March of Macaron: St. Patty's Whiskey & Mint Macaron

Let's add a little spirit to our French macarons for St. Patrick's Day with the Irish whiskey and mint macaron.

The whiskey is a surprisingly subtle flavor hidden underneath the mint, so you may wish to add more or less whiskey to your personal taste.

Overall, this is a simpler macaron recipe, once you've mastered the technique, relying on a few drops of peppermint flavoring and whiskey buttercream to jazz it up and make it special for the holidays. Care to give it a try?

Macaron Ingredients:
240 g confectioner's sugar
180 g almond flour
80 g granulated sugar
140 g egg whites (room temperature)
pinch of cream of tartar
1/8 tsp mint extract
4 drops of green gel food coloring

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Sift almond flour and confectioner's sugar together in bowl or mix in food processor to combine ingredients.
3. Whip egg whites at medium speed in stand mixer with whip attachment until foamy and wires of beater leave trails (1 - 2 minutes).
4. Add a pinch of tartar (optional). Continue to whip and add 1 Tbsp of granulated sugar every 30 - 45 seconds until all 80 grams have been added. Continue whipping until meringue turns glossy and stiff in about 4 - 8 minutes. If you remove the whisk and turn it upside down, your meringue should form a stiff peak.
5. Combine half of the almond flour and sugar mixture with the meringue and mix it gently with a rubber spatula. Add the second half of the almond flour/sugar mixture, food coloring, if desired, and mint extract, and gently mix to combine batter.
6. Pipe batter into two-inch circles onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or silco mats. Tap cookie sheets against a flat surface to release air bubbles.
7. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes until shell is dried and no longer tacky.
8. Bake at 300°F for 15 - 20 minutes until macaron is baked solid and easily remove from baking sheet. Let cool on racks before piping buttercream filling onto each macaron.

Whiskey Buttercream:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)

3 - 5 teaspoons Irish whiskey (more or less based on taste)
1/8 tsp mint extract
pinch of salt

1. Whisk sugar and egg whites together in a glass bowl over a sauce pan of boiling water at medium high heat. Continue to whisk occasionally while simmering until mixture is hot to touch (4 - 6 minutes).
2. Remove from heat and transfer to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk.
3. Whip at medium speed until mix becomes light white and cool to touch (4 - 6 minutes).
4. Reduce speed to low and add butter in small slices. Mix at medium speed until smooth. Add whiskey, mint extract, and a pinch of salt.
5. Pipe buttercream onto one macaron shell and sandwich together with another macaron shell of equal size. Sprinkle with green sugar to add extra flair, if you like.

Rating of Difficulty: 4 out of 5. French macarons require practice and a basic understanding of meringue technique. I'll be sharing a more in-depth tutorial as part of my March of Macarons series to explain the technique more fully.

What's your favorite drink or dessert to make you feel a little Irish? I hope you enjoy a little extra spirit in your dessert this St. Patty's Day!

Linking at:
Tasteful Tuesday at Naptime Creations
Craft-O-Maniac
Make it Pretty Monday at Dedicated House 
Lady Behind the Curtain presents Cast Party Wednesday
Someday Crafts 
Shabby Nest
Tatertots and Jello
Natasha in Oz