Since it’s Christmas, I’m sure you’d agree with me that it’s appropriate to have macarons flavoured for the merry season.

It’s been a while since I’ve designed a new flavour for my macarons, as I’ve been far too busy dreaming up other desserts [see previous posts for Tarts]. However as I prepare for our trip to HK, I’m yet again faced with a dilemma – what flavours should I make and bring?

Salted caramel and creme brulee have been past favourites and an idea was formed one afternoon while I was sipping a spiced vanilla creme brulee drink – it tasted totally like gingerbread biscuits…! And so this is how this recipe came about…Merry Christmas!

Macarons shell ingredients
(makes about 40 macarons)
150g icing sugar
150g almond meal
110g egg whites, split into 2 bowls of 55g each
150g caster sugar
38ml water
1g meringue powder
2 drops of gel colouring, I used brown for half my shells and sky blue for the other half.

Spiced chocolate and caramel ganache
1/2 cup Salted caramel (See recipe in salted caramel macaron recipe)

120g 28% cocoa White chocolate
60ml cream
1 star anise
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Follow my basic recipe to make the shells.
2. Heat cream and the star anise till it just begins to boil. Remove the star anise and pour over white chocolate that has been broken up into small pieces in a bowl.
3. Wait for a minute before stiring. Leave in the fridge for 10 minutes for it to set a bit and mix in with your half cup of salted caramel.
4. Mix in spices.
5. Spread or pipe a teaspoon of your spiced chocolate ganache on half of your shells and top them with the remaining half of your shells.
6. The filled macarons need to be kept in the fridge for 24 hours for the filling to soften the shells and also for the flavour to fully develop.