Gingerbread Men Macarons

Yields around 12 Gingerbread men macarons

Macaron Recipe:

• 120 grams almond flour
• 110 grams powdered sugar
• 100 grams egg whites (around 3-4 eggs)
• 100 grams granulated white sugar
• gel or powdered food coloring (brown)

Buttercream Recipe:

Swiss meringue buttercream

Amoretti Gingerbread Compound

Royal Icing Recipe:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoons meringue powder
• 2-3 teaspoons water

Additional ingredients

Sprinkles

edible glitter

edible marker

Equipment

-Electronic scale
-large mixing bowl
-small mixing bowl (3)
-stand mixer or hand mixer
- medium saucepan
-sifter
-flexible spatula
-whisk
-piping bags
-round piping tip
-sheet tray (3)
-silicone mat or parchment paper
-oven thermometer (optional but highly recommend it)

Instructions: 

1. Prepare Gingerbread man template. You have two options here, print multiple gingerbread men outlines on one sheet or trace over one gingerbread man outline using your phone and parchment paper. Then trace multiple using that one outline. I did the second option. It's quick and helpful when you don't have a printer on hand. Once you have your template ready place it under your silicon mat on your half sheet tray. You will be using this template for multiple trays.

2. In your medium saucepan place a small amount of water in it, no more than a cup. Let it boil over medium heat.

3. In a large bowl sift your almond flour and powdered sugar.

4. In a separate bowl place egg whites and granulated sugar. If you are using a stand mixer use the bowl for it.

5. Once the water in the saucepan is boiling place the large bowl with the egg white mixture over it. Using your whisk slowly but constantly stir the mixture. Do this for about 1-2 minutes, we just want to warm up the mixture.

6. Transfer bowl to your stand mixer and use the whisk attachment, place mixer on the highest setting. If using a handheld mixer also use the highest setting while mixing.

7. Whisk for about 2-5 minutes or until you get stiff, glossy peaks.

8. Test the meringue stiffness. It should have shiny pointed peaks when the whisk is pulled out.

9. Pour the almond/ powdered sugar mixture into the egg whites. Gently fold it into the egg whites forming a letter J with a spatula.

10. Fold just until you don’t see any streaks of dry ingredients any longer. Once that happens, you can add your gel based food color.

11. Fold until the entire batter reaches 'lava' like consistency. It should slow flow of your spatula in a ribbon like motion.

12. Use a large cup and place the piping bag inside and fold the top half of it over the cup so there is a wide opening for you to transfer your macaron batter inside of it.

13. On your parchment paper or silicone mat, pipe the gingerbreads. Start by piping the head then arms then legs. Leaving at least an 1.5” of space between each one. Use the macaron template underneath your silicone mat or parchment paper.

14. Once you’ve piped all your macaron batter, bang the trays against the counter a few times each. This will release air bubbles that are in the batter and prevent the macaron shells from cracking

15. Let the macarons rest for around 15-20 minutes. If you are in a humid area it may take a bit longer. You will know they are ready when you gently touch the surface of a macaron and it seems dry

16. Pre-heat oven to 300F, if you have a convection setting for your oven use it! Some convection ovens run 25 degrees hotter than the temperature you set it at. If your convection oven is like that be sure to set it at 275F.

17. Bake one tray at a time for 13-14 minutes. You can check to see if your macarons are fully baked by gently trying to wiggle the top of them. If they wiggle they need to be baked a bit longer, if they don’t move they are ready.

18. While macarons bake prepare buttercream. Add a dash of Amoretti Gingerbread compound into your buttercream and mix thoroughly.      

19. Once all the macarons are done baking leave tray on countertop to slightly cool for 5 minutes before peeling them of the mat.

20. Pair two similar sized shells together, pipe a dollop of buttercream to one macaron shell. Top it with another macaron shell to create a sandwich. Repeat with remaining macaron shells and buttercream.

21. Prepare royal icing- In a small to medium bowl add all the ingredients and mix until it is fully incorporated. You want the icing to be pretty thick so you can pipe with it. if its too runny add a bit more powdered sugar. 

22. Pipe squiggles on the arms and legs of your gingerbread men. Use the royal icing as glue to add sprinkles as the buttons. Lastly, add the eyes and mouth using an edible marker. If you do not have an edible marker use the royal icing to create the face. Add edible glitter on the cheeks and voila! Cute little gingerbread men!
23. Store them in an airtight container for up to 1 week.