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Ingredients
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Almond meringue shells
Filling — chocolate ganache
Method
Almond meringue shells
- 1
Prep and sift
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Fit a piping bag with a 1cm (about 1/2 inch) round tip. Place the powdered sugar and almond flour together in a fine-mesh sieve and sift them into a bowl; repeat once so mixture is very fine. Discard any large bits left in the sieve.
- 2
Whip the base egg whites
Place the 90 g room-temperature egg whites and 0.5 tsp salt in a clean, dry mixing bowl. Begin whisking on medium speed until frothy.
- 3
Make syrup (for French/Swiss meringue style)
In a small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, caster sugar and 12 g water. Clip a candy thermometer to the pan and bring to a boil over medium heat without stirring. Heat until the syrup reaches 118°C (244°F) for a stable Italian meringue. If you prefer a simpler French macaron, skip syrup and add both sugars to the egg whites gradually while whipping until glossy stiff peaks form.
- 4
Combine hot syrup with whipped whites
With the mixer running on medium-high, slowly pour the hot syrup in a thin steady stream down the side of the bowl into the whipping egg whites. Continue whipping until the meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks and the bowl is cool to the touch (about 5–7 minutes).
- 5
Macaronage (folding)
If using coloring, add 1 tsp gel coloring to the sifted almond-sugar mixture. Add about one-third of the whisked meringue to the almond-sugar and stir briskly to loosen. Add the remaining meringue and fold gently with a spatula using a figure-eight motion until the batter flows in thick ribbons and can fall off the spatula in a nearly continuous ribbon that smooths back into the batter within about 10–15 seconds. Do not overmix or undermix; aim for a lava-like consistency.
- 6
Pipe
Transfer the batter to the prepared piping bag. Pipe 3–4 cm (1¼–1½ inch) rounds spaced 2–3 cm apart on the baking sheets. Tap the baking sheet firmly on the counter 2–3 times to release air bubbles. Use a toothpick to pop any visible bubbles on the surface.
- 7
Rest
Let the piped macarons sit at room temperature until they form a dry skin on top and are no longer tacky to the touch — 20–60 minutes depending on humidity. They should not stick to your finger.
- 8
Bake
Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 14–16 minutes, rotating halfway through if your oven has hot spots. The shells should form characteristic 'feet' and be set on top. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet before removing.
Filling — chocolate ganache
- 9
Heat cream and pour
Place the finely chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the 80 ml heavy cream until it just begins to simmer (do not boil). Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 1–2 minutes to melt.
- 10
Emulsify
Stir the cream and chocolate gently in small circles from the center outward until smooth and glossy. If the chocolate hasn't fully melted, warm briefly over a double boiler while stirring until smooth.
- 11
Finish ganache
Whisk in the 15 g softened butter, 0.5 tsp vanilla extract and 1/8 tsp fine sea salt until glossy. Cover and refrigerate the ganache until it firms to a pipeable consistency, about 30–60 minutes, stirring occasionally. If it becomes too firm, let it sit at room temperature a few minutes before piping.
- 12
Assemble
Pair macaron shells of similar size. Pipe a small dollop (about 1 teaspoon or 5–7 g) of ganache onto the underside of one shell and sandwich with its partner, pressing gently to spread the filling to the edge without squeezing it out. Continue until all shells are paired.
- 13
Maturation
Place finished macarons in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours to allow flavors and moisture to equilibrate (this yields the best texture). Bring to room temperature 20–30 minutes before serving.