Green Tea French Macarons

Ganache

1. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add in heavy cream and loose leaf tea. Microwave for 45 seconds. Stir and microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Let steep for 5 - 10 minutes. Strain out loose leaf tea.
2. Add white chocolate into the bowl with the strained heavy cream. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat for 30 seconds and stir until the white chocolate is all melted. 
3. Cover with plastic wrap and let it firm up at either room temperature or in the fridge. If it becomes too hard in the fridge, microwave for about 15 - 20 seconds and stir. 

Macaron Shells

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat
2. Sift together the almond flour, powdered sugar, finely ground tea. Discard any large pieces.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add in egg whites. Turn on high and beat until the egg whites form a soft peak meringue.
4. When soft peaks forms, add in the cream of tartar and salt. Mix on high and gradually add in the gel food color and granulated sugar slowly but constantly. Mix until stiff peak meringue forms.
5. Very lightly and carefully fold in a third of the almond flour/powdered sugar into the meringue with a spatula. Repeat with the next third and the last third of the almond flour/powdered sugar mixture. All together you'll want to have about 50 turns of this mixture. If you don't mix enough the macaron shell will be extremely fluffy and cracked. If you over-mix, the macaron shell will be extremely flat and may not form a foot.
6. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
7. Fill a piping bag with the macaron shell filling. I just used a #12 Wilton straight tip on the end of my piping bag. You can also use a coupler or any straight tip. Pipe macaron shells on the baking sheet.
8. Let the macarons dry until they are no longer tacky to the touch. It will take 20 minutes to 1 hour.
9. Place in the oven for about 11 - 12 minutes until they no longer stick to the parchment paper or silicone mat.
10. Let the macaron shells cool.
11. Add the firm ganache in a disposable piping bag with a straight tip. I used the same wilton #12 tip. Pipe a thin layer of ganache onto the bottom side of a macaron shell. Add a top shell and twist it back and forth to squish the ganache down slightly.