Candy Floss Macarons

If you're following a vegan diet, you might be thinking macarons are off the menu, but think again with this ingenious recipe! And you won't believe what the secret ingredient in these candy floss macarons is!

Candy Floss Macarons

Ingredients

• 3/4C aquafaba (the water from a can of chickpeas. Find out more about this miracle ingredient here)
• 1/2C sugar
• 1/4tsp candy floss flavoring
• 2-3 drops blue coloring
• 2-3 drops pink coloring
• 1 1/4C ground almonds
• 1/2C powdered sugar
• Edible glitter (optional)

• 2 Tbsp vegan butter spread
• 4C powdered sugar
• 1/4tsp candy floss flavoring
• 4 drops blue coloring
• 2-4tsp almond or soy milk

Method

1. Pour the aquafaba into a small saucepan and allow to simmer over a medium heat until it has reduced to 1/3C, this usually takes around 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
2. Pour the reduced chickpea water into the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a balloon whisk attachment and whisk on medium to high speed until soft peaks form. Add half the sugar and whisk until well combined, then add the remaining sugar and vanilla and whisk at high speed until the meringue is glossy and thick - it should be the consistency of marshmallow fluff. Add the candy floss flavoring and mix. Separate the meringue mixture equally into two medium sized bowls and add the pink coloring to one and the blue to the other. Set aside while you prepare your dry ingredients.
3. Pulse the ground almonds a few times in a food processor until very finely ground. Add the powdered sugar and process for a few seconds, until the two are well combined.
4. Sieve the almond-sugar mixture and discard any large pieces. Pour half the dry mixture into each of the meringue bowls and use a spatula to mix the ingredients together, pressing the dry ingredients down into the meringue until everything is incorporated well.
5. Now it's time for a crucial step - the macaronnage. Firmly press the batter against the side of each bowl and then scoop it up and turn over (see this video.) Repeat this process a further 19 times. After macaronnage the batter should be thick and glossy but should fall slowly off the spatula like a ribbon and then settle/spread slightly in the bowls. Spoon alternate tablespoons of pink and blue batter into a piping bag and seal at the top. Use your hands to gently squeeze and twist the piping bag so that the colors blend together slightly.
6. Line two large baking trays with grease proof paper and carefully pipe 15 circles onto each, in one smooth motion holding the piping bag directly above the center of each macaron. Drop the baking sheets twice onto a hard surface (this helps to get rid of air bubbles and develops the 'pied') Dust with the edible glitter, if using.
7. Leave the macarons to dry at room temperature for 2 hours. Once ready to bake, place the first baking tray into a COLD oven, and then immediately set the oven to just under 100 degrees Celcius. Bake the macarons for 20 minutes (some ovens you may have to bake for longer but don't bake for more than 30 minutes) you can check that the macarons are sufficiently baked by gently lifting up a corner of the grease proof paper and lightly peeling it from a macaron shell. If it comes off easily and the macaron doesn't stick then you can turn your oven off!
8. Turn off your oven and leave the macarons inside with the door shut for 15 minutes, then open the door and leave them to cool inside the oven for a further 15 minutes before removing and allowing to cool completely on the baking tray at room temperature.
9. Once the oven is COMPLETELY COLD you can repeat the baking process with your second tray of macaron shells. Once the shells are cooled, gently peel them from the baking paper and place them on a tray or rack, ready to fill.

1. Cream together the butter spread, candy floss flavoring, blue coloring and half the powdered sugar until smooth. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and as much milk as needed until the frosting is thick but soft enough to pipe. Spoon the frosting into a piping bag and seal at the top. (This time I used a fancy tip on the end of the piping bag, but a regular tip is fine.)

1. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto each base macaron shell and then sandwich together with the top shells.

About the author: Charis is a wife and a mum to two boys, a homemaker, feminist, vegan baker and crafter with a serious glitter obsession. She loves knitting, Star Wars, and vegan macarons! Take a look at her amazing blog, Floral Frosting for more delicious vegan recipes, or say hello on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.