Matcha Green Tea Macarons with Green Tea-White Chocolate Ganache

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always enjoyed drinking green tea and eating green tea-flavored desserts so I’m loving the current trend of adding matcha green tea powder to anything and everything! I’ve seen green tea swirled pound cakes, shortbread cookies, panna cotta, and other delicious things that I can’t wait to try.

This time, I decided to make these matcha green tea macarons with green tea-white chocolate ganache! My first attempt at making macarons several years ago were a (yummy) failure – the tops were crackly and there were no “feet” (pied). The whole process was kind of daunting given the high maintenance reputation that these delicate cookies have, until I took a macaron workshop and realized that they actually aren’t too difficult to make once you know a few tips and the consistency of the batter to strive for. I remember the excitement and joy of making macarons all by myself for the first time and now I really enjoy making them!

However, I’ve been holding off blogging how to make macarons because it is a fairly involved process, but these matcha macarons were so delicious and pretty that I did my best to write helpful instructions so you can successfully make them!

Some important general tips for making macarons are:

• Precisely weigh out ingredients
• Use finer almond meal if you want a smoother surface on the finished macarons
• Make sure batter is thick but continuously flows like lava when you let it drop from the spatula
• Macaron shells should be dry to the touch before going into the oven
• Make sure the oven is at the right temperature (I like to use an oven thermometer since all ovens vary in temperature)

These green tea macarons are crisp on the outside and wonderfully chewy on the inside with a smooth ganache filling. They are sweet but the earthy flavor from the matcha powder helps balance the flavors out. Hope you give these macarons a try and comment below with how they turn out!

Matcha Green Tea Macarons with Green Tea-White Chocolate Ganache

Yield: about thirty 1-1/3″ sandwiches

Adapted from Lemons & Anchovies

Ingredients:

Matcha Green Tea Macaron Shells

• 118 grams egg whites, aged overnight
• 153 grams almond meal
• 63 grams + 126 grams confectioners’ sugar, divided
• 1 tbsp matcha green tea powder
• 94 grams granulated sugar
• Pinch of cream of tartar

Green Tea-White Chocolate Ganache

• 1/2 cup white chocolate, chopped (or white chocolate chips)
• 3 tbsp heavy cream
• 1 tbsp matcha green tea powder

Directions:

Matcha Green Tea Macaron Shells

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. If using a macaron template, place beneath the parchment paper or mat. You can find different sized templates online that can be printed out.

Dry ingredients: In a food processor, pulse 63 grams of confectioners’ sugar and the almond meal to make the mixture finer. Add remaining confectioners’ sugar and matcha powder and pulse to combine. Using a sieve, sift the mixture twice into a bowl. Set aside.

Making meringue: In clean, dry bowl of stand mixer fitted with a clean, dry whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on medium speed (level 6 on KitchenAid mixer) until foamy. With mixer running, gradually add granulated sugar. Once sugar is incorporated and mixture is thick, add cream of tartar, scrape down sides of bowl, and increase speed to high until stiff, firm, glossy peaks form.

Macaronnage: Detach bowl with meringue from stand mixer. Add about 1/3 of dry ingredients into meringue and using a rubber spatula, fold the mixture a few times by running the spatula from the 12:00 to 6:00 position and lifting the spatula up while following the curve of the bowl. Rotate the bowl in between folds. Repeat with the second 1/3 and third 1/3 of dry ingredients.

In the macaronnage step, the goal is to deflate some of the air from the egg whites. You know when to stop folding when the mixture resembles thick, but continuous lava or ribbons when you let it fall from the spatula and back into the bowl. Keep in mind that transferring the mixture into a piping bag will further deflate the mixture so it’s better to stop folding when the mixture is on the thicker side.

Piping: Place small dollops of the mixture underneath the four corners of the parchment paper on the baking sheet – this will keep the parchment paper flat while piping. Fit a 1/2-inch plain round tip (#12) into a piping bag or large gallon-sized resealable bag. Place the bag in a tall glass and fold the sides over the glass to make it easier to fill. Transfer filling into the bag and pipe 1-1/3″ rounds (or desired size) onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving a few inches in between each round. Keep the piping tip 90 degrees from the baking sheet while piping. When finished piping, release air bubbles by rapping bottom of baking sheets on flat work surface for a few times.

Arrange rack in middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Let macarons stand at room temperature for 30 minutes or until slight crust forms on macarons and they are dry to the touch. Dust with matcha powder, if desired. Bake one sheet at a time for 13-15 minutes, rotating halfway through baking, and making sure the macarons don’t turn brown.

Let baking sheet cool on wire rack for about 5 minutes. Carefully remove macaron shells from parchment paper and let cool completely on wire rack. Macaron shells should come off the paper easily, otherwise they are undercooked.

Green Tea-White Chocolate Ganache

Place white chocolate in small glass bowl. In small saucepan, whisk together heavy cream and matcha powder and heat until simmering. Pour over chocolate and let stand for a few minutes. Then quickly whisk together until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Let ganache cool and thicken to piping consistency.

Assembly

Transfer ganache into piping bag. Pair together similarly-sized macaron shells; pipe ganache on one shell and top with second shell.

Refrigerate in airtight container for 24 hours so macarons are crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. Serve at room temperature.