Chocolate Macarons

Craving a taste of something truly decadent? Dive into the world of Chocolate Macarons, the delicate French pastry with a rich chocolate twist. These sweet, bite-sized cookies have a crispy exterior and a soft, chewy center that melts in your mouth.

The combination of almond flour, cocoa powder, and a creamy chocolate ganache filling makes these macarons an irresistible treat. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a beginner, this step-by-step guide will help you master these deliciously elegant confections.

Ingredients List

Creating the perfect Chocolate Macarons requires a few key ingredients to ensure the right texture and flavor balance. Here’s a breakdown of the components needed for both the macaron shells and the decadent chocolate ganache filling.

Chocolate Macaron Shells Ingredients:

• 3 large egg whites (100 g), room temperature
• 1½ cups (140 g) almond flour
• 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar (also known as icing or confectioners sugar)
• 2 tbsp (13 g) cocoa powder (I recommend using Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a deeper color and richer taste)
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup (100 g) white granulated sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract/essence

Chocolate Ganache Ingredients:

• 1 cup (170 g) dark or semi-sweet chocolate (I suggest using 50% dark chocolate for a balanced flavor)
• ⅔ cup (150 g) heavy cream
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract/essence
• Pinch of salt

Required Kitchen Tools

Making Chocolate Macarons requires a few specific tools to achieve the right consistency and precision. Here are the essentials you’ll need to get started:

1. Digital Kitchen Scale: Since precision is key when making macarons, I recommend weighing all your ingredients using a digital kitchen scale.
2. Baking Trays: Choose trays without high edges—little lips are okay for preventing the parchment paper from moving while piping.
3. Macaron Templates: For beginners, macaron templates can help you pipe uniform shells. Download a 2-inch macaron template and use 3 copies for accurate sizing.
4. Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer: To whip the egg whites into the perfect meringue consistency.
5. Food Processor or Sifter: To process and sift the dry ingredients (almond flour, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder).
6. Piping Bag with Round Tip: A 1A large round piping tip will help you pipe the macaron shells to the perfect size.
7. Parchment Paper: Essential for lining the baking trays.

Dough Preparation

Preparing the macaron dough is a delicate process that requires care and attention. Follow the steps below to mix the ingredients and achieve that signature macaron texture—crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside.

Step 1: Process and Sift the Dry Ingredients

To start, combine the almond flour, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder. For the best results, it’s recommended to process these ingredients in a food processor. This ensures they’re finely ground, which helps achieve smooth macaron shells.

1. Place the almond flour, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder in a food processor. Process for about 5 seconds, then stop and give it a mix to ensure even distribution. Process again for another 5 seconds. Be careful not to over-process, as this can make the mixture too fine.
2. Transfer the processed dry ingredients to a sieve and sift into a large bowl. Gently use your hands or a spoon to push any large lumps through the sieve. Discard any large bits of almond flour. If you discard a significant amount, add a bit more almond flour to make up for it.

Set the dry ingredients aside for now.

Step 2: Whip the Meringue

Next, you’ll prepare the meringue, which is the key to getting the right texture for your macarons.

1. Place the egg whites into a large bowl. Add the salt.
2. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, start beating the egg whites on medium speed for about 30 seconds until they become frothy.
3. Gradually add the granulated sugar to the egg whites, a spoonful at a time. Once all the sugar has been added, increase the speed and continue beating until stiff peaks form. This should take around 5-7 minutes.
4. To check if the meringue is ready, lift the whisk attachment. The peaks should stand upright and not fold over. You should also be able to flip the bowl without the meringue moving.

Step 3: Incorporate the Dry Ingredients into the Meringue

Now comes the crucial step of macaronage—folding the dry ingredients into the meringue.

1. Add half of the sifted dry ingredients into the meringue. Use a spatula and gently fold the mixture in a “J” motion, sweeping around the edge of the bowl and cutting through the middle.
2. Once the first half of the dry ingredients is almost incorporated, add the remaining half. Continue folding gently until fully combined.
3. Once the batter is combined, check the consistency. Push the batter against the sides of the bowl to remove large air bubbles. The batter should become looser.

