Best Chocolate Macarons Recipes

CHOCOLATE MACARONS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl, then stir in the ground almonds. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold them into the dry ingredients.
• Fill an icing bag fitted with a plain nozzle with the mixture (or put in a large food bag and snip off the corner). Pipe 24 small blobs, about 3cm across, onto the baking sheet, leaving a little space between each. Smooth the surface with a wet finger, then leave for 15 mins to dry out. Bake for 15-20 mins until macaroons feel firm to the touch and peel easily off the paper. Cool on the paper, then peel off and store in a tin for up to 1 week.
• To make the filling, put chocolate into a heatproof bowl and gently melt over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir in the warm milk until smooth. Leave to cool and thicken a little, then use to sandwich the macarons together

CHOCOLATE MACARONS RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Sift the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
• In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until frothy and gradually add the granulated sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.
• Add about half of the dry ingredients to the egg whites, fold until mostly combined, and slowly add the other half. Pipe mixture onto a silicon mat in 1-inch circles.
• Tap the tray a couple times on a hard, flat surface to remove air bubbles.
• Let them sit at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes (until dry to the touch) and bake for 16-17 minutes at 300°F.
• Serve.
• Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE FILLING FOR MACARONS

Steps:

• Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, swirling once or twice, just until edges bubble, about 5 minutes.
• Place chocolate in a bowl. Pour hot cream over chocolate and whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before using.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT MACARONS

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Put the hazelnuts, cocoa powder and 1 cup of the confectioners' sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until the nuts are very finely ground and powdery, about 3 minutes. Sift with a medium-mesh strainer and discard any pieces of nuts that didn't pass through the strainer.
• Beat the egg whites and salt in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium-high speed until they hold firm but not dry peaks, about 2 minutes. While beating, gradually add the remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed until the peaks are firm and shiny. Fold the nut mixture into the egg whites with a large rubber spatula until just blended. Transfer to a large piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe 32 two-inch rounds on the prepared pans. Set aside to air-dry for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Bake until the tops of the cookies are puffed and set, 18 to 20 minutes. Take care not to overcook the cookies or they will crack. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes, then gently peel from the parchment and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Heat the cream to a boil in a small saucepot over medium heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate and set aside until the chocolate is soft, about 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth; let stand at room temperature until thick but still spreadable. Sandwich about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate mixture between two cookies and repeat with the remaining filling and cookies.

CHOCOLATE FILLED ALMOND MACARONS

Steps:

• For the ganache: Combine the chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pot with 1-inch of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Stir in the cream, vanilla and salt, and then remove from the heat. Set aside until cooled and thickened, stirring occasionally, 30 to 45 minutes.
• For the cookies: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a small glass or cookie cutter (1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch wide), trace 15 circles on each piece of parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches between each round. Flip the parchment over; the lines will be visible through the paper but you will not have to pipe directly onto the ink. Fit a pastry bag with a round tip about 1/4-inch wide.
• Sift the confectioners' sugar and ground almonds into a bowl and discard any larger nut chunks. (If you have more than a tablespoon of bigger chunks, grind those until powdery and then resift.) Combine the egg whites and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or in a large bowl with the whisk attachment of a hand-held electric mixer). Whip on medium-low speed until frothy, and then add the granulated sugar. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until very soft peaks form. Add the almond extract and a few drops of food coloring if using. Whip until stiff peaks form. Fold about one-third of the sugar-nut mixture into the egg whites until blended, and then fold in the remaining two-thirds. The batter should be a bit fluid but not runny. It should slowly drip off the spatula and sit on top of the batter in the bowl for a bit before eventually oozing back into it. If it seems a bit stiff at this point, fold once or twice more until it relaxes, although be careful not to over fold. This correct texture is the key to the macaron and it is better to have a stiffer batter than a looser one.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pastry bag. Holding the bag perpendicular over the baking sheet, squeeze until the batter fills a circle drawn on the paper. Release the pressure on the bag and pull towards you to prevent a pointy tip on the center of the cookie. Repeat with the remaining circles. Gently flatten any points on the cookies with a damp fingertip.
• Firmly rap the baking sheets against the counter to release any air bubbles and let stand at room temperature until the tops of the cookies no longer feel wet, 10 to 15 minutes. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until the macarons are slightly crisp and the bottoms release from the parchment paper, about 15 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through the baking time. Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, and then peel off the cookies and cool completely on a wire rack.
• To assemble the cookies, spread a thin layer of the chocolate ganache on the bottoms of half of the cookies, about 1/4 teaspoon per cookie. Top with a second cookie, gently pressing to squeeze the ganache to the rims.
• TIP: The weight of the batter in the pastry bag will force some of the batter out. To stop this, you can stick a mini marshmallow at the end of your pastry tip to block to the batter from running out the end.
• TIP: You can use store-bought almond meal in place of the whole almonds. Sift 2/3 cup with the confectioners' sugar and, if necessary, grind the larger chunks and sift until a tablespoon or less of larger chunks remain in the sifter.
• TIP: You can also spoon the batter onto the parchment lined baking sheets. The cookies may not be as perfectly round but will still taste great.

