06:00 hours. 15th August, 1994
“Sonu, Monu wake up”. (That was and still is our nickname at home 😉 ) “Wake up kids, the parade is going to start soon!” This was the same routine every year where our dad with a child’s enthusiasm would wake us early morning on a holiday to watch the Independence Day parade.
I remember being in awe as I would see members of the Indian Armed Forces marching in perfect rhythm. The TV Channels would screen patriotic movies and those were happy times. We would be treated to some amazing food and of course, desserts. How can a celebration be complete without sweets, may I ask?
Unlike the rest of my family, I am not a tea-drinker. It is the welcome drink in many households and sometimes the hosts might get offended if you refuse to have tea. 🙂 I’ve had my share of tea rather unwilling many a times with the exception of masala chai.
I thoroughly enjoy a good cup of masala chai and there’s a certain je ne sais quoi about the spicy tea that leaves my palate mesmerized.
In my endeavor to create something sweet that is inspired heavily from Indian flavors, I’d love to share with you my Masala Chai Macarons.
For the pâté à macaron :
93 g icing sugar, sifted
93 g ground almonds
1 medium free-range egg white
1 tsp Masala Chai Mix (Black Pepper,Dry Ginger,Cassia,Cardamom,Nutmeg,Clove,Black Cardamom)
For the Italian meringue :
1 medium free-range egg white
1 drop lemon juice or 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
93 g caster sugar
1.5 tbsp water
Ivory Food coloring (optional)
Tea Infused Chocolate Ganache :
100ml whipping cream
2 teabags, black tea
100g dark chocolate, finely chopped (or white chocolate if you wish)
Instructions:
Heat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3 and line two baking trays with baking paper.
Pâté à macaron:
In a large bowl, mix the icing sugar, ground almonds, masala chai mix and egg whites to form a paste.
Italian meringue :
Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar(or lemon juice) in a kitchen mixer on a medium speed.
Meanwhile, place the sugar and water in a small pan and cook over a high heat until it has reached 117C/242F or the ‘soft ball’ stage. I do not own a thermometer so I just tell when the bubbles are almost the same size, that’s the stage we are looking to achieve here.
Reduce the speed on the mixer to its lowest setting and pour the sugar syrup from the sides of the bowl onto the firmly whipped egg whites. Increase the speed to high and continue to whisk for 1 minute.
Now add the food colouring and whisk again until the meringue is colored uniformly.
Fold the Italian meringue mixture into the pâté à macaron until it reaches the ribbon stage – this is when a spoonful of the mixture poured back into the bowl sits like a ribbon on the surface. Do not over-mix or the macaroon will crack when cooked.
Place the mixture in a piping bag fitted with a 8mm/¼in nozzle.
Pipe on 3cm/1in discs on the baking trays, at least 2cm/¾in apart. Tap the tray on a work surface to release any air bubbles. Let the macarons rest for 20-30 minutes before baking.
Bake in the oven for eight minutes.As soon as the macaroons form feet open and shut the oven door to release some steam.
After eight minutes remove from the oven and then leave on a cooling rack until completely cold.
Tea infused Chocolate Ganache:
Place the cream in a small pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add in the tea bags. Rinse the tea bags into the cream quickly so as the cream doesn’t cool down.
Remove the tea bag and strain the cream over the chocolate and whisk in the chocolate until the mixture is smooth.
Spoon about one teaspoon of ganache onto the flat side of a cooled macaroon and top with another macaroon to make a sandwich.
Repeat with the remaining ganache and macaroons and store in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge.
We all enjoyed these macarons and I had some friends fighting over these. Well, you are allowed to unleash the child within you on special occasions. 🙂
I will be taking these over to Angie’s Fiesta Friday for the celebrations!
Hi Radika – what a lovely memory of your dad waking you up to catch the parade! Happy Independence Day and Happy Fiesta Friday too! I must say that you macarons look absolutely perfect – honestly they look like the ones you get in Ladure – kudos to you! I love that you have flavoured them with Masala Tea spice – very creative indeed. Have a wonderful week!
