Mint & Earl Grey Macarons
Prep: 15min / Duration: 45min-1hr / Makes: 30-35macarons
Earl grey macaron shell
- Place the almond meal, icing sugar and earl grey into a food processor.
Process until well combined.
- Sift the mixture twice, discard the lumps and set aside the sifted
ingredients into a bowl.
- In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites using and electric mixer
until frothy. Gradually add in the sugar in thirds, beating well until thick
and resembles the consistency of marshmallow.
- Fold in the dry ingredients and continue to fold until the mixture reaches
the lava stage.
- Transfer the mixture into a piping bag and pipe 3cm dollops onto baking
paper. Do not tap the tray. Gently sprinkle earl grey tea powder on top of
the macarons and allow to dry for 20-25minutes or until dry to the touch.
- Bake at a preheated oven of 180ºc for 15-20minutes.
Earl grey ganache
Method:
- Bring cream to a boil, remove from the heat and add in the tea leaves.
Steep for 10 minutes.
- Bring the mixture back to a boil and strain over the chocolates.
- Add in the salt and mix until well combined.
- Add in the butter in 2 stages, emulsifying using a stick blender until
smooth and silky.
- Pour mixture into a bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap and allow to
cool down to a pip able consistency in the fridge for 30-45min.
Honey caramel (Optional)
- Bring the honey to an amber dark colour in a saucepan over medium to
low heat.
- Meanwhile, heat up the cream in the microwave until hot. Deglaze the
caramelised honey. Remove from the heat.
- Add in the butter and using a stick blender, blend until smooth. Add in
salt.
- Pour the mixture into a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap.
Chill in the fridge until cold and set.
Assembly
- Pour the chilled earl grey ganache into a piping bag. Pipe a ring on one
half of the macaron.
- In the centre, pipe a dollop of chilled honey caramel. Sandwich with one
macarons shell and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes to set the ganache.
Mint macaron shell
- Place the almond meal and icing sugar into a food processor. Process until
well combined.
- Sift the mixture twice, discard the lumps and set aside the sifted
ingredients into a bowl.
- In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites using and electric mixer
until frothy. Gradually add in the sugar in thirds, beating well until thick
and resembles the consistency of marshmallow.
- Add in the blue food colouring and fold in the dry ingredients and
continue to fold until the mixture reaches the lava stage.
- Transfer the mixture into a piping bag and pipe 3cm dollops onto baking
paper. Do not tap the tray. Gently sprinkle earl grey tea powder on top of
the macarons and allow to dry for 20-25minutes or until dry to the touch.
- Bake at a preheated oven of 180ºc for 15-20minutes.
Mint Ganache
- Combine the chocolates and invert sugar into a bowl.
- Bring cream and mint to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow to steep
fro 15 minutes.
- Bring the mixture back to a boil and strain over chocolates. Add in salt
and emulsify the butter into the mix until smooth and silky. Pour mix into
a bowl with plastic wrap touching the surface. Chill for 1hr in the fridge or
until it is a pip able consistency
- Transfer the mixture into a piping bag with a star tip.
Assembly
- Pipe a spiral ring on one side of the macaron and sandwich with another
macaron.
- Macarons can be kept frozen for 1 -2 months in an airtight container or
eaten the following day for the best results.
Ingredients
Earl grey Macaron shell
75g egg whites
65g white sugar
85g almond meal
110g pure icing sugar
½ tsp ground earl grey leaves (place loose leaves into a spice grinder, grind to a powder), plus extra for dusting
Earl Grey ganache
225g thickened cream
15g earl grey loose leaf tea
250g milk chocolate
75g butter
Pinch of salt
Honey caramel
125g honey
80g double cream
20g butter
Pinch of salt
Mint macaron shell
75g egg whites
65g white sugar
85g almond meal
110g pure icing sugar
Blue food colouring, 1 drop
Mint ganache
190g thickened cream
20g fresh mint leaves
40g invert sugar or glucose syrup
100g 70% dark chocolate
60g milk chocolate
30g butter
Pinch of salt