CHOCOLATE MACARONS WITH ORANGE GANACHE

Steps:

• For cookies:
• Arrange racks in lower and upper thirds of oven; preheat to 325°F. Line 3 rimless baking sheets with parchment paper. Pulse 1 cup powdered sugar and almonds in a food processor until nuts are very finely ground (but not to a paste), 60-90 seconds. Add cocoa powder and remaining 1 cup powdered sugar; process to blend well. Sift mixture through a medium-mesh strainer into a large bowl; discard larger almond pieces remaining in strainer (if more than 1 tablespoon remains, pulse nuts again in processor and re-sift).
• Using an electric mixer, beat 1/3 cup egg whites in a medium bowl on medium speed until white and frothy, about 1 minute. With mixer on medium-low speed, gradually add sugar by tablespoonfuls. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until firm peaks form.
• Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons egg whites. Fold meringue into dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing well between additions.
• Spoon meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4" tip. (Alternatively, spoon into a plastic freezer bag, then cut 1/4" off a corner of bag.) Twist top of bag and pipe quarter size rounds onto 2 of the 3 prepared baking sheets, spacing 1" apart. Let stand until tops appear dry, about 10 minutes.
• Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through baking, until puffed and dry, about 16 minutes. Slide cookies on parchment onto a wire rack. Let cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter on third baking sheet.
• For ganache:
• Place chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Bring cream just to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; stir in orange zest, cloves, allspice, and salt. Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate and butter; whisk until smooth. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Spoon ganache into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4" tip. (Alternatively, spoon into a plastic freezer bag, then cut 1/4" off a corner of bag.) Twist top of bag and pipe about 1 teaspoon ganache onto flat side of 1 cookie, leaving 1/4"-1/8" plain border. Top with a second cookie, flat side down. Repeat with the remaining cookies and ganache. Brush tops with gold dust, if desired. Layer in an airtight container between sheets of parchment paper and refrigerate overnight. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let return to room temperature before serving.

CHOCOLATE MACARONS WITH TOASTED HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in lower third. Place hazelnuts in a food processor; process until as fine as possible, about 1 minute. Add confectioners' sugar; process until combined, about 1 minute.
• Pass hazelnut mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Transfer solids in sieve to food processor; grind and sift again, pressing down on clumps. Repeat until less than 2 tablespoons of solids remains in sieve.
• Whisk egg whites and granulated sugar by hand to combine. Beat on medium speed (4 on a KitchenAid) 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high (6) and beat 2 minutes. Then beat on high (8) 2 minutes more.
• The beaten egg whites will hold stiff, glossy peaks when you lift the whisk out of the bowl. Beat on highest speed 30 seconds.
• Add dry ingredients all at once. Fold with a spatula from bottom of bowl upward, then press flat side of spatula firmly through middle of mixture. Repeat just until batter flows like lava, 35 to 40 complete strokes.
• Rest a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch round tip (Ateco #804) inside a glass. Transfer batter to bag; secure top. Dab some batter remaining in bowl onto corners of 2 heavy baking sheets; line with parchment.
• With piping tip 1/2 inch above sheet, pipe batter into a 3/4-inch round, then swirl tip off to one side. Repeat, spacing rounds 1 inch apart. Tap sheets firmly against counter 2 or 3 times to release air bubbles.
• Filling: Heat heavy cream in a saucepan until bubbles begin to form. Add chocolate and butter; stir to combine. Stir in chocolate-hazelnut spread. Let cool until thick and spreadable.
• Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until risen and just set, 13 minutes. Let cool. Pipe or spread filling on flat sides of half of cookies; top with remaining half. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT MACARONS

Steps:

• Grind the nuts: Pulse the blanched hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground. (Don't walk away; if you overprocess, you'll have hazelnut butter.) Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the almonds.
• Mix the dry ingredients: Combine 3/4 cup of the ground hazelnuts and 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon of the ground almonds in a large bowl. Sift in the cocoa powder and confectioners' sugar.
• Make the meringue: Whisk the egg whites and granulated sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. (Don't let the bowl touch the water.)
• Continue whisking until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. (If you can still feel the sugar, keep whisking.) Turn off the heat but leave the water in the saucepan.
• Using a rubber spatula, transfer the egg white mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
• Beat on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 6 minutes. (If you turn the bowl over, the whites shouldn't move.)
• Finish the batter: Fold a few dollops of the meringue into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until incorporated. Gently fold in the rest until smooth and fluffy, scooping from the bottom of the bowl to the top.
• Pipe into rounds: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch plain tip and fill with the batter; press out the air. Pipe the batter into 1-inch rounds on the baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
• Rest and bake: Tap the baking sheets on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.
• Let sit at room temperature until slightly dry, 15 to 30 minutes.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Bake 12 to 14 minutes, or until you can slide a spatula underneath the cookies, switching the position of the pans halfway through. Pull the parchment and cookies off the pans; cool.
• Make the filling: Meanwhile, bring the water in the saucepan back to a simmer. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set it over the water.
• Stir with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is almost completely melted. Remove the bowl from the pan.
• Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until simmering. Stir the warm cream and praline paste into the chocolate.
• Fold in the butter, salt and chopped hazelnuts. Let the filling cool until spreadable, about 15 minutes.
• Sandwich the cookies: Spread the filling on half of the cookies with the back of a spoon and sandwich with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate the macarons, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 1 week.