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Hi Selma, thanks for your warm wishes. 🙂
This is such a huge compliment as I can only dream of macarons from Ladure, appreciate your lovely words Selma.
Have a wonderful week to and thanks for doing a wonderful job co-hosting the fiesta friday this weekend. 🙂
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These sound absolutely divine – so creative 🙂
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This was a delicious treat indeed, thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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Very creative you are Radhika, lovely combo!
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Hi, thank you so much for your lovely words. 🙂
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ooh great flavour combination! Pinned!
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Oh wow! Thanks! 🙂
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I can just imagine the taste of masala chai…sounds so delicious!
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Thank you so much, they turned out quite delicious with the taste of masala chai 🙂
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Macarons is one thing I am yet to try. I will start with your recipe Radhika 🙂
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Aww..thanks so much, please let me know if you have any feedback. 🙂
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Yeah Sure 🙂
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Oh my goodness! I just love chai and who could not love macaroons? You’d better watch me…I will be returning to this plate a few times tonight and there just might not be enough for all of the other guests… 😉
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it’s the best of both in one.. lol
hehe…no worries dear, I’m sure we have plenty of these and if not, Jhuls and Selma are doing a great job making sure everyone else is comfy.. 😀
so glad you enjoyed these. Thanks so much 🙂
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Look at those stripes!! Am yet to enter the zebra world!
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What a delight these look Radhika! I am yet to try macarons 🙂 Yours look just perfect and are calling out to be bitten into 🙂
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Thanks so much Garima. It’s so wonderful that you enjoyed them so much. 😀
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I swear someday I’m trying macarons, I’m just so afraid of screwing them up
your look great ❤ !
I'm following ^^
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Thank for the follow and I’m so glad you liked them. I won’t be lying when I say that I was scared of them too and i did screw them up a few times initially. But once you get a hang of it, they are so much fun and you can experiment a lot with the fillings. 😀
Looking forward to explore your blog. 🙂
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You’re going to have us all trying macarons now. You make it look so easy because you put it so well.
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Aww..that’s so sweet of you. I hope you too enjoy making them. Thanks so much for stopping by. 🙂
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What!? You don’t like tea? Radhi…please, say it ain’t so…:) You do like chai though, so I guess we are good!
Your macarons must be amazing…I have a recipe on my site for chai macarons too, but I do the cheat way and use a chai powder mix in the filling. These are the real deal, love that you steep the tea in the cream to make a flavored ganache…very clever…I will have to try this method!
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lol……yes i love masala chai..but i’m sure if you brewed me a cup of your favorite tea I would adore it to no lengths.. 😀
See, steep is how you say it, i’ve mentioned in my recipe “rinse the tea bags”…humph…i always learn from you.. 🙂
Wow! do let me know if you improvise or have any suggestions for me 🙂
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They look perfect, what a wonderful flavour idea, thanks so much for sharing:)
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Aww…thanks so much, I’m so glad you enjoyed these. 😀
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I get so jealous of your macaron making skills !
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It’s not as difficult as it is made out to be.. 🙂
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They seem just came out from “La Duree” ! Absolutely perfect!
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Oh my! I can’t believe you would say that, Margherita! I am so delighted. 😀
Thank you for stopping by. 🙂
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Too good!
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Thank you for stopping by 🙂
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Happy Independence Day! Those macarons look amazing, what a great flavour idea!
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Thanks so much Michelle for your wishes and your feedback. 🙂
I love your blog and for some reason I always get errors when I try to comment on your posts. i may need to try from a different browser perhaps.
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Oh no, I don’t know what would be causing that 😦
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A lovely post Radhika and those macarons look just perfect, the masala chai flavor sounds really intriguing 🙂
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Thanks Naina.They were quite good indeed though a bit different. 🙂
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Love this flavor combination! Happy Independence Day 🙂
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Thank you so much. 🙂
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Finally a recipe with tea!!! All we see is coffee this coffee that, for a tea person like me this recipe is bliss. Thanks for giving honors to tea!
