Blood Spatter Macarons
These blood-spatter macarons are the perfect gory treat for any Halloween party. The macarons have a crunchy outer shell with a soft and chewy centre. They are sandwiched together with a bright red chocolate ganache.
Servings: 30 Macarons
Ingredients
For the Macarons
- 200 g Icing Sugar
- 100 g Ground Almonds
- 3 Large Egg Whites
- 75 g Caster Sugar
For the Blood Spatter
- 20 ml Vodka
- Red Food Colouring
For the Filling
- 100 g White Chocolate
- 30 ml Double Cream
- Red Food Colouring
Instructions
To Make the Macaron Shells
- Add the icing sugar and almonds to a food processor and whizz for 2 minutes.
- Sieve the mixture into a large bowl.
- Put the almond mixture back into the food processor and whizz for a further minute.
- Re-sieve the mixture into the large bowl and leave it to one side.
- Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. I did this using the whisk attachment on my KitchenAid, but you could use a hand mixer too.
- Gradually add in the caster sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Leaving a minute or so in between each addition.
- Once all the caster sugar has been added, continue to whisk the meringue until it forms stiff peaks and is glossy and shiny.
- Gently fold the egg whites into your almond mixture until it is fully incorporated.
- Press the mixture into the sides of the bowl. This is called macaronage, and you are trying to get the mixture to be as smooth as possible. You know it is ready when it flows like molten lava from your spatula.
- Add the mixture to your piping bag with a small round nozzle and pop to one side.
- Line your baking trays with a macaron mat or baking parchment.
- Pipe the batter onto the mats or baking parchment. You need to hold the piping bag completely vertically, or you will end up with wonky feet. Pipe the macarons around an inch or so apart so that they don't touch
- Tap the trays on your worktop to knock out any air bubbles. If you see any air bubbles on top, gently pop these with a skewer.
- Leave the macarons for 45 minutes to 1 hour so that a skin forms and they are completely dry to the touch.
To Bake the Macarons
- Towards the end of the 45-minute – 1-hour rest time, preheat your oven to 150°C (130°C Fan).
- Bake the macarons for around 20-25 minutes until they have risen and have 'feet'. You can tell when they are ready if you touch them, they are just starting to peel away from the mat or are a little wobblily if you move them from side to side.
- Leave the macarons to cool fully on the mat.
To Decorate
- Once the macarons have cooled completely, in a small bowl, add the vodka and a small amount of food colouring and mix. If you need to, you can add more red colouring a little at a time until you reach the desired colour.
- Dip a paintbrush into the bowl and flick it over the top of the macarons
- Leave the macarons to one side to let the blood spatter dry.
To Make the Filling
- Add the white chocolate and double cream to a bowl and pop it into the microwave in 20-second bursts until it is completely melted and smooth.
- Leave it to one side. Stirring every few minutes or so until it is a spreadable consistency.
- Once it is a spreadable consistency, add the red food colouring a little at a time, stirring in between each addition until you reach the desired colour.
- Add the ganache to a piping bag with a small round nozzle and pipe onto the top of your macarons, sandwich together and enjoy.
Notes
- These Macarons will last for up to 1 week in the fridge.