What Are Your Favorite Macaron Flavors?
I haven’t made Macarons in a while so, I figured now is a great time! I know they are very finicky cookies, but if you haven’t tried making them or haven’t had much success making them, give it another try. It took me a while to make them correctly, and I still have my off days once in a while.
Nothing says wintertime more to me than hot chocolate so, I made Hot Chocolate Macarons. Dark chocolate pastry cream and toasted marshmallow meringue sandwiched between two chocolate Macarons. Definitely chocolate overload!
Start with making the pastry cream. I like to do this the night before so that it’s perfectly cooled and thick. If you don’t have time for an overnight snooze, then after you make the cream, stick it in the freezer for a little while so it gets cold faster.
Next, make the Macarons. I use the French method. I’ve never tried the Italian method, but if you feel more comfortable using it definitely go with that.
I’ve also noticed that with making chocolate Macarons, they can mess up easier because most people add cocoa powder to the shells for the color and taste. If you add too much, the shells can wrinkle when baking. So, I try adding just a bit of cocoa powder and a lot of brown color gel. This way, your Macarons will still be brown and look great.
After piping my Macaron batter on a silicon mat, I let them dry for at least 2 hours. If I don’t, they will definitely crack. Maybe this is due to the humidity in my area. You may not need this much drying time. The average time is about 30 minutes, so use your own digressions. And as yours are drying keep touching the tops to check on the dryness. Mine need to be completely dry and start to get firm to the touch.
To put these Macarons together, place down one Macaron half, pipe on some of the chocolate pastry cream, then pipe a dollop of marshmallow meringue. I make a small amount of the meringue because it’s just to fill the Macarons, not to make frosting or top a pie. 2 egg whites with sugar, cream of tartar, and vanilla extract is enough.
After you pipe the marshmallow meringue, take a hand torch and toast the marshmallow. Then add a second Macaron to the top.
These Macarons are so delicious and taste just like a rich cup of hot chocolate! These are definitely the Macarons to make this winter.
Hot Chocolate Macarons
Ingredients
Macarons
- 200 grams powdered sugar
- 100 grams almond flour
- 100-110 grams egg whites (3 large eggs) room temperature
- 23 grams granulated sugar (2 tbsp)
- 2 tsp dark cocoa powder
- dark brown food gel
Chocolate Pastry Cream
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 tbsp dark cocoa powder
Marshmallow Meringue
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Macarons
- Sift confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder and almond flour together, discarding any bits of almond flour that are too large to pass through the strainer. In a large bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt on high speed until foamy, then with the mixer running, slowly add the sugar. When the mixture reaches soft peaks, add vanilla and brown gel color. Continue whipping just until mixture forms stiff peaks. Gently pour the almond mixture over the whipped egg whites so they don’t deflate. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the almond flour mixture into the egg whites until the mixture holds a 10 count, meaning when batter falls from the spatula to the bowl it takes about 10 seconds until it fully blends into the rest of the bowl in the batter. This way, the almond mixture is fully hydrated but egg whites still retain some air. The mixture is thick enough to pipe without running everywhere, but the peak at the top of each piped cookie will fall on its own, making a perfectly smooth cookie. This takes about 45 turns, but depending on how aggressively you fold, it can be more or less. Transfer the batter to a decorating pastry bag with a 1A tip. Pipe 1 inch rounds of batter onto the parchment lined pans, spacing at least 1 inch apart. Tap the pans hard on the countertop 4-5 times to release trapped air, and then let sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until the unbaked macaron form a skin and do not stick to your finger when touched, and has slightly firmed. Allowing the macaron to crust over is what leads to their signature “feet.” Bake for 14 minutes in a 300 degree oven on a shelf in the center of the oven, one pan at a time. Cool the macaron completely on a cooling grid. Pipe chocolate pastry cream on half of the macarons. Pipe a dollop of marshmallow meringue on top of the pastry cream. With a hand held torch, toast the tops of the meringue, then add another macaron shell on top.Makes 36 to 48 sandwiched cookies.
