Holiday Macarons

Nutmeg flavored macarons with  spicy raspberry chocolate filling. Did I say a hint of coffee...

The most beautiful part of the holidays is the aroma of festivity around the kitchen. The distinctive fragrance of warm spices in the oven, it is probably as magical as the first snow fall...you want to curl up with some hot chocolate or coffee. It is the season of indulgence, not just food but indulging your loved ones and friends, a season of gratitude, reflection and promises for the future.

This year has taught me a lot, more than I anticipated and much more than I ever imagined. It  has taught me to make every moment count, to let go of pettiness, to shed the baggage we all tend to carry, to shed inhibition. Life really is not meant to hold on to the moments but to let go - contrary to photography, where we literally hold on to that moment of time.

We all tend to control so much of our lives and yet the most important aspect of our life is not in our control...we have no idea, what the next moment of time will bring. We can only be grateful for what we have and yet not hold on to anything.

Every year I try to make a resolution or change, that helps me become a better person and a better photographer. Last year it was photographing spices, which was started by my good friends Dolphia, Deeba and of course me. I also started Sunday stills and I absolutely loved both the projects...I'm planning to continue both of these into the new year. 2017 will definitely see less of me on social media and more of me buried in books and laptop, trying to learn some new skills. This is really my promise and gift to myself.

Nutmeg flavored macarons with  spicy raspberry chocolate filling. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature
• 5 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg powder

Instructions

1. Confectioners’ sugar for 1 cup of sugar add 1 tbsp of corn starch  and blend till the granulated sugar is fine to touch. 
2. Almond flour : ground almonds (whole) in my vitamix ( you could do it in a food processor)  and sieve them. 
3. Preheat oven to 300°F. Pulse powdered sugar and almond flour in a food processor until combined. 
4. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk egg whites until foamy. Slowly add granulated sugar and nutmeg powder. Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks form. Fold dry flour mixture into egg whites. Continue to mix until batter is smooth but still thick.
5. DO NOT OVER MIX BATTER 
6. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip, and pipe 3/4-inch rounds 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. 
7. Pipe circles with the bag at a 90° angle. Tap the bottom of each cookie sheet a few times to release air bubbles. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
8. Bake 1 sheet at a time, each for about 12-15 minutes. Let macarons cool completely. Sandwich 1–2 teaspoons raspberry chocolate spread between 2 macrons. 
9. Store in an airtight container. 

Raspberry Chocolate Filling

• 3-4 tbsp raspberry jam
• 1/4 cup fine quality chocolate powder or less 
• 2 tbsp instatnt coffee powder
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

In a bowl take jam and whisk the other ingredients one at a time. Sometimes the jam is a bit runny (depends on the brand) so keep adding chocolate powder, till a nice paste is formed. Pipe it or spoon it on to the macron. 

Some tips 

1. If you are having cracks on the top, let the macarons sit for another 30 minutes before you bake. 
2. Before you bake the macarons, touch the surface of macarons with your index finger, it should NOT be sticky, a thin film should have formed on the top. If it is not formed - you will have cracked macarons. 

I found this comprehensive guide HERE. Jennie has done an awesome job in explaining what can go wrong and the solution. 

The recipe looks easy but there is  technique to baking these delicacies.