Red Holiday Macarons with Santa Belts – Festive Christmas...

Ingredients

• • 1 ⅞ cups almond flour
• • 1 ⅞ cups powdered sugar
• • 3 ⅞ large egg whites (room temperature)
• • 1 ⅞ cup granulated sugar
• • ⅞ tsp cream of tartar
• • 1 ⅞ tsp red food coloring gel
• • ⅞ tsp salt
• • 1 ⅞ cup unsalted butter (softened)
• • 2 ⅞ cups powdered sugar (for filling)
• • 1 ⅞ tsp vanilla extract
• • 1 ⅞ oz black fondant (for belts)
• • 1 ⅞ oz yellow fondant (for buckles)

Instructions

1. 1

   Sift almond flour and powdered sugar twice through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Set aside.

2. 2

   In a separate bowl, whip egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar while whipping to stiff glossy peaks.

3. 3

   Gently fold dry ingredients into meringue in three batches until smooth. Add red food coloring and mix until uniform.

4. 4

   Transfer batter to a piping bag. Pipe 1½-inch rounds onto baking sheets. Let rest at room temperature 30-60 minutes until a skin forms.

5. 5

   Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 15-18 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from pans.

6. 6

   Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whip until light and fluffy.

7. 7

   Pair shells of similar size. Pipe buttercream onto one shell and attach another to form pairs. Chill 1 hour.

8. 8

   Roll black fondant into thin ropes and cut into belt shapes. Attach yellow fondant buckles with a small amount of water.

9. 9

   Use a paintbrush to gently attach belts to macarons. Let decorations set completely before serving.