Decorated Halloween Macarons

Name: Decorated Halloween Macarons
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 1 h 4 min
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 150 g of almond flour (superfine); 150 g of powdered sugar; 110 g of egg whites (at room temperature); 150 g of granulated sugar; 35 ml of water; food coloring (gel (orange, black and white)); 120 g of white chocolate (chopped); 60 ml of heavy cream; 1 tsp of vanilla flavoring

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This Halloween macaron recipe offers a crisp shell and a soft vanilla center, brought to life with fun and spooky decorations. Ideal for livening up a festive fall buffet or treating the kids on October 31.

Total time: 1 h 04
Prep: 50 min
Cook: 14 min
Rest: 2 h 30
Difficulty: Medium
Per person: €1.58

By the CookinBreak team

Ingredients 9

servings

Estimated cost €9.50

For the shells

1 ⅔ cups almond floursuperfine
1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
4 oz egg whitesat room temperature

For the meringue

¾ cup granulated sugar

For the syrup

2 ¼ tbsp water

For coloring and decorating

food coloringgel (orange, black and white)to taste

For the ganache

¾ cup white chocolatechopped
¼ cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla flavoring

Equipment

Pastry brushto draw the Halloween designs
Kitchen thermometerto monitor the sugar syrup at 118 °C
Piping bagwith an 8 mm plain round tip
Stand mixeror electric mixer to whip the meringue

Instructions

Tap a number to check off the step, and a time to start a timer.

Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together in a large bowl to get a smooth, lump-free mixture.

In a small saucepan, pour in the granulated sugar and water, then bring to a boil until it reaches exactly 244 °F. While the temperature is rising, start whipping half of the egg whites with a mixer.
Gently pour the hot syrup in a thin stream down the side of the bowl onto the foamy egg whites while whisking on high speed until you have a glossy, cooled Italian meringue.
Mix the remaining raw egg whites into the powder mixture to form a dense almond paste. Divide this paste between two bowls: one for the bright orange food coloring and the other for the black food coloring (to get a light gray).
Fold the Italian meringue into each batter in three additions, macaronnage-style with a spatula, until you have a flowing, continuous ribbon.
Pipe even rounds onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Rap the sheet firmly on the counter and let the shells sit uncovered for until the batter no longer sticks to your finger.
Preheat your oven to 293 °F with the fan on. Bake the shells for until a nicely developed ruffled foot appears. Let cool completely before peeling off.
Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan, pour it over the white chocolate with the vanilla flavoring, emulsify with a spatula, then let cool in the fridge until thickened.
Fill half of the shells with the vanilla ganache, gently close with the other half, then use a fine brush and food coloring to paint bat, witch's hat, ghost and pumpkin face designs.

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Goes well with

🎅 Christmas: all recipes

As a starter

Halloween Avocado Deviled Eggs

30 minMedium

As a main

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans

1 h 10Easy

To drink

Pumpkin Spice Latte

15 minEasy

Nutrition facts

per serving · estimate

375kcal

Protein6 g6%
Carbs48 g50%
Fat19 g44%
Fiber3 g

Share of each nutrient in the calories of one serving.

Good to know

Chef's tip

To paint the designs without soaking the shells, dilute a dab of gel food coloring with a drop of clear alcohol (such as gin or vodka). The alcohol evaporates almost instantly, leaving a sharp, dry design.

Freezing : Can you freeze this recipe?

Yes

Shells freeze for 2 months. Filled macarons for 1 month, thawed slowly in the refrigerator.

Storage : How long does it keep?

Keep for 3 to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator, away from moisture.

Making ahead : Can you make it the day before?

Yes

Shells and ganache can be prepared the day before. Filled macarons are best after 24 hours in the fridge.

Reheating : How do you reheat it?

Do not reheat. Eat fresh or at room temperature.

Variations

Intense chocolate version: replace the vanilla ganache with a 60% dark chocolate ganache.
Fall spice version: flavor the ganache with half a teaspoon of gingerbread spice.
Spread version: simply fill the center with chocolate-hazelnut spread to save time.

Mistakes to avoid

Skipping the resting time to form a skin, which would make the shells crack in the oven instead of forming the ruffled feet.
Using liquid food coloring, which throws off the moisture balance of the macaron batter.
Peeling the macarons off while they are still warm, which would tear off the base.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get pretty designs on macaron shells?

Use a very fine synthetic-bristle brush, size 0 or 00. Apply the lightly diluted gel food coloring without pressing on the shell so you do not break the thin skin.

Why do my macarons crack on top while baking?

Cracking often comes from not letting a skin form before baking or from an oven that is too hot. Check that the surface is dry to the touch and bake at 145 °C with the fan on.

Can I make these macarons with a French meringue?

Yes, but Italian meringue gives a more stable texture and smoother shells, which makes it much easier to draw the Halloween designs.

Do I need to use aged egg whites for this recipe?

Separating the whites 24 to 48 hours ahead and letting them come back to room temperature relaxes the albumen and gives a much more even volume.