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Thanks Zaina, like you my mum was a huge tea lover as well. 🙂 It’s quite a different flavor and if you love tea you must definitely check out Bonnie’s blog if you haven’t yet. She uses tea in a lot of unique and interesting ways. 🙂
http://thirstyfortea.com/
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Thanks for recco, now following her!
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This sounds to me like a great flavour for macarons. Thanks for sharing. And Happy Independence Day!
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Thanks so much Hilda for visiting my blog and for your warm wishes. I’m so glad you loved these and i’m so looking forward to explore your blog. 🙂
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I have yet to venture into baking 😉 and these tea flavored macaroons sounds very interesting 🙂
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I think you might enjoy baking… 🙂
Thank so much. 🙂
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Your macarons are lovely. What wonderful memories!
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Thank you so much Julie. They are indeed, some really good times. 🙂
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Wow what a combo….The name chai alone is enough to grab us in here Radhi. …Just looks d d d d delicious
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Yes Chitra they do really give a taste of masala chai 🙂 it was fun baking them 🙂
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What a creative take on macarons Radhika!
Did you draw your picture at the top of your blog? I love it!
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Thanks so much Lori. I’m so glad you liked these. I wish I was as talented as you are! My friend who is a designer did this for me.. I’m sure you would love her blog.
http://www.yellowturquoise.blogspot.in
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I am so addicted to chai Radhi. Macroon with chair omg I want to eat those macroon immediately
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You would love these then… 😀 I wish i could transfer some to you..literally. maybe some day.. 🙂
Thanks so much dear. 🙂
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Looks so good Radhika…specially the chai infused ganache…oh yum!
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Thanks so much dear 🙂
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Wow Radhika!!! Chai in maccaron , I can have any it all 😀 simply superb 🙂
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Thanks Malar! I’m so glad you liked these 😀
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Your kitchen must have smelled amazing when you were making these. They looks perfect!
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Hehe… The spices were smelling heavenly… Thanks so much 🙂
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Just how many macarons have you tried already? Until now, I am still afraid to try this. I have tried eating some and I should be honest that I didn’t love the flavor. Well, maybe I’d be hooked if I get the right flavor of macarons. But just for curiousity, I’d love to try making them. One day. I amazed with the flavor of your macarons – if others are enjoying their tea, you are enjoying the same flavor with different kind of treat. 😉 Thank you for taking these beauties to FF. 🙂
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Awww.thanks so much Jhuls… I love to experiment with macarons 😉
Maybe they tend to be quite sweet so you need the perfect kind of filling to balance the sweetness. Maybe you should try Nutella macarons 😉
Yes it was as much fun making them as I enjoyed eating them:) thanks for stopping by and doing a wonderful job at cohosting tries weekend Jhuls 😀
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Thank you, Radhika. I might experiment on macaroons soon. 😀
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The parade looks absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for sharing the pictures! The macaroons look tasty as well. I think it’s cool how you can make macaroons with such a variety of flavors, and tea sounds delicious. Happy Independence Day (and FF). I hope you have a wonderful weekend. 🙂
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This time it was my hubby who woke me up at 4am!! to watch the parade. Phew! It was amazing, thanks Kaila.
Very true, they are so versatile and can be bended to your likes, dislikes easily.
Thanks so much for the wishes and hope you have a wonderful weekend as well. 🙂
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Hmmm… what an intriguing combination! I love macaroons as well as masala chai. But never thought of putting the two together. Very creative!
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Thanks for stopping by Kan. It seems like I can create things only when I crave for some different flavors. 🙂
Looking forward to explore your blog. 🙂
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I also have not tried making these delicate macarons yet, but your creation is quite delightful, Radhika! Definitely the first time I’ve seen masala chai flavored macarons. 🙂
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Thanks so much Ngan, I’m glad you liked these. frankly speaking me too 😉
Thanks for stopping by and a happy fiesta friday to you! 🙂
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Half of north indian kids were called sony monu.. including me and my sis… hahaha. Miss the good old days 🙂
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lol 😀
Very true Namrata….
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I have never tried making Macarons yet, now I’m very inspired, Radhika 🙂
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I used to be scared of macarons, however now i’ve been bitten by the bug. I am sure you will enjoy it too Linda 🙂
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