Macarons with White Chocolate Peppermint Ganache

• 1 Cup of confectioners sugar
• 3/4 Cup of almond flour
• 2 Large egg whites at room temp
• A pinch of cream of tartar
• 1/4 Cup of superfine sugar (I used granulated)

For the Ganache

• 3/4 Cup heavy cream
• 7 oz white chocolate
• 7 mini candy canes
  

1. Sift the confectioners sugar and the almond flour. Whisk the whites on medium until they get foamy, add the cream of tartar and mix a little more.
2. Add the sugar gradually and when all added crank up the mixer to high and whisk until you get stiff peaks. If you want to color your macaron’s this is where you would add the coloring, a couple of drops.
3. Take your bowl from the mixer and sift the flour/sugar mixture again into the egg whites. Start folding the mixture with a large flat spatula gently turning about fifty times.
4. Transfer the mix to a piping bag with a half inch plain tip and start piping onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. I piped to about the size of a quarter and then drag the tip to the edge quickly to avoid leaving a peak on the macaron.
5. Once they are all piped, leave them sitting at room temp for at least 45 minutes until you see them become dull on top. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and when your ready to put them in drop the temp to 325 degrees. Put them in the oven making sure the door is cracked open with a wooden spoon handle. Bake for 10 minutes turning once after 5 minutes. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes when they come out of the oven and then gently lift the whole paper sheet form the tray to your counter.
6. Have your filling ready and fill once they are cool (see below for the Ganache filling).

For the Ganache filling

1. Pour the 3/4 Cup heavy cream into a small pot to scald
2. Set the heat to medium heat and heat the heavy cream until you get small bubbles around the edges
3. Chop your white chocolate with a chef's knife
4. Dump the chunks of white chocolate into a bowl
5. Put the candy canes in a ziplock baggie and crush with a rolling pin or mallet
6. Once the heavy cream has a light skin over top, pour over the white chocolate in the bowl and let it sit for a couple minutes
7. The hot cream will start to melt the chocolate and you can start to stir with a rubber spatula
8. Take the crushed peppermint and add to the bowl
9. Stir again until it starts to firm
10. The longer it sits, the more firm it will get