Macarons are notoriously difficult to make, but definitely worth all the time and effort in the end. These classic double chocolate macarons have a sweet almond + cocoa powder shell and a rich, creamy chocolate ganache filling. They may not look perfect, but they'll certainly make you want to eat more!
To make 12 macarons:
Ingredients
Chocolate macaron shell:
65 g almond flour
65 g icing sugar/powdered sugar
7 g cocoa powder (Dutch processed)
45 g castor/granulated sugar
50 g egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
Chocolate ganache:
100 g semi-sweet chocolate chips/chunks
100 g heavy cream
25 g butter
Instructions
1. Dry Ingredients: Separate around 3-4 eggs until you have 50 g of egg whites in a bowl. Leave it at room temperature. Pulse almond flour and powdered sugar together in a food processor to get rid of any large chunks. If you don't have a food processor, mix the two ingredients together evenly and use a spoon to break down any large pieces. Add in the cocoa powder. Sift the dry ingredients and discard any large almond pieces that don't go through the sifter.
Left: Mixed almond flour, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder. Middle: Sifting dry mixture. Right: Sifted dry mixture with no large clumps.
2. Wet Ingredients: In the large bowl with the room temperature egg whites, add 1/3 of the sugar and the cream of tartar. Beat on a low-medium speed when it becomes foamy. Add another 1/3 of the sugar and beat the egg whites on a high speed. When the mixture turns more opaque and the whisk leaves tracks or waves in the egg whites, add the remaining 1/3 of the sugar. Continue beating on medium-high until stiff peaks form.
Left: Egg whites starting to turn foamy. Middle: Opaque egg whites forming waves. Right: Egg whites beaten to stiff peaks (stand straight when whisk turned upside down).
3. Combine Batter: Fold in 1/3 of the dry mix by using a spatula and going around the edge of the bowl just under the batter, then cutting through the center. Repeat this until there are no clumps of the dry mix left after each addition of 1/3 of the dry mix. The batter should attain a lava-like consistency and fall from the spatula like a ribbon.
Left: Gently folding in first 1/3 of the dry mix into the beaten egg whites. Middle: Adding the rest of the dry mix into the batter. Right: Lava-like, smooth batter that falls from spatula.
4. Pipe Shells: Transfer this batter into a piping bag (in a cup for stability) fitted with a round piping tip. On parchment paper or a silicon mat, pipe out round macarons holding the tip straight above the surface about 1/4 inch away. Squeeze the bag until the batter fills a circle about 2 inches in diameter and lift straight up quickly to break the batter off. Lift and drop the tray onto the table or counter to remove excess air bubbles. Use a toothpick to pop any remaining bubbles. Let the macaron shells sit at room temperature until a crust forms over the surface, 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the room. The tops should be completely dry upon touch (not sticky anymore).
5. Chocolate Ganache Filling: While the macarons are baking, place the chocolate chips or chunks (or even chopped chocolate bar) into a heat-proof bowl. Heat the heavy whipping cream on the stove top with a low to medium heat until it simmers along the edges but doesn't boil. Upon simmering, immediately pour the cream over the chocolate. Let the chocolate sit for a few minutes before stirring until the chocolate is all melted. Add the butter and mix it well in the chocolate. Place into the fridge and let it cool and become firm before piping (30-40 minutes). See chocolate ganache recipe here.
6. Baking: Bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees for 12-14 minutes. The macarons are done when the tops don't move when the tray is wiggled and the foot doesn't push back. Once out of the oven, let cool completely on the baking mat/paper before removing. Flip the shells over and match them based on size and shape. Fill a piping bag with the chocolate ganache mixture and pipe them onto the shells. Gently press one shell on top of the shell with the filling. Enjoy!
Link to my post on the history & culture of macarons.
Link to my post on the chemistry & science behind macarons.
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