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Chai Macarons

Chai macarons pair crisp, delicate shells with a smooth white chocolate ganache spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and black pepper. Resting the filled macarons in the refrigerator helps the centers become tender while the shells stay lightly crisp.
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Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time 32 minutes
Resting and chilling 1 day 1 hour 22 minutes
Total Time 1 day 3 hours 14 minutes
Servings: 20 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Calories: 105
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the shells
  • 3.5 oz superfine almond flour
  • 3.5 oz powdered sugar
  • 2.5 oz egg whites room temperature; about 2 to 3 large egg whites
  • 0.125 tsp cream of tartar
  • 2.5 oz granulated sugar
For the chai ganache
  • 4 oz white chocolate finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 2 tsp heavy cream
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon ground
  • 0.25 tsp ginger ground
  • 0.125 tsp cardamom ground
  • 0.125 tsp cloves ground
  • 1 black pepper ground; pinch

Equipment

  • 2 13x18-inch rimmed baking sheets
  • 1 electric mixer

Method
 

Make the shells
  1. Preheat the oven to 300°F and line two 13x18-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Sift the superfine almond flour and powdered sugar together into a medium bowl.
  3. Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl with an electric mixer until foamy.
  4. Add the cream of tartar.
  5. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar, then continue beating until the meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  6. Fold the dry mixture into the meringue in three additions until the batter falls from the spatula in a thick ribbon and settles back into itself in about 10 seconds.
  7. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip and pipe 1 1/4-inch rounds onto the prepared sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
  8. Firmly tap each sheet on the counter.
  9. Pop any visible air bubbles with a toothpick.
  10. Let the shells stand at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes, until the tops feel dry to the touch.
  11. Bake one sheet at a time for 14 to 16 minutes, until the shells feel set and do not wobble when gently nudged.
  12. Cool completely on the sheets, about 20 minutes, before peeling the shells off the parchment.
Make the chai ganache and assemble
  1. Put the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
  2. Warm the heavy cream, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and black pepper in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming.
  3. Pour the warm cream mixture over the white chocolate.
  4. Let stand for 2 minutes.
  5. Stir until smooth.
  6. Let the ganache cool at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to pipe.
  7. Pair the shells by size.
  8. Pipe about 1 teaspoon of ganache onto the flat side of half the shells.
  9. Gently sandwich with the remaining shells.
  10. Refrigerate the macarons in an airtight container for 12 to 24 hours.
  11. Bring them to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

Notes

For neat shells, fold until the batter falls in a thick ribbon and settles back into itself in about 10 seconds. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days; the macarons can also be frozen. For a dairy-free variation, use dairy-free white chocolate and a suitable dairy-free cream.