Who couldn't love National Banana Split Day?

National Banana Split Day could be really easy to celebrate. But, let’s make things more complicated! Here we have a cherry flavored shell, with a ring of chocolate buttercream, filled with a salted caramel banana filling. There are so many amazing flavors in this one little cookie.

Banana Split Macarons

Ingredients

• 130g superfine almond flour

• 130g powdered sugar

• 90-100g egg whites, room temperature

• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar - optional

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp cherry extract

• 90g granulated sugar

• gel food coloring, I used Red Red and Gold

Instructions

1. Sift almond flour and powdered sugar onto parchment paper and set aside.

2. Pour room temperature egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk and mix on a low/medium speed until the surface of the egg whites is covered in small bubbles. Add in a pinch of cream of tartar and salt, continue to mix until it reaches the soft peak stage.

3. Slowly add granulated sugar into the eggs and mix on a medium speed for 30 seconds. Increase the mixing speed to a medium-high speed. Add cherry extract now. Keep mixing until stiff, glossy peaks form.

4. Fold the dry ingredients into the meringue in two additions using a circular motion. But stop mixing once the dry ingredients are just incorporated.

5. Divide your batter into 2 separate bowls and add red gel color to one and gold gel color to the other. Now, mix each batter until a thick ribbon of batter runs off the spatula when it is lifted. Be careful not to over-mix the batter! It will take time and experience to get this just right.

6. Once each separate color is done, pour the batters into separate disposable piping bags, tying the tops. Next, cut the ends of both bags and place into a larger piping bag fitted with 1/2-inch piping tip.

7. Pipe onto the prepared baking sheets. I use silicon mats, placed on upside down baking sheets. Space them about 1-inch apart.

8. Bang the pans firmly on the counter a few times to release air bubbles. Pop any remaining air bubbles that come to the surface with a toothpick.

9. Let the macarons rest for 20-60 minutes to develop a skin. The macarons should look matte once the skin has formed.

10. As the macarons rest, preheat your oven to 300 F. Every oven is different, and you may need to set your temp higher or lower.

11. Bake one tray of macarons at a time on the middle rack of your oven for 16-18 minutes, until the macarons do not wiggle when you test them.

12. Remove from the oven and let the macarons cool on the pan for about 15 minutes. Gently peel them off of the silicon mat and set aside.

Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, room temp

• 1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar

• 1/4 cup cocoa

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1-2 tbsp milk

Instructions

1. Cream butter until light and fluffy.

2. Add powdered sugar, cocoa, cherry extract and salt, combine completely.

3. Add milk, if needed, to reach desired consistency.

Salted-Caramel Banana Filling

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup salted caramel (make your own* or store-bought)

• 1/2 banana, ripe

Instructions

1. Smash banana up thoroughly.

2. Add to caramel and combine until almost no banana clumps are left.

3. If you have any leftover, eat it by the spoonful. So yummy!

*for a simple and tasty Salted Caramel recipe, visit April 5, 2022 - Mmmm...It's National Caramel Day! (alaskagirleats.com)