This is a huge day!
I finally made macarons successfully without
1. having a myocardial infarction
2. getting divorced
3. throwing my
and, even better, they turned out fantastic.
The reason I went with peppermint bark is simple: I’m obsessed with those peppermint bark–covered cookies from Williams Sonoma. I’ve tried cheaper versions and none compare. I wanted to recreate that flavor in a macaron, even though I worried my version wouldn’t measure up.
Also — this is all Max’s fault.
My little snuggabubs is the best shopping buddy. My mom and I can shop for hours and Max has tagged along since he was born. Lately he wants to run around more than ride in the stroller, and during a long shopping day a few weeks ago he grabbed a tube of those peppermint cookies from the stroller and chewed on the can for twenty minutes.
I couldn’t NOT buy the cookies after that. So I spent the $25 and opened them right away because we were starving.
Love at first bite. I like mint with chocolate, but that cookie made me fall hard for peppermint bark.
I had actually been planning a peppermint brownie macaron for the season and started practicing back in October. It took a lot of tries to get a macaron recipe to work — far more attempts than I expected — but persistence paid off.
Although I’d never made macarons before, I’d eaten many. Trendy or not, they taste wonderful and deliver a texture that’s irresistible: a delicate, slightly crisp shell with a soft, pillowy center and flavorful filling.
Dreams, dreams, dreams.
Funny side note: Eddie thought he didn’t like macarons because he confused them with macaroons and assumed they’d have coconut. On a trip to NYC he ordered a selection from Bouchon — two of every flavor — and discovered he was wrong. It’s fitting that the first macarons I mastered are ones he dislikes, since he compares minty chocolate to toothpaste for dessert.
More for us, then.
Pink Peppermint Bark Macarons
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Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup finely ground almond meal
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- pinch salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- a drop of pink food coloring, if desired
for the ganache(s):
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 6 ounces high-quality dark chocolate, chopped
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 6 ounces high-quality white chocolate, chopped (white chocolate like Lindt works well)
- peppermints or candy canes, crushed
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 300°F using convection. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.
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Whisk the powdered sugar and almond meal together, then sift thoroughly into a large bowl. Discard any coarse bits. This step can take a few minutes. Set aside.
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In the bowl of a mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar and salt on low until frothy. Gradually add the granulated sugar while increasing speed to medium-high. Beat until glossy and stiff. Mix in the vanilla, peppermint extracts and pink food coloring, if using.
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Fold the sifted dry ingredients into the egg whites using a spatula. Fold from the center and bring the batter up from the bottom until just combined — don’t overmix. Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a round tip (about 1/2 inch).
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Pipe roughly 1-inch circles onto the prepared sheets, leaving about 2 inches between. Tap the sheets on the counter to release air bubbles. Let the piped shells rest at least 15 minutes (longer in humid weather) until the tops are no longer sticky. Place another baking sheet underneath to prevent direct heat and bake one sheet at a time for 18–20 minutes, until tops are set and feet have formed. Cool completely.
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To assemble, spread dark chocolate ganache on one shell and white chocolate ganache on a matching shell. Sprinkle crushed peppermints over the ganaches, then sandwich the shells together.
for the ganache(s):
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Place the chopped dark and white chocolates into separate bowls. Heat the measured heavy cream until just bubbling at the edges, then pour 1/3 cup over the dark chocolate and 1/4 cup over the white. Let sit for a minute, then stir until smooth. Adjust cream for the white chocolate if needed to achieve a spreadable ganache.
Notes
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I appreciate you so much!
Oh — and pink. Because why not?