Ok, so I know it isn’t technically fall yet, but I’ve been thinking about fall baking for months and I can’t wait any longer. Chai macarons are our first fall bake of the year and you don’t want to miss these. Even my mum, who constantly tells me how much she doesn’t like chai, liked these.
That’s when you know you’ve got a winner! Please mum, please everyone.
We’re going all out on these chai macarons. I made my own chai spice blend that I plan on baking with all season long.
If you want to make it, here’s what you need:
2 tsp. ground cardamom
2 tsp. allspice
2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. ground cloves
6 tsp. cinnamon
4 tsp. ground ginger
Mix it all together, store it in a jar and you’re good to go! It smells incredible and gives the perfect chai flavour to all of your baked goods.
We’re upping the chai flavour by also adding chai-infused milk to the buttercream. All you need to do is heat up 1/2 cup of milk and throw a chai teabag in. Once it’s infused, remove the teabag and let the milk cool. We won’t be using all of it in this recipe, but you can definitely find a use for the remainder.
If you’re like me and fall is your season, you’ll love these. We just had a nice rainy weekend here in Portland and while I’m not quite ready for the nonstop rain, I am ready for cooler temperatures, crunchy leaves, and all of the fall baking I can handle. These chai macarons are the perfect way to bring in the new season. I hope you love them as much as I (& my mum) do!
Step 2To start, put the almond flour, powdered sugar, and chai spice in a food processor and blend thoroughly. Sift into a bowl to ensure there are no lumps.
Step 3In the bowl of a stand mixer (make sure it’s clean and dry), beat the egg whites until foamy. Slowly add the sugar, about 2 tbsp at a time, beating on a medium speed. Once the sugar has dissolved, increase speed to medium high and beat until a thick glossy meringue forms. The mixture should form stiff peaks and you should be able to tip the bowl over your head with none of the mixture coming out.
Step 4With a large, flat rubber spatula, gently fold 1/3 of almond flour/powdered sugar mixture into egg whites until combined. Repeat until all of the almond mixture has been added. Fold to combine until you see no streaks of almond flour in the batter. The batter should be pretty fluid, a lot of people describe as a lava-like consistency. It should run smoothly off the spatula when you pull it out. This part comes with practice. Once you know the consistency, you’ll just be able to feel when it’s ready.
Step 5Pipe the batter into circles onto parchment or silicone lined baking sheets. Bang the tray a few times on a table to remove air bubbles and allow to sit for about 30 minutes before baking. To see if they’re ready for baking, touch your finger to them. If you get batter on your finger, they need to rest longer.
Step 6While resting, preheat your oven to 300°F with a rack placed in the lower third of the oven. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 15-18 minutes (this depends on your oven, my old one was fine at 15 minutes, this one needs 17-18). The shells should cool completely before you remove them from the parchment/silicone.
Step 7Chai Buttercream:
Step 8Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add in powdered sugar and chai spice. Beat for 3 minutes.
Step 9Add in the vanilla extract and chai milk, beat for another 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Step 10Assembly:
Step 11To assemble, pipe the chai buttercream onto one half of each macaron pair and gently sandwich together.
Step 12Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature before eating.
