*RECIPE BELOW*
I'll show you how to make macaron shells that look like they were tie-dyed, and a delicious buttercream flavoured with Cadbury Creme Eggs. Get ready to stock up on Easter chocolate when it goes on sale after the holiday, because you'll want to eat these even after the Easter Bunny leaves town.
*MACARON SHELLS*
*Ingredients*
• 150 g (1 1/2 cups) finely-ground almond flour
• 226 g (2 cups) powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
• 140 g (4 large) egg whites
• 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• A few drops each of teal or blue, pink, and yellow gel food colouring
*Directions*
1. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Fit a pastry bag with a large round tip, and lay a flat sheet of plastic wrap about 18” long on the counter.
2. Pulse the almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor about 5–10 times, until smoothly combined. Sift into a bowl and discard any remaining clumps.
3. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, or using a hand mixer, whip the egg whites until starting to get foamy (about 45 seconds). Stream in the granulated sugar slowly, a little bit at a time. Whip to stiff peaks (5 to 7 minutes). Add the vanilla, and whip until combined.
4. Add the almond flour mixture, and fold it into the egg whites gently just until combined.
5. Divide the mixture among three small bowls. Add 2 drops of teal or blue food gel to one bowl, 2 drops of pink to the second bowl, and 2 drops of yellow to the third. Complete folding the batter until it falls off the spatula in thick ribbons that melt into the batter in the bowl after 10 seconds. You can also perform the “figure 8 test” as shown in the video.
6. Arrange the three different colours of batter over the sheet of plastic wrap on the counter in separate lines as shown in the video. Roll the plastic wrap into a log and twist the ends. Cut off one end and place the cut end into the piping bag.
7. Pipe 1 ½” to 2” rounds onto the lined baking sheets. Tap them firmly on the counter to release air bubbles. Use a toothpick to smooth out any air bubbles on the surface, and allow the macarons to dry at room temperature until they form a skin.
8. Preheat the oven to 300˚F with the rack positioned in the middle. Bake macarons one sheet at a time, until they form feet and set completely. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.
*CADBURY CREME EGG BUTTERCREAM*
*Ingredients*
• 3 large Cadbury Creme Eggs
• 1 tbsp. Heavy cream
• 226 g (2 sticks or 1 cup) unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
• 198 g (½ can) Sweetened Condensed Milk
½ teaspoon salt
*Directions*
1. In a small saucepan over low heat melt together the creme eggs and cream while stirring constantly.
2. Once completely melted, pour into a blender or food processor and process until completely smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature.
3. Whip the butter until fluffy and light, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the condensed milk and salt, and whip again until combined and fluffy (another minute or so).
5. Add the melted and cooled cadbury creme eggs, and whip once more until fluffy.
*TO ASSEMBLE*
• 1 cup Cadbury Micro Mini Eggs
• 1 Batch Tie-Dye Macaron Shells
• 1 Batch Cadbury Creme Egg Macarons
*Directions*
1. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip. Find pairs of macaron shells that are the same size. Pipe filling onto the bottom of one macaron shell, stopping about 1/4" short of the edge. Press the matching macaron on top, gently squeezing the filling towards the edge.
2. Press micro mini eggs all around the edge of the filling.
3. Put the macarons in an airtight container, and leave to ripen in the fridge for at least 24 hours to allow the flavours and textures of the macarons to mature.
