Bunny Macarons

My cousin posted this link from Raspberri Cupcakes of these Easter bunny macarons on my Facebook before Easter and I just had to try it out!
I mostly used Raspberri Cupcakes idea and then used my own macaron recipe and a chocolate buttercream filling :)

I desperately want a new camera so excuse the pics! I really enjoyed taking pictures of the process, I find there's not enough "action" shots out there, usually only finished product pics

BUNNY MACARONS (makes about 24)

Ingredients:
100g Almond meal
100g Icing sugar
100g Caster sugar
80g Egg whites, separated into 2 x 40g lots
26g water
Lemon half to rub over your bowl to make sure its clean!
Chocolate buttercream to fill

All my tools!

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius, place the oven rack on its lowest rung.

Combine the almond meal and Icing sugar in a food processor then sift over baking paper a couple of times to ensure there are no lumps

 Sifting

 Despite running it through a processor there are still lumps that get caught with the sifter

Step 2:

So I failed here with my pictures, but, first, whisk up one lot of egg whites (40g) to stiff peaks. Then place the caster sugar and water into a saucepan and bring to boil. The sugar syrup needs to be about 120 degrees Celsius, or look pretty much like this:

 Good looking sugar syrup

Step 3:

Once the sugar syrup has reached the correct temp, quickly pour it into the egg whites, whilst mixing on the lowest speed. Be careful not to get sugar syrup onto the mixer or it will splash everywhere. Ideally pour it down the side of the bowl.

When all the syrup is in turn the mixer up to high and beat for approximately 3 minutes or until the bowl has cooled and you have thick glossy meringue.

Thick glossy meringue

 Step 4:
Pour the other 40g of egg whites into the almond meal mix and combine until it forms a paste. Then add the meringue. Stir until it has combined and slides slowly from side to side when the bowl is tipped. I cant give a better indicator on how to tell the right consistency, but I hope the pics give you an idea.

 Almond meal/ Icing sugar / egg white paste

 Adding meringue to the paste

 Combining the ingredients

Step 5:

Set a bit of white macaron mix aside for the tails and then gently stir through some pink colouring. Place into a piping bag with a round tip, and the white macaron mix into another piping bag with the same sort of tip.

I use a macaron template, which I googled, to help pipe evenly. Pipe two ears from the top back in to the circle then pipe the macaron. Make sure there are enough behinds and fronts for pairs!
Pipe a little white tail on the macarons that dont have ears.

Leave them to dry for about half an hour or until they can be touched gently without feeling sticky

 Freshly piped macarons

 Without the template

After drying, they have lost a bit of their shine

Step 6:
Place in the oven for 10minutes, spin the tray and then cook for another 10minutes. Leave on the tray to cool completely then pair up an eared macaron with a tail macaron. Fill with chocolate buttercream. I used edible ink pens to draw on the faces :) Store in the fridge (if they make it that far!)