Halloween Recipe: Red Hot Devil Macaron Lollipops (Mac Pops?!) + Playing a Game of Macaron Roulette

Some like it hot!

Yup, this is a hot and spicy macaron inspired by Miss C's favourite Halloween character - 'Red Devil'. Every year, she likes to wear her red horn head band and red cape before heading out for treat for trick.

Really, they are just simple plain macaron shells with red powder food colouring BUT with a red hot filling. I used Lindt Excellent dark chocolate with chilli that combines aromatic dark chocolate with the well balanced spice of red chilli. Cut a red jelly bean into half with a pair of scissors and you have a perfect pair of devil horns.

Add a lollipop stick and you have a Red Hot Devil Macaron Lollipop for your Halloween. Since cake on sticks are called 'Cake Pops', shall we call these macaron lollipops....... 'Mac Pops' ?

There is a Japanese restaurant in Sydney called Wagaya, where they cleverly include a sushi roulette in their menu. It's a plate of ordinary looking salmon sushi (6 pieces), but out of the 6 pieces, a hideous amount of wasabi is hidden in one piece. It's like playing Russian roulette, the sushi plate is passed around and everyone takes a piece and one of them contains a deadly dose of wasabi. It's a fun dinner party game and there is no harm done really.

So, to add spice to your Halloween party, add an additional dose of these super spicy chilli flakes in one of the macarons chilli chocolate ganache filling and play macaron roulette the same way as sushi roulette. I know it's evil but fun!

For kids, I suggest to use Nutella or plain chocolate ganache for filling instead. Crying kids are no fun for parties.

Next up, I am thinking of making Apple Mac (i)Pops! Thanks to my fellow Twitterers for this brilliant idea. Isn't it Cool? So stay tuned!

Red Hot Devil Macarons Recipe
(Adapted from Trissalicious)

125 g almond meal
150 g icing sugar
100 g caster sugar
3 egg whites (100 g)
1-2 tsp red powdered food colouring

Method

1. In a food processor grind the almond meal and icing sugar until very finely ground.
   Place the egg whites in an electric mixer and whip the whites until soft peaks.
2. Add the sugar, 25 grams at a time while the egg whites are being beaten.
3. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks.
4. Fold the ground almond meal mixture, orange zest and food colouring into the egg white mixture in two additions until fully amalgamated.
5. Pipe on to baking trays which have been lined with baking paper.
6. Let the macarons dry for around 30 minutes until a "skin" form.
7. Bake in a preheated fan forced oven (150c) for 15 minutes.

Chilli Chocolate Ganache Recipe

Ingredients

200 grams Lindt Excellence Chilli Chocolate
200 ml cream

Method

1. Chop the dark chocolate into even pieces (the smaller the better) and place in a bowl.
2. Heat the cream until it starts to boil.
3. Pour the cream into the bowl of chocolate and let rest for 1 minute.
4. With a rubber spatula, mix the ganache fully.
5. Cool and let it set in room temperature.

Have a break, have a Mac Pop!