French Chocolate Macarons – delicate chocolate chip cookies covered with chocolate ganache, they taste great, are quite easy to make and they are perfect for the Christmas table or as a holiday gift.
Source: Home Cooking Adventure
Ingredient
Makes about 25 macarons
Macaron Batter
1 cup (125g) powdered sugar
1/2 cup (50g) almond powder
3 tablespoons (25g) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 large egg whites (66g), at room temperature
a little salt
5 tablespoons (75g) granulated sugar
Ganache Chocolate Filling
1/2 cup (120g) heavy cream
4 ounces (120g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, optional
1 teaspoon instant, optional
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment and have a pastry bag with a sharp tip (about 1/2 inch, 12 mm) ready.
3. Blend together powdered sugar with almond and cocoa powder to avoid lumps; Use a blender or food processor. Then, sift the mixture into a large bowl and discard the larger lumps.
4. Use a mixer to beat the egg whites until they start to foam and hold their shape. While beating, beat granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.
5. Using a rubber spatula fold the dry ingredients twice into the beaten egg whites. When the mixture is smooth and there are no traces of egg white, stop folding and scrape the dough into a pastry bag. (Keeping the bag in a tall glass helps if you’re alone).
6. Glue the dough onto the parchment-lined baking tray into 1-inch (2.5 cm) circles spaced 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
7. Smash the baking sheet a few times on the stovetop to flatten the macarons and remove air bubbles. Leave the macarons for 20 to 30 minutes until “skins” form and they are no longer wet to the touch.
8. Bake them for 10-15 minutes. Let cool completely then remove from baking tray.
9. To make the chocolate ganache filling: in a small saucepan, heat cream and instant coffee if using. When the cream starts to boil on the edge, remove from heat and pour chopped chocolate on top. Let stand one minute, then stir until smooth. Stir in the butter. Cool completely before use.
10. Spread a bit of cake batter on the inside of the macarons then clip them together.
11. Leave them for at least a day before serving, to blend the flavors. Serve the macarons at room temperature.
