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Chai Macarons with Brown Butter Chai Buttercream Recipe

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4 from 2 reviews

These chai macarons feature lightly spiced French macaron shells infused with warm chai spices and are filled with a fluffy, rich brown butter chai-spiced buttercream. A delicate white chocolate chai drizzle adds an elegant finishing touch. Perfect as a sophisticated tea-time treat or special dessert, these macarons marry the fragrant spices of chai with the classic airy texture of macarons.

  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: 30 filled macarons

Ingredients

Homemade Chai Spice

  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice

Macarons

  • 100 grams egg whites, room temperature
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 60 grams granulated sugar
  • 110 grams almond flour, sifted
  • 200 grams powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon chai spice
  • 1-2 drops brown gel food coloring (optional)

Brown Butter Chai Buttercream

  • ½ cup unsalted brown butter, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons chai spice
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons milk

White Chocolate Drizzle (optional)

  • 28 grams white chocolate, melted
  • ¼ teaspoon chai spice (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Chai Spice: Whisk together the cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice in a bowl. Store this chai spice blend in an airtight container for up to one year for future use.
  2. Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift together the almond flour, powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the prepared chai spice into a large bowl and set aside.
  3. Whip Egg Whites: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar to stabilize the meringue.
  4. Add Sugar and Color: Gradually add granulated sugar on medium-high speed. After all sugar is incorporated, increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form. Add 1-2 drops of brown gel food coloring if desired and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
  5. Fold Dry Ingredients: Gently fold half of the dry ingredient mixture into the meringue using a spatula until incorporated, then fold in the remaining dry ingredients carefully to avoid deflating the batter.
  6. Achieve Macaronage Consistency: Continue folding until the batter flows like lava and you can draw a figure eight without the batter breaking. Stop folding immediately to prevent over-mixing, which can inhibit proper rise.
  7. Pipe Macarons: Line a baking sheet with a silicone macaron mat. Fill a piping bag fitted with a ½ inch round tip with the batter. Pipe 1-inch rounds spaced evenly on the mat.
  8. Remove Air Bubbles: Lift the baking sheet and drop it onto the countertop 3-4 times to bring air bubbles to the surface. Use a toothpick to pop any visible bubbles to create smooth tops.
  9. Rest Macarons: Let the piped macarons rest at room temperature for 30-40 minutes, or until a skin forms that doesn’t stick when gently touched.
  10. Preheat and Bake: Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for 13-15 minutes, until the macarons do not move on their feet when touched.
  11. Cool Macarons: Allow macarons to cool completely on the baking sheet before carefully peeling them off. They should come off easily when fully cooled.
  12. Prepare Buttercream: Using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, beat the room temperature brown butter and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the 2 teaspoons chai spice, vanilla extract, kosher salt, and milk, then mix on high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
  13. Make White Chocolate Drizzle (Optional): Stir together the melted white chocolate and ¼ teaspoon chai spice until combined.
  14. Assemble Macarons: Match macaron shells by size. Turn one shell upside down and drizzle a small amount of the white chocolate chai mixture on top, if using. Pipe a generous dollop of the brown butter chai buttercream onto the other shell, then sandwich together.
  15. Mature and Store: Place assembled macarons in an airtight container and refrigerate for 12-24 hours to mature flavors. Store refrigerated for up to 5 days. Before serving, let reach room temperature for about an hour for perfect softness.

Notes

  • The resting time to form a skin on the macarons is crucial to achieve the iconic smooth tops and prevent cracking during baking.
  • Be very careful not to over-mix the macaron batter to maintain the proper texture and rise.
  • Brown butter adds depth of flavor to the buttercream, but make sure it is room temperature for easy mixing.
  • Allow macarons to mature in the fridge for full flavor development and ideal texture.
  • Macarons are best served at room temperature; straight from the fridge they can be too firm.
  • You can store the homemade chai spice blend for up to a year in an airtight container for repeated use.
  • The white chocolate chai drizzle is optional but adds an elegant flavor and visual appeal.
  • Author: Daisy
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: French
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Find it online: https://dishiary.com/chai-macarons-with-brown-butter-chai-buttercream-recipe/