Chai Macarons with Cinnamon Ginger Buttercream

What a sweet present this would be... too bad I don't know anyone who has made these desserts :-( I'm willing to teach.. if you're willing to make me some : ) I will experiment by teaching my sister soon to see if I actually make any sense.

Well.. Valentine's day is around the corner. No lovey dove-y plans whatsoever :-( because it lands on a huge holiday.... well the plans will be with the family going to San Jose, Oakland.. the usual. It will be nice... for once.. there won't be any studying... rushing... or flights to catch.. just a relaxing day roaming around the Bay Area.

So, as for these macarons... I used the typical chai tea spices to make it kind of spicy. It actually is just like a pumpkin pie spice (ooo I can make pumpkin macarons?!....) I used a bit of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. I was worried it would come out too strong so I didn't use too much. I should have. These were subtle but very delicious. It rose a lot more than the green tea one and was so light inside. Don't ask me why every batch is different... it drives me nuts as well. I think I should start filming myself bake to see and time myself for each step. I feel like I'm repeating the same recipe over and over.. I'll try to figure out an easier way to link a recipe to this posting..

Basic Macaron Recipe - The base of your Creativity :-D Makes 8-10 Sandwiches

1 egg white, room temperature
1 pinch meringue powder if you are using Large ( no XL) eggs
4 tsp white sugar

50 grams powdered sugar
1/4 cup almond meal ( I use Trader Joe's Just Almond Meal)

Optional coloring: Just a drop or two of gel based food coloring, powder is preferred though difficult to find.

Optional Flavoring: 1/3 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp clove, 1/4 tsp ginger, (maybe add a slight sprinkling of black pepper and cardamon?)

1. In a food processor, combine the almond meal, powdered sugar, and flavorings. Pulse, stopping frequently, for about 1 minute. Alternate from chop and grind, you just want to get everything as lump free as possible, as well as completely combined. Sift if needed.
2. Beat egg whites+ a small pinch of meringue powder to a soft peak, add sugar, (and optional gel coloring) and beat until it is nice and glossy, and is stiff.
3. Fold in the dry to the whites. Be gentle. You don't want to deflate all your egg whites. Just fold until almost all combined, and load it into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (Wilton #12 or larger.)
4. Pipe to desired size. I had mine almost 2 inches in diameter. Rap the tray on the ground many times to remove the bubbles and make it more flat. Let dry for 15 minutes-30 minutes, longer if you want it to be shinier.
5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake for 11-12 minutes, turning the tray around half way through baking. When you touch the center of each macaron it should be hard and dry. When you try to wiggle the cookie, it should give just a little, not be really loose.
6. Let cool slightly on the tray, then remove to a rack. Fill with buttercream, ganache, or whatever you like.

I need to work on making them all the same size....

Mini - Macaron disaster.. hehe... half of the cookie will break your teeth! I baked it for too long ( took it out when it was undercooked.. then popped it into the oven again.)... The rough texture should have been a signal that these were doomed from the begining...
Perfect treats for your next tea party : ) Tea flavored macarons... all we're missing are those earl grey ones... yumm.. then I'll add in espresso flavored macarons for those coffee lovers... so many possibility!