My Chocolate Macarons

My friends, you’ve played and you’ve won!!!

A few days ago I was challenging you: like my macarons pic on Facebook, and reach 150 likes !! We have already reached 178 … You are fantastic!!

So here are my chocolate macarons!!

Before explaining more about this recipe, let me give you a very personal anecdote…

I was pregnant wit my third child and I was craving chocolate macarons! Some women want to eat strawberries, cheese or whatever, I wanted to make chocolate macarons!! May I add one point: I had diabetes for each of my pregnancies, so I didn’t even think about eating them!!

I made series of them (batches of 60 or 70 each time), one fail after the other. Flat, no round shape, cracked on top!

I did that over and over again… One day, I was sitting in front of my oven, almost praying for my macs to rise and my older one (5 yo …) put her hand on my shoulder and told me: mummy, you failed again!

It was too much to take, I stopped!

5 years later, I recieved a pastry book with the famous Hispahan by Pierre Herme, I want to give it a try. I must succeed this time!!

And bam! Miracle, halleluia! My macarons are nice, with the right shape on the edge, I did it!!!

So you get it now,  my chocolate macarons come from the recipe by Pierre Herme, with a delicious  chocolate ganache!!

Here are a few advices though:

– macarons are unpredictable… you can succeed then fail with the same recipe, god knows why… (question asked to Philippe Conticini during a pastry workshop: why did those shells crack on top? Answer: no idea, it happens. Even to the bests!!)

– you will need at least 4 egg whites. So you will always get 50 to 60 macarons (you can freeze them). The recipes mentionning 20 or 30 macarons are not to be trusted according to me!! 😉

– do not take super fresh egg whites. The ones remaining from another recipe that you did 10 days ago will be perfect for the job! Frozen egg whites that you will leave to defrost in your kitchen will be good too.

– make your macarons at least 48 hours before eating them otherwise the shells and the ganache won’t “melt” together.

– weigh very precisely your ingredients, that’s a key to success.

– you can either pipe your macarons shells on baking paper or silicon mat with specific macaron shapes. This way your macarons will all have the same shape and size.

– in order to mix the ingredients, use a spatula, start at the bottom of your bowl and go up on the boarder while turning the bowl. This way you will bring the batter to the center.

– last advice, the most important one: take your time. The shells must dry 30 minutes before baking so that you can put your finger on the shell without having batter left on your finger once you remove it from the surface.

There are many other recipes, this one suits me… It’s your turn to give it a try!!

The utensils:

A food processor like my kMix,

A small sauce pan,

A large bowl,

A sieve,

A very precise weighing scale,

A pastry thermometer (if possible),

A spatula,

A piping bag and a diameter 10 round nozzle.

(Presentation: plates and cups Modulo Abstraction by Degrenne)

Note (April 2021): I reduced the ganache quantity, I was far too generous!!

This is it!!! You’re all set!!

The recipe, Chef!

Print Recipe

My Chocolate Macarons

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Serves: 60-70 pces Difficulty: High Price: $$

Cooking Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

• 180 g egg whites (5 egg whites) (for the shells)
• 230 g sifted ground almond (for the shells)
• 250 g sifted icing sugar (for the shells)
• 20 g unsweetened cocoa (for the shells)
• 250 g caster sugar (for the shells)
• 65 g water (for the shells)
• 325 g chocolate (for the ganache)
• 35 g unsweetened cocoa (for the ganache)
• 125 g butter at room temperature (for the ganache)
• 360 g liquid cream 30% fat (for the ganache)

Instructions

1

Prepare the ganache.

2

Heat the cream and remove form the stove once it starts boiling.

3

Pour on the chocolate and cocoa. Wait 1 minute or 2, then mix.

4

Add the butter cut in pieces. Mix.

5

Place a cling film on the surface and place in your fridge.

6

Prepare the macaron shells.

7

Mix the almond powder, icing sugar, cocoa and 80-90 g egg whites in a large bowl. You should get a very compact mixture.

8

Start whisking the remaining egg whites at speed vitesse 4 on a scale from 1 to 6.

9

In the meantime boil the water and caster sugar. When the syrup reaches 118 degrees (or when you have littles bubbles all over the surface), pour it gently on the egg whites while whisking.

10

Keep on whisking until the mixture gets below 50 degrees (you should be able to place your hands against the bowl without burning them).

11

Add a large tablespoon of this meringue to your almond batter and mix with the spatula.

12

Add 1/3 of the meringue and mix with the spatula.

13

Add another thrid of meringue and mix.

14

Add the last third and mix.

15

Mix gently until the batter surface flattens when you stop mixing. Be carefull, if you mix to much you won't get the right result after baking.

16

Pipe macarons shells, leave enough space between the shells.

17

Leave to dry 30 minutes.

18

Preheat your oven at 170 degrees.

19

Bake each tray (one after the other) 20 minutes.

20

Place your shells on a grid for cooling down.

21

Pipe the ganache on half of the shells.

22

Cover each shell and ganache with a second shell.

23

Set aside in a box in your fridge for 48 hours.

Notes

Weigh your egg whites first and then adjust the other ingredients quantities. You may have too much ganache. Add whipped egg whites and you'll have a delicious chocolate mousse.