Tennis Ball Macarons

These macarons were made as a special birthday treat for someone that loves a good game of tennis.

These Tennis Ball Macarons are fun to make as a gift or for a themed birthday party.  Not only are they cute to make but they are filled with either a delicious white chocolate ganache or dark chocolate ganache.

I piped two lines using royal icing on the top shell of the macarons so they look like tennis balls.  Alternatively you can use melted white chocolate to achieve the same thing.

*Please note that the royal icing recipe makes a lot of icing.  The icing can be used for decorating cookies or be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week if stored correctly.

Happy Baking xo

Tennis Ball Macarons

Ingredients

· 75 grams almond meal
· 1 cup icing sugar
· 2 egg whites
· 4 tablespoons caster sugar
· Food colouring (leaf green - americolor)

White Chocolate Ganache

· 90 grams white chocolate
· 2 tablespoons thickened cream

Dark Chocolate Ganache

· 90 grams dark chocolate
· 2 tablespoons thickened cream

Royal Icing

· 2 cups icing sugar
· 1 egg white
· Water or lemon juice (approx. 4-6 tablespoons)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 130C.

2. Line two baking trays with baking paper.

3. Sift almond meal and icing sugar together in a bowl.

4. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites in a bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until dissolved. Add food colouring, beat until just combined.

5. Fold in half the almond mixture until just combined. Fold remaining mixture until the mixture is all combined and glossy (this may take a little bit of time). Remember to fold, not mix.

6. Spoon into a piping bag or a large snaplock bag. If using a snaplock bag, snip 1cm from a corner of the bag. Pipe round mixtures evenly onto the lined baking tray, allowing a bit of space between each piped macaron.

7. Tap the trays on the bench to remove air bubbles. Set aside for 30 minutes to an hour, or until the tops of the macarons are dry and firm to touch.

8. Bake macarons one tray at a time for 18 to 20 minutes or until tops are firm. Cool on trays and carefully transfer to cooling rack.

White Chocolate Ganache/Dark Chocolate Ganache

*Note – method is the same for making both types of ganache

9. Place chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for minute or until chocolate has melted. Stir mixture until combined and refrigerate until ganache is thickened and becomes spreadable.

10. Pipe some chocolate ganache onto half of the macaron shells and sandwich with remaining shells.

Royal Icing

11. Place icing sugar, eggwhite and lemon juice into a bowl and using an electric beater beat on high for 3 minutes until mixture is smooth.

12. Place icing into a piping bag and pipe two curved lines on the macarons shells.

Tips

· Make sure the mixing bowl is completely dry when beating the egg whites. If there is water in the bowl the egg whites will NOT form a peak.

· To get evenly spaced macarons on a tray you can buy a template or make your own. I made my own by using baking paper and drawing circles evenly spaced out. I placed the template under the baking paper and piped my macarons onto the image. Remove the template after so that you can use it again.

· For more even colour on the macarons, remember to turn the tray halfway in the bake.

Did you bake this recipe?

Remember to tag @youcanbakeittoo on Instagram & hashtag #youcanbakeittoo 

so I can see your wonderful bakes.