Instructions

HOW TO MAKE FRENCH MACARON COOKIES

1. First, weigh out all of your ingredients.
2. Next, sift together your almond flour and powdered sugar in a large bowl and set aside.
3. Add your egg whites to the bowl of your mixer and start mixing on a medium speed until they get frothy. Add in the salt.
4. Gradually add in your sugar to the egg whites and mix at a medium speed until you get a soft peak consistency. Add in the food color to the meringue mixture before adding in dry ingredients.
5. After the egg whites are the right consistency, add about 1/3 of the dry mixture to the egg whites and fold in until there are no dry spots left.
6. Add in the remaining dry mixture to the meringue and fold in until there are no dry spots. Add food coloring, or split the batter at this point and add food coloring to each bowl. Begin to check for the “ribbon” stage, where the batter falls off in ribbons and you can make a figure 8 without it breaking off. Once you get to this consistency stop folding.
7. Prepare your piping bag with a medium round tip. Place your bag in a large cup to make it easier to add your batter. Slowly add in your batter.
8. Place the macaron template under a silicon mat on a baking sheet.
9. Hold your piping bag completely vertical when piping and lift straight up. Making about 1 1/2 to 2-inch circles. Top with crushed fruity pebble cereal if desired.
10. After you have piped all the batter, bang the baking sheet on the counter 10-20 times (seriously) to remove all air bubbles. Use a toothpick or something sharp to pop them.
11. Now it is time to let them dry. Leave them sitting on the counter for 30-60 minutes until you can touch them and you can feel a “shell” form over them. No batter should come off on your finger.
12. Preheat your oven to 300 ⁰F. and bake your macarons for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. When you touch the top of the macaron it should not wiggle around on the “feet”.
13. Allow them to cool COMPLETELY before taking them off the baking sheet.

HOW TO FILL THESE MACARON COOKIES

1. Cream the butter until light and fluffy in a stand mixer or using a hand mixer.
2. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, then add in the cream and vanilla.
3. Add to a piping bag, or zipper-top baggie, with a small star tip.
4. Pipe a circle around half of the macaron shells and add fruity pebbles cereal in the middle.
5. Sandwich them with the remaining macaron shells.

SHAPING UP THE SNAIL

1. Make the marshmallow fondant as directed. Make some of them with colors using gel food coloring such as blue, or red if you prefer. Separate some fondant without color to make eyes.
2. Color a small piece of fondant as black to make part of the eyes, and another piece as red for the mouth. You will not need a lot of this, but make sure to make more than you think you need.
3. Divide the marshmallow fondant into several pieces. Between your palms, make a round shape about 1 ½ inch in diameter. 
4. While the fondant is between your palms, roll out the fondant to make an elongated shape. About 4 inches long. While rolling out, note where the head and the body will be, making the body part a bit thicker.

To make the neck part of the snail:

1. Place a finger 1 inch away from the "head" and gently press to make the neck part thinner.
2. Then bend upward. Work carefully on the head to make it round using your fingers.

To make the body part (this is where you will place the macaron):

1. With a spoon, press down the body part and make a bowl-shape. Make sure the bottom part is flat.
2. Fix the shape further using the spoon or with your fingers. I use mostly my fingers to fix the shape.

To make the eyes of the snail:

1. For 1 head, make 2 small white balls, and another 2 tiny black balls (to be the iris of the eye).
2. To work out with the 2 irises, you can roll it between your forefinger and your thumb to shape, then press to flatten a bit. OR use the tip of the small icing round tip. Flatten the black fondant, then press the icing tip on the fondant. Use a toothpick to push out the fondant.
3. Get the 2 toothpicks. Attach 1 white ball on each toothpick.
4. Damp the middle of the white ball with water with the use of a pastry brush (but make sure it's not too wet). This is where you will attach the “iris” to complete the eye. Option: Instead of black-colored fondant, you can use the black edible marker to put the dot as the iris.
5. After completing the eye with the toothpick, attach the 2 eyes by carefully pushing the other end of the toothpick to the head.

To make the lip/mouth of the snail:

1. Use your thumb and forefinger to make a tiny oval-shaped red fondant moon-shape and flatten it a bit. OR use the tip of the round icing round tip. Flatten the red fondant, then press the icing tip on the fondant. Use a toothpick to push out the fondant.
2. Cut the red fondant in half to make the lip shape.
3. With a toothpick, make a small cut on the “face” of the snail. Damp the cut part with water with the use of the brush. Place the “lip” on the cut.

To complete the Snail Macarons

1. Arrange the “snails” on a tray. Place the Macaron at the back of the “snail.”