Ingredients:
- 150g (1.25 cups) Finely ground almond flour
- 150g (1.25 cups) Powdered sugar
- 110g (3 large) Aged egg whites, room temperature
- 100g (0.5 cup) Granulated sugar
- 2g (0.5 tsp) Cream of tartar
- 5g (1 tsp) Edible gold luster dust
- 115g (0.5 cup) Unsalted butter, softened
- 240g (2 cups) Powdered sugar, sifted
- 60ml (0.25 cup) Champagne or Sparkling Wine
- 2ml (0.5 tsp) Pure vanilla extract
- 1 Edible black ink food marker
- 1 pinch Edible gold leaf flakes
Instructions:
- Sift the almond flour and 150g powdered sugar together twice. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the meringue in three stages using a circular motion. Stop folding when the batter reaches a lava-like consistency that ribbons off the spatula.
- Pipe 1.5-inch circles onto baking sheets lined with silicone mats. Tap the pans 5 times to release air bubbles. Rest at room temperature for 30–45 minutes until a dull skin forms.
- Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 15 minutes until set. While cooling, reduce champagne to 1 tablespoon. Whip softened butter, 240g powdered sugar, vanilla, and the cooled champagne reduction into a smooth buttercream.
- Pipe buttercream onto half the shells and sandwich with remaining shells. Use the edible black marker to draw a clock face pointing to midnight on the top shell. Garnish with gold leaf if desired.