Festive Red Velvet & Chocolate Macarons
Visual Inspiration: Deep red shells, dark chocolate filling, gold/pearl topping.
Yield: Approx. 20 macarons.
I. Ingredients
For the Red Macaron Shells
140g Almond flour (finely ground)
130g Powdered sugar (icing sugar)
100g Egg whites (room temperature, aged 24h preferably)
90g Granulated sugar
Red Gel Food Coloring (High quality, e.g., Chefmaster or Americolor Super Red) – Liquid dye will ruin the consistency.
For the Dark Chocolate Ganache (Filling)
150g Dark chocolate (good quality, 50-70% cocoa)
150ml Heavy cream (35% fat)
30g Unsalted butter (room temperature)
For the Decoration (To match the image)
Gold Luster Dust (edible) mixed with a drop of vodka or lemon extract for painting.
Sugar Pearls (White, Gold, and Red).
Fondant or Marzipan (to mold the tiny pinecone and holly leaves).
II. Instructions
1. Prepare the Macaron Shells
Sift: Mix the almond flour and powdered sugar together. Sift them twice to ensure they are perfectly smooth.
Meringue: Whip the egg whites on medium speed. Once they become foamy, gradually add the granulated sugar in thirds.
Color: Once the meringue reaches soft peaks, add a generous amount of Red Gel Coloring. Whip until you reach stiff, glossy peaks. The color should be slightly darker than the desired result as it fades slightly during baking.
Macaronage: Fold the almond/sugar mixture into the meringue in three batches. Fold gently using a spatula (scrape the bottom and cut through the middle) until the batter falls off the spatula in a slow, continuous “ribbon.”
Pipe: Transfer batter to a piping bag with a round tip. Pipe 3-4cm circles onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Tap the tray firmly on the counter to release air bubbles.
Dry: Let the shells sit at room temperature for 30–60 minutes until a “skin” forms (you should be able to touch them without batter sticking to your finger).
Bake: Bake at 150°C (300°F) for 12–15 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from the mat.
2. Prepare the Ganache
Chop the dark chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl.
Heat the heavy cream until it just begins to simmer (do not boil over).
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir gently from the center outward until smooth.
Stir in the butter for a glossy finish.
Let the ganache set at room temperature until it is pipeable (like toothpaste consistency).
3. Assembly
Match up macaron shells of similar sizes.
Pipe a generous dollop of ganache onto the bottom shell.
Place the top shell and press gently until the filling reaches the edges.
III. Recreation of the Design (The “Artistic” Step)
To achieve the specific look in your uploaded image:
The Gold Pinecone: Use a small amount of brown fondant or marzipan. Mold a tiny cone shape. Use clean small scissors to make little snips all around the cone to create “scales.” Brush the tips with edible gold luster dust.
The Gold Leaves: Use a tiny fondant leaf plunger cutter or shape small leaves by hand from fondant. Paint them entirely gold.
The Pearls & Berries: Using a tiny dot of edible glue or melted chocolate, attach white and gold sugar pearls and tiny red sugar balls (or red fondant rolled into balls) to the top of the shell.
Placement: Adhere the pinecone and leaves to the center of the top shell using a drop of melted chocolate as “glue.”
