The Table Bay’s Pastry Chef Lee-Andra Govender needs very little persuading to get creative in the kitchen when it is Christmas. Like the rest of the team at the hotel, she absolutely revels with the spirit of the festive season and shares her festive macarons recipe with us.

Festive Season with The Table Bay

“Everything about the festive season is my favourite. It’s that warm fuzzy feeling when Christmas suddenly and mysteriously arrives. As a chef, one of my favourite favourites about the festive season is thinking about all the yummy food and treats I will get to prepare for the big Christmas lunch at work and for my family at home,” says Govender, who has created a whole new array of indulgent festive desserts, including a selection of handmade sweets, for the Christmas banquets at The Table Bay this year.

In the dedicated Candy Corner at the Christmas banquets, guests will find colourful handcrafted sweets that are sure to hit the spot with young guests and stir up some nostalgia for the adults. These include red jelly Beans, candy canes, gingerbread cookies, red liquorice, coconut marshmallows, macarons and Christmas speckled eggs.

Her red macarons have a definite festive feel and, according to Govender, are quite easy to make. Govender happily shares her macaron recipe with home cooks keen to get a little creative with sweet making this festive season. Learn the difference between a macaron and a macaroon.

Festive Macarons Recipe

Ingredients for Chocolate Ganache Filling

150 g fresh cream
150 g dark chocolate chopped
100 g unsalted butter

Ingredients for Festive Macarons

125 g sifted ground almonds
150 g icing sugar
100 g castor sugar
100 g egg whites
½ tsp (2,5 ml) cream of tartar
1 g red food powder colouring
TWG Red Christmas tea leaves (or alternative tea of your choice)

Method for Chocolate Ganache Filling

Place all ingredients into a bowl that has been placed on top of a pot of gently simmering water.

Leave until completely melted, mix to combine and then place into the fridge to set.

Once set, place into piping bag.

Allow to rest to room temperature before piping into the macarons.

Method for Festive Macarons

Preheat oven to 130 ºC degrees.

Sieve the ground almonds and icing sugar in the bowl and mix together.

Whisk the egg whites until frothy, then add the cream of tartar and beat for two minutes.

Continue to whisk the egg whites, adding in the sugar in three stages, continue to whisk until you reach medium peaks.

Fold all of the dry ingredients into the egg white mixture. Continue to fold until the macaron mix is smooth and falls back.

Place the mixture into a piping bag and pipe the macaron mix into rounds onto a silicone mat.

Tap the tray three times after piping to remove air.

Sprinkle TWG Red Christmas Tea on top of the macarons. Allow to dry and rest for 10 minutes.

Bake for 15 minutes and then remove from the oven.

Leave to cool completely and then sandwich together two halves with milk chocolate ganache, pre-prepared and at room temperature.

Decorate as desired and enjoy!

Christmas at The Table Bay

For Christmas, The Table Bay will stage three feasts; Christmas Eve Dinner in The Atlantic venue on 24 December; Christmas Lunch in The Atlantic and Ballroom, and Dinner in The Atlantic on 25 December.  The spectacular buffets blend Christmas classics with contemporary flavours and authentic South African fare. Christmas buffet is R1450 per adult and R1150 per child. This includes entertainment by a pianist as well as other surprises and delights.

Booking is essential for the Cape Christmas Magic buffets and the New Year’s Eve celebrations. For more information and to book, contact The Table Bay via email or call 021 406 5988.

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