The macaron batter is ready when it flows slowly from the spatula in a thick ribbon and forms a figure 8 without breaking. If the batter breaks before completing the figure 8, continue folding for a bit longer.

Shaping the Macaron Shells

Shaping the macarons properly is crucial to ensuring that they bake evenly and develop those signature “feet” at the base. Here’s how to pipe and shape the perfect macaron shells:

Step 1: Prepare the Piping Bag

1. Fill the Piping Bag: Transfer the macaron batter into a piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip (such as a 1A).
2. Prepare the Baking Trays: Place your macaron templates underneath parchment paper on your baking trays. These templates will help you pipe consistent-sized shells. If you don’t have templates, you can draw circles on the parchment paper as a guide, keeping them about 1.5 inches in diameter.

Step 2: Pipe the Macaron Shells

1. Piping Technique: Hold the piping bag at a 90-degree angle to the baking tray. Gently squeeze the piping bag to pipe the macaron batter into the center of each circle on the template. Be careful not to overfill.
2. Smoothing the Top: After piping the shells, tap the tray on the counter a few times to smooth out any air bubbles and flatten the tips. This will help ensure the shells bake evenly without uneven peaks.

Step 3: Dry the Shells

1. Let the Macaron Shells Dry: Allow the piped shells to dry at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The tops of the shells should form a skin and feel dry to the touch. If you live in a humid climate, it may take up to 2 hours for this to happen.
2. Test the Dryness: Gently run your finger over the top of a shell. If the batter doesn’t stick, the shells are ready for baking. If the batter still sticks, allow them to dry for a bit longer.

Baking the Macaron Shells

Baking macarons requires precision to ensure the shells are perfectly crisp on the outside while remaining soft and chewy on the inside. Follow these steps for the perfect bake:

Step 1: Preheat the Oven

1. Set the Temperature: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) on conventional mode (do not use convection/fan mode). This temperature allows the macarons to bake slowly and evenly.
2. Oven Position: Place the oven rack in the middle position to ensure the heat is distributed evenly during baking.

Step 2: Bake the Macarons

1. Bake One Tray at a Time: Since macarons bake best on a single tray, place one tray in the oven at a time.
2. Baking Time: Bake for 18-22 minutes. Begin checking the macarons at the 18-minute mark by gently touching the tops. If they feel firm and the “feet” (the ruffled base) don’t move, they are ready. If not, check them every minute after that.
3. Cooling the Macarons: Once baked, allow the macarons to cool completely on the tray. The shells should easily peel away from the parchment paper when cooled.

Assembling the Macarons

Once the shells have cooled, it’s time to fill them with the delicious chocolate ganache.

Step 1: Pipe the Ganache

1. Fill a Piping Bag: Transfer the cooled chocolate ganache into a piping bag fitted with a round tip (such as 1A).
2. Pipe the Ganache: Pipe a dollop of ganache onto the flat side of one macaron shell. Be careful not to overfill as the ganache will spill out when you place the second shell on top.

Step 2: Sandwich the Macarons

1. Create Sandwiches: Place another shell on top of the piped ganache, pressing down gently to spread the filling to the edges.
2. Set Aside: Repeat this with the remaining shells and ganache.

Maturing the Macarons

Let your macarons mature before serving. This allows the flavors to meld and the filling to soften the shells.

1. Resting Time: Place the assembled macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for 24-48 hours.
2. Bringing to Room Temperature: Before serving, let the macarons sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes to soften slightly.

Conclusion

Mastering Chocolate Macarons opens up a world of possibilities for sweet indulgence. With their delicate, crunchy outer shell and rich, chocolate ganache filling, these macarons are a treat for any occasion. By following these precise steps and allowing the macarons to mature, you’ll be rewarded with perfect little cookies that melt in your mouth. Happy baking!