Impossibly cute, amazingly tasty…this sweet shamrock macarons are filled with Bailey’s buttercream. Learn how to make and decorate these easy French macarons perfect for your St. Patrick's Day party!
- 1¾ cups confectioners sugar
- 1⅓ cups almond flour (I like Bob's Red Mill or homemade ground almonds)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 egg whites
- ¼ cup superfine sugar
- *green gel food coloring if desired
- 5 egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 14 oz unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup Irish Cream (I like Bailey's)
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Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment and trace 1½ inch circles onto the parchment as a guide for piping. Flip the parchment over before piping.
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Combine almond flour, confectioners sugar, and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and blend until completely combined, 1-2 mins.
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Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form.
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Add superfine sugar and beat on high speed until meringue is glossy and (very!) stiff peaks form.
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Fold almond flour mixture into meringue - I find about 50 strokes to be the magic number. The batter should be the consistency of lava.
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As you are folding, you can add a drop of food coloring if desired, for green shells.
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Fill the piping bag with the batter and pipe rounds within the lines that you traced. The batter will spread a bit, so don't overfill.
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Tap the baking sheet once of twice on the counter to release any air bubbles and with a slightly moistened finger, gently pat down any points on the surface of the shells.
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Bake one tray at a time for 10-12 mins until shells are set but not browned.
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Let cool for a few minutes on baking sheet, before carefully removing to a wire rack to cool.
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Combine sugar and eggs whites in the bowl of your electric mixer or a large metal bowl.
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Place over a pan of simmering water and cook, whisking frequently, until sugar is completely dissolved and isn't grainy when you rub it between two fingers.
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Remove from the heat and using your electric mixer, beat on high with the whisk attachment until the meringue is thick and glossy and the bottom of the bowl no longer feels warm, about 7-8 minutes.
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Add the butter, piece by piece, and mix until incorporated.
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Switch to the paddle attachment and add the Bailey's. Continue beating until light, smooth and completely homogenized. Add green food coloring if desired.
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Using a pastry bag, pipe 1½ - 2 tsps of filling on to half of the shells. Place an empty shell on top of the filling and press lightly so filling spreads to the edge, taking care not to crack the shell. You may have leftover icing.
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*Optional* Sprinkle metallic disco dust over a shamrock cutout. Shake off the excess.
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Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Yield: 24 macarons
Serving Size: 2 macarons
Special Equipment: Piping bag fitted with a #806 Ateco round tip or equivalent