Happy Holidays!
Surprise! Happy Holidays! Do you like it? The macarons? The Christmassy look?
My husband and I are terrible at doing Christmas decorations. In our years together we put up the Christmas tree one year and the next day our dogs had decided that it would be fun to eat the Christmas balls hanging from the tree AND THEN decided that it would be even more fun to tear down the whole tree and that was the end of that!
Another time, we decided to put up instead a little Christmas train that my Mom brought over from the Philippines. It was adorable, and almost 25 or so years old. It was one of those antique trains that played Jingle Bells when you turned it on, it had eight cars with different animals sitting them and they would move up and down like a carousel. When we turned it on we gave each other a big smile. It would really be a great Christmas! Alas, the joy lasted all of 30 seconds because then the train stopped working and a burning smell came from the train’s interior. We had plugged the train in a 220 volt socket when it was a 110 volt train!
These macarons decided to think outside the box! 🙂
And that was the end of our Christmas decorating story. Since then, we’ve never decorated our home! So this year I thought, since we aren’t going to be decorating our house – might as well decorate my blog – that way, dogs can’t chew on it and I can’t plug the blog anywhere and accidentally overload it! When guests come over and ask where the Christmas decor is, I’ll just pull up my laptop and show them my blog! A great way to promote my blog eh?! 🙂
The next in my Christmas Series is the Christmas Macaron. I tried to do something different with the macarons so I used two colours and some of them I experimented and piped them into squares. To get that two coloured effect, simply pipe using a thinner tip the outer edge and once done, pipe the inner portion using a thicker tip. I also flavoured these macarons with a white chocolate and mint ganache.
Perfect way to serve macarons in a Christmas party...
Ingredients
- 125 grams almond meal
- 150 grams icing sugar (not icing mixture)
- 100 grams caster sugar
- 100 grams egg whites (from around 3 eggs)
Procedure
- In a food processor grind the almond meal and icing sugar for around 5 minutes until very finely ground.
- Place the egg whites in an electric mixer and whip the whites until soft peaks
- Add the sugar, 50 grams at a time while the egg whites are being beaten.
- Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks.
- Fold the ground almond meal mixture into the egg white mixture in three additions until fully amalgamated.
- Pipe on to baking trays which have been lined with baking paper. Note: If you are using food colouring, add it now.
- Let the macarons dry for around 30 minutes until the “shells” are dry.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven (150c fan forced) for 15 minutes
Pipe the outer area with one colour and the inner with another
Mint Ganache
- 110 ml cream
- 10 grams sugar
- 30 grams fresh mint leaves
- 220 grams white chocolate
- Place the cream, sugar and mint leaves in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.
- Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Once cool, place in the refrigerator at least 4 hours to allow the flavours to infuse.
- Chop the white chocolate and microwave for around 45 seconds in 15 second intervals
- Reheat the cream and strain the cream and place in the bowl of white chocolate.
- Allow to cool and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
To package, use either white paper boxes or Christmas designed disposable containers. A great idea for when your dogs decide to tear down your Christmas tree and you are left with Christmas ornaments? Use them for your packaging!
Wrap with paper boxes or containers
If you like it, please stumble it! 🙂
Trissalicious 
Superb post however I was wanting to know if you could write a litte more on this subject? I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit further. Many thanks!
These are so gorgeous. So Christmassy indeed!
Trissa, you are becoming the queen of macarons! What gorgeous XMas macs, and I’m amazed at how perfect they are and the shape and colors. You are so creative! You will be joining in on the MacTweet Macathon, won’t you? 🙂
Your blog is so cute! I love that you seasonalized it without completely changing the design – its gorgeous =D.
And those macarons. Wow! The colours! The shapes! Everything is stunning!
Amazing – you are so creative!
wow what a great idea! inventive and delicious! your friends and family are going to be very lucky this christmas!
Looks cool Trissa! 🙂 Very funky… they looked even better in person yesterday *droools*
When are you going to bake for your lovely marketing colleagues again? hehe
Hi Trissa,
Great site and blog! I just added you to twitter and your macarons made me chuckle. Good to see people experimenting with shapes! They don’t always have to be round!
All the best,
Denea
Hi Ann – Thanks a lot!
Hey Julia – can’t wait to see what December brings – will we see a Christmas theme??
Hi Linda – glad you liked them! I guess we should both officially over macarons? hehe
Hi Betty – thanks a lot! Glad you liked them, I still owe you a lesson.
Hi Belle – probably not a good idea to leave a bowl of macs around as the dogs might eat them! hehe…
Hi Steph – you’d better start on your Christmas baking soon – I’m sure they will be as cute as the ice cream cone cupcakes you made!
Hi Betty – my Mom was okay when I told her – she knows I do those things.. haha!
Hi Farah – that is sooo cool – please do show me a picture when you make them!
This is fantastic, you’re so creative. I have a tiny wooden tree to put up for Christmas. It’s probably the height of a dinner plate – but so easy to put up and take down – and very cute.
This one too please…
Hehe you are a one woman macaron machine!
