Holiday Macaron Tower
featured in Sweet & Savory Show-Stopping Food Towers
Impress your guests this holiday season with a jaw-dropping macaron masterpiece that's as delicious as it is stunning. Layers of delicate and colorful macarons are stacked high to create a tower of sweetness, perfect for any special holiday celebration. With flavors like gingerbread, red velvet, and eggnog, this tower is a showstopper that will leave everyone oohing and aahing!
Tasty Team
August 14, 2023
83% would make again
Inspired by thegunnysack.com
Ingredients
for 40 macarons
Macaron Batter
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar (420 g), sifted
- 2 ½ cups superfine almond flour (240 g), sifted
- 8 egg whites, cold
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
Gingerbread Flavor
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
Red Velvet Flavor
- ½ tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring
Macaron Filling
- 1 cup unsalted butter (225 g), room temperature
- 1 cup shortening (225 g)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons eggnog
- 8 cups powdered sugar (960 g), sifted
Special Equipment
- 1 styrofoam cone, 5 in by 15 in (13 cm by 38 cm)
- toothpick
Preparation
- Make the macaron batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and almond meal. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric hand mixer until the egg whites stay stuck to the sides of the bowl when tilted.
- Add the granulated sugar and beat until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the whipped egg whites and fold with a rubber spatula until just combined.
- Transfer half of the batter to another bowl.
- Make the gingerbread flavor: To one bowl, add the cloves, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice, and gently fold to combine.
- Make the red velvet flavor: To the other bowl, add the cocoa powder and red food coloring, and gently fold to combine.
- Transfer the batters to 2 separate piping bags or zip-top bags.
- Pipe a bit of batter in each of the 4 corners of the baking sheet, then lay a piece of parchment paper on top and press against the batter dots to seal. Pipe the batter onto the baking sheet in ¾-inch (2 cm) circles, spacing about ½ inches (1 ¼ cm) apart. Gently tap the baking sheet against the counter to release any air bubbles.
- Let the macarons rest at room temperature for 1 hour, until a skin forms on the surface.
- Preheat the oven to 300˚F (150˚C).
- Bake the macarons for 20 minutes.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, cream together the butter and shortening until smooth.
- Add the salt, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and eggnog, and beat to incorporate. Add the powdered sugar, a bit at a time, and beat until well combined and the filling is smooth.
- Transfer the eggnog filling to a piping bag or zip-top bag.
- Pipe the filling onto a macaron, then sandwich with another macaron. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Let the macarons rest in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
- To assemble the tower, insert a toothpick into the styrofoam cone, leaving ½-inch (1 ¼ cm) exposed. Gently press a macaron onto the toothpick. Repeat around the rest of the cone with the remaining macarons.
- Enjoy!
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Inspired by thegunnysack.com