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Cereal Milk Macarons with German Buttercream Recipe

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4.2 from 11 reviews

Cereal Milk Macarons are delicate French almond cookies filled with a luscious cereal-infused German buttercream. This recipe features perfectly piped, crisp-shell macarons with a light, chewy interior, infused with nostalgic cereal flavors like Lucky Charms, Trix, or Frosted Flakes. The detailed step-by-step process covers making smooth macaron shells, preparing a rich cereal milk custard, and whipping it into a creamy buttercream for a nostalgic, playful confection.

  • Total Time: Approximately 3 hours plus chilling time
  • Yield: 24 servings (about 48 macarons)

Ingredients

Macaron Shells

  • 170g ground almonds (almond meal)
  • 300g powdered sugar
  • 180g egg whites, at room temperature
  • 160g granulated sugar
  • A few drops of gel food colouring, optional
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • Crushed cereal to finish, optional

Cereal Milk German Buttercream

  • 400g whole milk
  • 75g cereal (Lucky Charms, Trix, or Frosted Flakes)
  • 110g granulated sugar
  • 12g (1 1/2 Tbsp) corn starch
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 340g unsalted butter, at room temperature

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Template: Preheat your oven to 300˚F (150˚C) and position the rack in the center. Draw 1.5-inch circles on parchment paper spaced about 3/4 inch apart using a cookie cutter or piping tip base as a template.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: Combine the ground almonds and powdered sugar in a large bowl and sift twice to remove lumps and aerate. Set aside.
  3. Make Meringue: In a stand mixer bowl with a whisk attachment, whip egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar, increase to high speed, and whip until stiff peaks form. Add gel food coloring if desired, then vanilla bean paste and mix to combine.
  4. Fold Dry into Meringue: Remove bowl from mixer. Add half the almond-sugar mixture and gently fold it into the meringue, lightly deflating. Then add the rest and fold until combined with no streaks.
  5. Macaronage (Mix Batter): Fold the batter repeatedly, scraping and spreading against the bowl sides, until it flows like lava and can form an unbroken figure 8 when lifted with a spatula. Avoid overmixing.
  6. Pipe Macarons: Fit a large pastry bag with a medium round tip (e.g., Ateco #805). Place the parchment with template on a baking sheet, cover with another piece of parchment. Pipe batter into circles matching the templates. Flick your wrist to smooth points.
  7. Remove Template and De-Bubble: Gently lift the template off. Firmly bang the baking sheet against your work surface two or three times to release air bubbles and help spread batter evenly.
  8. Repeat Piping and Banging: Continue piping and banging for all batter, making about three sheet pans. Sprinkle crushed cereal on tops if using.
  9. Dry Shells: Let piped shells rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes or until a dry skin forms, not sticky to the touch. Time varies with humidity.
  10. Prepare Oven for Baking: About 15 minutes before baking, place an empty sheet pan on the middle oven rack to preheat. This will help with even baking.
  11. Bake Macarons: Place the sheet pan with macarons on top of the preheated pan and bake one tray at a time for about 18 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through. Check doneness after 15 minutes by pressing on a shell; it should be firm and have a developed foot without browning.
  12. Test and Cool: If shells peel cleanly from parchment, they are done. If sticky, bake 1-2 minutes more or freeze shells on parchment for 5-10 minutes to help release. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  13. Cereal Milk Infusion: Combine milk and cereal in an airtight container. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour, shaking occasionally to infuse flavor. Strain twice and measure 190g of infused milk. Top up if needed.
  14. Make Custard Base: Whisk sugar, cornstarch, egg, egg yolk, and salt in a bowl. Heat cereal milk and vanilla just to simmer in a saucepan. Remove from heat.
  15. Temper Eggs: Whisking constantly, pour half the hot milk into the egg mixture. Then pour all back into the pan and heat over medium, whisking until it bubbles and thickens. Cook 1 minute more, then remove from heat.
  16. Chill Custard: Transfer custard to a container, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent skin, and refrigerate until completely cold (4+ hours or overnight). To speed cooling, place the bowl in an ice bath while stirring often.
  17. Prepare Buttercream: With a mixer whisk attachment, whip the chilled custard on medium until smooth and lump-free. Gradually add softened butter cubes, whipping continuously until fully incorporated and creamy, even if it looks curdled at times. Add gel food coloring if desired.
  18. Assemble Macarons: Match shells by size. Pipe a circle of buttercream onto one shell and sandwich with its pair. Sprinkle crushed cereal on top if desired, or add gold leaf for decoration.
  19. Mature and Store: Chill assembled macarons overnight in the fridge to allow flavors to meld for best taste. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They are also delicious eaten immediately.

Notes

  • Macaronage (folding) technique is crucial for texture; under-mixing is safer than over-mixing.
  • Rest macarons before baking to form a dry skin and avoid cracking.
  • Using a preheated baking sheet under the macarons promotes even heat distribution and better feet formation.
  • If macarons stick to parchment, freezing for 5-10 minutes helps release them cleanly.
  • Buttercream may look curdled during mixing, but keep whipping until smooth.
  • Maturing macarons in the fridge overnight enhances flavor and texture.
  • Humidity affects drying time and baking results; adjust resting and baking as needed.
  • Use room temperature ingredients for best results.
  • Author: Daisy
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes (plus 1 hour for cereal infusion and at least 4 hours chilling custard, preferably overnight for best results)
  • Cook Time: 18 minutes per tray (plus about 10 minutes cooling and additional time for baking multiple trays)
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: French

Find it online: https://dishiary.com/cereal-milk-macarons-with-german-buttercream-recipe/