Can I just tell you how I keep coming back to your blog over and over-I am just mesmerized by your macaroons. They are so pretty and you feel like you can just pluck them off of the computer screen and dunk them in a cup of tea. I love it! As for your decorating, no worries because you make up for it with your baking, thanks so much for sharing your artistic skills with us. 🙂
The ganache sounds awesome. Did the leaves actually turn them that color? Wow. Lovely job on the macarons.
So cool! I’ve never seen square macarons before and the colors are so Christmas-y. Macarons still intimidate me so I have yet to try making them. But I will gladly eat as many as someone (hint, hint) will make for me! 8-D
Omg! I love this. I REAAAAALLLYYYY DO! You’re so creative!!!!!!! =DDD Nice work!!!
your macarons and packaging are gorgeous! i have to admit thought that this post caught my eye on foodgawker because i’m originally bengali and if you google the bangladesh flag you’d see why! 😀 i’m going to attempt to make these next independence day, thank you for the brilliant idea and introducing square macarons!
I am not one who would normally buy food with colour additives. However, a friend gave me this Christmas macaroon to try this morning. It smelled heavenly gorgeous and the first bite confirmed my addition to it straight away. The cookies were very light and melted in your mouth. Would I buy them? Yes, yes,yes!!! and anything cooked or baked by this cook. A great and unsual Christmas gift, that is.
Was extremely delicious. Could have it the whole day
YUMMMM… so goooooooooood… I want more more more more more mroe more more… AND more!
Oh My God…I just had one…. YUMMO!!! For those that love mint, you need to try one! Absolutely delicious, thank you so much for making them!
These are so awesome! The square ones are genius. I want my own macaron christmas tree now!! Hehe. How did you break the news of the broken train to your mother?!
I love the colors and the shape. Great gift idea for Christmas. Do I get a box? heehee
They are so Christmassy and cute! I love your two tone macarons 🙂 Love how you arranged the shot to look like a Christmas tree too. I need to get my Christmas baking started!
Ooooo, I love them Trissa!! What a great idea and they look lovely too… I got to go and bake myself some macarons too one of these days; if only the days would be longer!!
These macarons are so lovely! You really don’t need any other Christmas decorations other than a big bowl of these on the table.
trissa they are gorgeous!
This so awesome! I just love those square ones!
These macarons are adorable and the colours are fantastic! The square macaron are brilliant.
I love the colors! Don’t they remind you of Dr. Seuss? 🙂
omg omg omg awesome idea! what a great gift idea =D
What fabulous Christmas macarons. Can you send some up to me? 😉
I love how you have shown the pictures of the piping with the two tone colours. Great illustration. I would never have thought about trying something like that.
I am getting all festive this season in the decoration department – typically don’t. I usually just bake up a storm instead. This year it’s both! I’m almost finished off my Christmas baking list. I can’t wait.
These are so cute! Very creative.
Trissa those are so cool. Ok really, I burst out laughing when I saw them. They are cool because they make me smile and are adorable.
I still have yet to make a macaroon. I am the last remaining holdout I think.
Maybe you could consider decorating the window or something this year. That’s dog safe right? 🙂
Laura
what lovely and creative macarons! the colours are fantastic and perfect for christmas 😀
Sooo pretty! They look so different in a square shape and with the mint ganache I bet they were perfect.
Yay! Christmas macarons! I like it when there are edible decorations on the tree, like when my aunty used to put Golden Roughs on her tree, but curious, hungry animals and the typical Aussie summer heat don’t always make this practical.
Gosh, Trish, you must patent these! I always feel guilty when I see your lovely macarons, because I bombed on them. Are they easy once you get the hang of it?
Thank you for sharing these real beauties with us!!
A grand recipe!!
MMMMMMMMMMM,….just real art!
The red and green colours of your macarons really reflect the atmosphere of Christmas season, matching with your new blog header as well! Love them!
Love the two-toned macarons, seasonal title bar and tree-adorned sidebar =) I absolutely love Christmas, for some strange reason, which was never celebrated by my family as a child…there’s just something so homely about it!
Adriano Zumbo and Lindt cafe will soon be copying your two toned and square macs!!!
I’m now dying for something sweet and the only thing I have are cookies for Ben!!! What to do???
Love it! Not only delicious but in Christmas colors too! Very inventive.
Trissa, these are absolutely gorgeous!!!! I think you just gave me a great idea for Christmas gifts… now I just have to learn how to make macarons!
Wow Trissa, you are an Empress when it comes to presentation. This is absolutely, totally, extraodinarily, BEAUTIFUL! What a really nice idea.
I still haven’t had the guts to try something like this. I hope I do soon.
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Make sure you send these macaroons to my house. 🙂 Wow, I don’t know how you find the time to do all these and you’re working. Love the new Christmas-y look. And I think you’re ready for Valentines’ Day.
Thank u for sharing your tips on how to make these colourful macs. 🙂 They are truly beautiful.
Trissa you are so creative. I love what you have done with the macs. I also love your shots. Ellie has taught you well
You totally own this two tones macarons! So pretty and so christmassy. Love your header too 🙂 I feel like it’s christmas already!
wow…that must be one of the most beautiful macaroons that I have seen. I love the arrangement…looks like a Christnas tree….brilliant. Thanks for sharing. I’m very bad in Christmas deco so I’m not thinking about it…hehe. I’ll concentrate on cooking :))