Once deemed a trendy treat, it’s now clear that macarons are here to stay! This comes as no surprise as macarons are basically fancy cookies. And any recipe that combines cookies and fanciness is a true classic. This mocha version of the adorable bite sized confection is able to satisfy the strongest of chocolate cravings!
For the ganache portion of this recipe, place dark chocolate chips in a large bowl. Warm cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to boil. Stir it into the chocolate without creating bubbles. Let sit for 1 minute. Add butter, and stir until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator (about 30 minutes) until thickened but still spreadable.
Then, for the macaron cookie, preheat oven to 315°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Put powdered sugar, almond flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a food processor or blender on pulse mode. Continue for about 30 seconds or until the ingredients are fine and well combined.
Using a sifter, sift into a large bowl. Set aside.
Place the 3 egg whites in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until opaque and foamy, about 30 seconds. Add a pinch of cream of tartar, increase the speed to medium high, continue to beat until the egg whites are white in color and hold the line of the whisk, approximately 1 minute. Continue to beat, slowly adding the granulated sugar, until the sugar is combined, the peaks are stiff, and the whites are shiny, about 1 minute more. Do not over whip. Transfer the meringue to a large bowl. Take a rubber spatula, and now gently fold the dry mixture with the egg whites in four different scoops until the dry ingredients are just combined.
Next, spoon half of batter into pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain round tip. Pipe batter onto each prepared sheet in 12 walnut-size mounds, spacing mounds apart because cookies will spread slightly. Let sit, uncovered at room temperature for 45 minutes to set. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until firm to touch in center and dry on top, about 5-7 minutes then pull the pan out and then rotate and bake for another 5-7 minutes. Slide parchment with cookies onto work surface; cool cookies.
Serve on tray and enjoy!
mocha macarons recipe
Yield: 12 servings
Total Time: 45 minutes
This mocha version of the beloved bite-sized confection is able to satisfy the strongest of chocolate cravings!
ingredients:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup almond flour or almond meal
- 3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- Pinch cream of tartar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Ganache Filling
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick), at room temperature and cut into cubes
directions:
For the Cookie
- Preheat oven to 315°F.
- Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Put powdered sugar, almond flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a food processor pulsing several times. Continue for about 30 seconds or pulse until the ingredients are fine and well combined.
- Using a flour sifter, sift the above ingredients into a large bowl. Set aside.
- Place the 3 egg whites in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until opaque and foamy, about 30 seconds. Now add a pinch of cream of tartar, increase the speed to medium high, continue to beat until the egg whites are white in colour and hold the line of the whisk, about 1 minute.
- Continue to beat, slowly adding the granulated sugar, until the sugar is combined, the peaks are stiff, and the whites are shiny, about 1 minute more. Do not over whip. Transfer the meringue to a large bowl.
- Take a rubber spatula, and now gently fold the dry mixture with the egg whites in four different scoops until the dry ingredients are just combined.
- Now you will need to spoon half of batter into pastry bag fitted with ½-inch plain round tip. Pipe batter onto each prepared sheet in 12 walnut-size mounds, spacing mounds apart because cookies will spread slightly. Let sit, uncovered at room temperature for 45 minutes to set.
- Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until firm to touch in center and dry on top, about 5-7 minutes then pull the pan out and then rotate and bake for another 5-7 minutes.
For the Ganache
- Place the dark chocolate chips in a large bowl.
- Warm the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to boil.
- Stir it into the chocolate without creating bubbles.
- Let sit for 1 minute. Add butter…. Stir until smooth.
- Chill in the refrigerator (about 30 minutes) until thickened but still spreadable.
Use pastry bag fitted with ½-inch plain round tip to pipe ganache filling on half of the cooled cookies. Sandwich the remaining cookies on frosted halves to construct macarons.*
If you don’t have a pastry bag, you can frost by hand or make a pastry bag by snipping off one corner of a large resealable plastic freezer bag.
