Oatmeal Cookie Dough Filled Macarons

Everybody knows that the reason you make cookies is so you can eat about half the dough whilst you make them, it's the best bit. Oatmeal cookie dough is my particular favourite, I love the texture of the oats and the warm cinnamon flavour.

So why not actually make the cookie dough for eating on purpose?

Then, so you have a reason to eat it any time, sandwich it between two cinnamon-macaron shells. It's the ultimate treat.

Oatmeal Cookie Dough Filled Macarons
will make 60, 2-3 bites sized macarons

Cinnamon Macarons

150g powdered sugar
150g ground almonds
1/2 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
110g egg whites (a bit less than 4)
150g white sugar
2 1/2 tbsp water
1/4 tsp powdered egg whites (optional)

Sift ground almonds to remove any large pieces making sure you still have 150g. Sift together the ground almonds, powdered sugar and cinnamon. Mix 52g  of the egg whites into this almond mixture and set aside.
Place remaining egg whites with powdered egg whites (if using) in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
In a small sauce pan heat the sugar and water, stirring it so that the sugar dissolves, and measuring the temperature of the mixture. When the mixture reaches 107 degrees C, start beating the egg whites on high in the mixer. Once the sugar mixture has reached 117 degrees C, remove from the heat and gradually add in a steady stream to the egg whites while the mixer is still on, beating until you get stiff peaks. Let this mixture cool to 50 degrees C, add a little of it to the almond mixture to loosen the mixture, then fold in the rest of it taking care not to over mix the mixture.
You can test when the batter is ready by removing a little batter and putting it onto a plate, if the blob flattens within 20 seconds, its ready. If there's still a peak, fold the mixture a couple more times and test again.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper (you can use little blobs of batter in each corner to get the paper to stick to the tray). Pipe even rounds of batter onto the lined tray. Pick up the tray straight away and slam it down (not too hard!) to pop any air bubbles in the macarons.
Leave the mixture on the tray for at least 1 hour or in the fridge for up to 36 hours, until the macarons aren't sticky on top (the longer you leave them the better!). While you wait, make the cookie dough.

When you're ready, bake the macarons at 170 degrees C (340 degrees F), for 10-15 minutes or until you can remove the macarons from the parchment paper without the underside sticking to the sheet. Let the macarons cool for 30 minutes before removing from the paper.

Edible Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough

5 tbsp butter
1/4 + 2 tbsp cup light brown sugar
1/4 + 2 tbsp cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup flour
pinch of salt
1 cup rolled oats
3 tbsp sweetened dessicated coconut
2 - 6 tbsp boiling water
add-ins: 1/4 cup currants / chopped raisins / chocolate chips / nuts

Cream the butter and the sugars together. Mix in the vanilla and cinnamon. Stir in the flour and salt then the oats, coconut and your choice of add-inns. Add the water, 1 tbsp at a time, stirring between additions until the dough comes together. If you want a moister stickier dough, add a little more water.

Take about 3/4 tsp of cookie dough and roll into a ball, place on the underside of a macaron and top with a second macaron, push the macarons together, until the cookie dough comes to the edges of the macaron.