I made this delightful Macaron recipe for my birthday, this past March. They were the best thing to bake. I‘ve heard about how hard it is to make Macarons, but with this recipe it was a breeze. It was so much easier than the things I’ve heard. That could mean I’m not doing it right. But they tasted great. But one piece of advice before you start; take your time.
Ganache:
Bring to a boil in a small saucepan:
3/4 cup heavy cream
Remove from the heat and add:
8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (60-70% cacao), finely chopped
Stir until most of the chocolate is melted. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes, then stir gently until smooth.
Macarons:
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix together with a spatula in a medium bowl until completely smooth:
1 1/2 cups blanched almond meal or flour
2 eggs whites
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Whip in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed until frothy:
2 large whites
Beat in:
2 tablespoons sugar
Optional (1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract)
Continue to beat on medium speed until soft peak form, then turn off the mixer. Combine in a medium saucepan:
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
Stir together over a medium-low heat until the sugar is dissolved, then increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the syrup reaches 230 degrees Fahrenheit. Turn the mixer on medium-high and add the syrup in a thin, steady stream, pouring it between the whisk and the side of the bowl. Once all the syrup is added, continue beating the egg whites until the mixer bowl is barely warm to the touch. Fold one third of the egg whites into the almond meal mixture to lighten it, then fold the almond meal mixture into the remaining beaten egg whites. Fold until the mixture is smooth and homogenous and falls in ribbons off the spatula. It will feel like you are over folding the mixture, and it will deflate. The batter should resemble lava. Transfer half of the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4 to 1/2 inch plain tip or a resealable plastic bag with one corner cut off. Pipe the batter onto the baking sheets into 1 1/2 inch rounds spaced 1 inch apart from each other. Repeat with the remaining batter. Firmly tap the baking sheets on a work surface 3 times to remove any air bubbles. Let sit at room temperature until a skin forms on the macarons shells, about 45 minutes. Touch one lightly with a finger tip—it should not stick to your finger. If it does, let them dry a bit longer). If you have a ceiling fan, turn it on. It will help dry out the surface of the macarons. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit while the macarons dry. Bake the macarons one sheet at a time until set 14 - 16 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. Let cool completely on the sheets. Turn half the macarons upside down and top with ganache. After filling with ganache top the macarons with the other half. Place the macarons in a single layer in an airtight container and freeze overnight or for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
I made my macarons a little smaller than what the recipe says but they were still very good and they were a fun little treat. This recipe is definitely not easy but I’m sure easier than other recipes. It was so fun to bake macarons especially since this was my first time. It is definitely something I will make over and over again. I found this recipe in the 2019 edition of Joy of Cooking.
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