired and beat until frosting is light and fluffy.
Assemble macarons: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with a round tip. Pipe a small amount of frosting on one macaron shell.
Lay 3-4 pretzel sticks across the frosting, and pipe additional frosting on top of the pretzel sticks. Cover with a second macaron shell.
Using the writing icing, make two dots on top of the macaron shells and immediately cover with candy eyeballs.
Refrigerate macarons for 15 minutes to set. Enjoy!
*I baked mine for exactly 18 minutes, rotating my tray halfway through.