These macarons are so delicious and adorable! And aren't they just perfect for Pokemon Day?
They are a real crowd pleaser though, so you'll have to hurry if you want to catch them all! (I'm not even sorry for that!!!)
Pokemon Poke-Ball Macarons
makes: approximately 20 macarons (40 shells)
Ingredients:
110g ground almond flour
200g icing sugar (confectioners sugar)
1 vanilla bean (split lengthwise)
3 egg whites
tsp vanilla paste
50g superfine white sugar
Red food colouring
(for the icing and decoration)
¼ cup melted dark chocolate
⅔ cup regular cream cheese
½ cup unsalted butter
2 cups icing sugar (sifted)
¼ tsp vanilla extract
Black food colouring
20 dark chocolate chips
4 tbs melted white chocolate
Method:
1. Mix almond flour and icing sugar together, and then sift them together into a bowl.
2. Beat the egg whites on medium until they've formed soft white peaks. Scrape the vanilla bean pod and vanilla paste into the egg whites. Add the superfine white sugar and mix it all on high for approximately five minutes until you have a stiff and glossy meringue.
3. Fold the dry mix into the wet mixture gently until it's all incorporated. Split the mixture into two halves, and add red food colouring to one batch.
4. Using a spatula, fill a piping bag with the white meringue, and then cut about 2 centimeters off of the tip. Pipe 20 circles, about 5 centimeters in diameter, on a lined baking tray, and then do the same with the red meringue -- keeping the circles a couple of centimeters apart.
5. Let them sit out at room temperature for about 1 hour so that a shell can form on the outsides.
6. Preheat the oven to 175°C (fan forced) and bake the macarons for 10-12 minutes until they've risen and hardened completely. Let them cool down completely before decorating.
7. (for the icing)
Beat the cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth and creamy. In a separate bowl cream together the icing sugar and butter until it is very pale and fluffy, then add in the vanilla extract and combine. Add the cream cheese, a little bit at a time, to the butter mixture and mix at a medium-high speed until is has all combined.
Mix the melted dark chocolate into the frosting until well incorporated, and then add in a few drops of black food colouring.
Drip the melted white chocolate onto the dark chocolate chips, leaving a millimeter of the dark rim around the edge.
8. Pair together the macaron shells so that the top (red) and the bottom (white) are the same size, or as close as possible. Pipe a large swirl in the middle of the white meringue, finishing it off with a vertical tip (as if you were frosting a cupcake) and then gently press the red top onto it, just enough so that the icing starts to peek out between the two biscuits.
9. Before it sets, press the dark chocolate chips with the white chocolate onto the icing and let them set there.
10. Enjoy your poke-ball treats!!!! You'll definitely catch everybody's eye with these colourful and delicious macarons!!!
There are so many ways to make this recipe just a bit easier - if you're in a hurry (or just feeling lazy - don't worry - we all cheat sometimes!!!)
The chocolate filling is basically just chocolate and frosting - so you could always just dye chocolate frosting black if you don't feel like mixing your own (I always keep a sneaky tub of frosting in the cupboard just for these occasions!)
Let me know if you tried this recipe - how it went! I'd love to see your own creations!!! And please feel free to leave a comment of shoot me a message if you have any feeback or ideas for future themes/recipes!!!
Until next time!!!