Acorn Macarons
Walking in the park my son picked acorns. This gave me idea to make Acorn Macarons. They would be perfect for fall macarons box. These Acorn Macarons I filled with dark chocolate ganache and homemade caramel in the center. I decorated them with gluten free pretzel sticks, like many of my latest shaped macarons. You will be surprised that I made them without template. Yes. No template! See below my tutorial and video on my You Tube Chanel.
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How to make Acorn Macarons
- Make Dark Chocolate ganache.
- Prepare 2 colors macaronage. I made from one batch of my basic French meringue macaron shells recipe. Please note, that macaronage should be dripping from spatula “like lava” before you start pipping these Acorn Macarons. For Italian or Swiss meringue recipe the same rule apply (lava consistency macaronage). I also have online video lesson how to make macaron shells using No rest method.
- Pipe macaron shells as you see in the video. Bake shells and let them cool.
- Use homemade caramel for center of ganache in the filling. This is optional, you can also use peanut butter or jam. You will need about 1/4 of caramel from the recipe that I have below.
- Assemble macarons.
How to make Dark Chocolate Ganache
In the small saucepan mix heavy cream and glucose syrup and bring to simmer. Do not boil! Pour hot cream mixture over dark chocolate and let it sit for 1-2 minutes. Emulsify with hand blender. Add butter and emulsify again. Transfer ganache into flat container and cover with plastic wrap ” to contact”. Let ganache set on the countertop. Check for consistency by pressing you finger on the top of the ganache. Ganache sets fast and ready for pipping. You can also place in the fridge if you are not using the same day. Let ganache become to room temperature before transferring to pipping bag for filling.
How to make Homemade Caramel
Melt sugar in the small saucepan over medium heat. Please see detailed instructions in my separate post. Meanwhile, in the other small saucepan warm up heavy cream, do not boil! Add butter to melted sugar and stir with the spatula. Add warm heavy cream and stir again. Please be careful, as mixture will start to bubble! Add sea salt and transfer caramel into flat container. Cover with plastic wrap ” to contact” and it cool to room temperature. Refrigerate caramel until use.
How to pipe Acorn Macarons
There is no need to use template to make acorn shape of macarons. I used Wilton coupler for one part of acorn and then Wilton 12 for the top of acorn. All details are in the video. After pipping top the tray a few times and remove any air bobbles with toothpick. Let macaron shells to rest and then bake in preheated oven.
Tip from Marina: when you pipe macaron shells, make sure you have enough space for the top portion of the acorn on the baking mat.
How to assemble Acorn Macarons
Transfer ganache and caramel into separate pipping bags. Place paired macaron shells on the table or baking tray. Pipe ganache on flat side of macaron shell and add caramel into the center. Cover with another macaron shells. Press lightly, make sure there is no ganache or caramel coming out from the macaron. Insert glute free pretzel stick into the top part of the acorn to look like stem. I like to use gluten free pretzel sticks for my macarons as it is gluten free dessert. Place filled macarons into air tight container and refrigerate for 12-24 hours. Macarons need to mature before you can enjoy them.
How to store Macarons
Store Acorn Macarons in air tight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can also freeze in air tight container assembled macarons for up to 6 months.
Tips for making Acorn Macarons
- Try my technique to pipe Acorn Macaron shells using coupler. I also made template, if you prefer it for pipping. You can download and use it here.
- This technique will work for rest or no rest method to make shells.
- Macaronage should be “normal” not “undermixed”.
- Decor with pretzel stick could be replaced with chocolate stick.
- For filling you can use different ganache or buttercream. I have many recipes on my blog.
- Homemade Caramel could be replaced with peanut butter or jam.
If you make these Acorn Macarons, please tag me on social media and make sure to leave a rating down below. I would love to see your creations! Check also other recipes:
Acorn Macarons
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- 1 baking mat
- 1 spatula
- 2 pipping bag
- 1 Winton 12 pipping tip
- 1 Wilton Coupler
Ingredients
Dark Chocolate Ganache
- 200 ml heavy cream
- 15 gr glucose syrup
- 200 gr dark chocolate
- 28 gr unsalted butter room temperature
Homemade Caramel
- 200 gr white granulated sugar
- 180 ml heavy cream
- 113 gr unsalted butter
- 5 gr sea salt
Macaron shells
- 120 gr almond flour (1 cup)
- 150 gr powdered sugar (1 1/4 cup)
- 100 gr egg whites room temperature (from 3 large eggs)
- 100 gr white granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
- 1 drop of caramel food coloring
- 2 drops of brown food coloring
Instructions
How to make Dark Chocolate Ganache
- In the small saucepan mix heavy cream and glucose syrup and bring to simmer. Do not boil!
- Pour hot cream mixture over dark chocolate and let it sit for 1-2 minutes.
- Emulsify with hand blender. Add butter and emulsify again.
- Transfer ganache into flat container and cover with plastic wrap " to contact". Let ganache set on the countertop. Check for consistency by pressing you finger on the top of the ganache. Ganache sets fast and ready for pipping. You can also place in the fridge if you are not using the same day. Let ganache become to room temperature before transferring into pipping bag for filling.
How to make Homemade Caramel
- Melt sugar in the small saucepan over medium heat. Please see detailed instructions in my separate post.
- Meanwhile, in the other small saucepan warm up heavy cream, do not boil!
- Add butter to melted sugar and stir with the spatula.
- Add warm heavy cream and stir again. Please be careful, as mixture will start to bubble!
- Add sea salt and transfer caramel into flat container. Cover with plastic wrap " to contact" and it cool to room temperature. Refrigerate caramel until use.
How to make Acorn Macaron shells
- In the mixing bowl sift together almond flour and powdered sugar. Set aside.
- In the mixing bowl of stand mixer add room temperature egg whites and start whisking on low speed. Start adding sugar one tablespoon at the time. Add red food coloring. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until stiff picks. This will take 10-15 minutes.
- Add dry ingredients and start folding the butter. In other mixing bowl place about 1/3 of batter and add brown food coloring. In the first bowl add caramel or light brown for coloring and keep folding.
- When macaronage drips down from the spatula “like lava”, transfer into separate pipping bags. Caramel color into bag with coupler and brown into another bag with Wilton 12 tip.
- Pipe macaron shells on the baking mat as you seen in the video.
- Top baking sheet pan with pipped macaron shells a few times. Let shells to rest on the countertop until no batter sticks to your finger when you touch.
- Bake macaron shells in the preheated oven to 275o F (134o C) for 12-14 minutes. Oven temperature and baking time may vary, depending on your oven.
- Remove baked macaron shells from the oven and let it cool on the baking mat with baking sheet pan. When shells are cooled completely remove from baking mat and pair them with similar size.
How to Assemble Acorn Macarons
- Transfer ganache and caramel into separate pipping bags.
- Place paired macaron shells on the table or baking tray.
- Pipe ganache on flat side of macaron shell and add caramel into the center.
- Cover with another macaron shells. Press lightly, make sure there is no ganache or caramel coming out from the macaron. Insert glute free pretzel stick into the top part of the acorn to look like stem.
- Place filled macarons into air tight container and refrigerate for 12-24 hours. Macarons need to mature before you can enjoy them.