PISTACHIO CHOCOLATE MACARONS

Steps:

• Let egg whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Pulse confectioners' sugar and pistachios in a food processor until powdery., Preheat oven to 350°. Add salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Fold in pistachio mixture., Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag or in a corner of a food-safe plastic bag; insert a star tip. Transfer pistachio mixture to bag. Pipe 1-in.-diameter cookies 1 in. apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned and firm to the touch, 10-12 minutes. Cool completely on pans on wire racks., Place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream and corn syrup just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Whisk in butter. Cool, stirring occasionally, to room temperature or until filling reaches a spreading consistency, about 45 minutes. Spread on the bottoms of half of the cookies; cover with remaining cookies.

FRENCH MACARONS WITH BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Fill small bowl half full with hot water. Place egg whites in custard cup or another small bowl; place in bowl of water, making sure water doesn't get into the egg whites. Let stand about 3 minutes or until egg whites reach 75°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
• In blender, place almonds and 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar. Cover; blend on high speed 1 to 2 minutes, scraping sides occasionally, or until almonds are very finely ground. Place strainer over medium bowl. Using rubber spatula, press almond mixture through strainer into bowl. Return any almonds left in strainer to blender; add 1/4 cup of the remaining powdered sugar. Cover; blend on high speed 1 to 2 minutes, scraping sides occasionally, or until almonds are very finely ground. Press almond mixture and remaining 1 cup powdered sugar through strainer into bowl; set aside. Discard any remaining large almond pieces.
• In another bowl, beat egg whites, salt and food color with electric mixer on high speed just until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed 1 to 2 minutes or until soft peaks form. Using rubber spatula, fold about half of the almond mixture into egg white mixture until completely incorporated. Fold in remaining almond mixture.
• Spoon batter into decorating bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe batter in 20 (1 1/2-inch) circles onto each cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. If tops have a peak, wet fingertips lightly on damp paper towel and press down to flatten. Tap bottom of cookie sheet on counter a few times to flatten cookies. Let stand uncovered at room temperature 30 minutes to allow a light crust to form on tops.
• Heat oven to 300°F. Bake one pan at a time 17 to 18 minutes or until tops look set. Cool on pan on cooling rack at least 10 minutes. With metal pancake turner, remove cookies to cooling rack.
• In 2-cup glass measuring cup, microwave cream and corn syrup uncovered on High 1 minute. Stir in chocolate and butter until chocolate is melted. Let stand about 30 minutes. Cover; refrigerate about 30 minutes or until spreading consistency.
• For each sandwich cookie, spread about 1 teaspoon ganache on bottom edge of 1 cookie. Top with a second cookie. Store tightly covered.

PIERRE HERMé'S CHOCOLATE MACARONS - FRENCH MACAROONS

Steps:

• Whisk the mixture until the chocolate melts and is smooth, then transfer it to a small bowl and set aside to cool. When cool, cover and refrigerate until thick and cold, at least 1 day. (May be refrigerated for up to 3 days.).
• To Prepare the Macaroons: Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Blend the powdered sugar and almonds in a food processor until the nuts are ground to powder, scraping the sides of the bowl often. It should take about 8 minutes. Add the cocoa and blend for about 1 minute longer.
• Using a whisk or electric beater, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until they are stiff but not dry. Fold in the nut mixture in 4 additions, until it forms a thick batter.
• Spoon half of the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip.
• Pipe the batter onto each paper-lined baking sheet in 12 walnut-sized mounds, spacing the mounds apart slightly, as they will spread a little as they bake.
• Bake the cookies, 1 sheet at a time, for about 11 minutes, or until they are firm to the touch in the center and dry and cracked on top.
• Slide the parchment paper with the cookies onto a work surface to cool.
• Repeat with the remaining batter, cooling the cookies completely and lining the baking sheets with new paper each time.
• To Assemble: Arrange a macaroon flat (bottom) side up on a work surface.
• Drop about 1 tablespoon of filling onto each cookie, then top with a second cookie flat (bottom) side down (facing and pressing against the filling).
• Repeat with remaining macaroons and filling. Arrange on a platter, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve cold.

CHOCOLATE MINT MACARONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in lower third. Place almonds in a food processor; process until as fine as possible, about 1 minute. Add confectioners' sugar; process until combined, about 1 minute.
• Pass almond mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Transfer solids in sieve to food processor; grind and sift again, pressing down on clumps. Repeat until less than 2 tablespoons of solids remains in sieve.
• Whisk egg whites and granulated sugar by hand to combine. Beat on medium speed (4 on a KitchenAid) 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high (6) and beat 2 minutes. Then beat on high (8) 2 minutes more.
• The beaten egg whites will hold stiff, glossy peaks when you lift the whisk out of the bowl. Add peppermint extract and food coloring, and beat on highest speed 30 seconds.
• Add dry ingredients all at once. Fold with a spatula from bottom of bowl upward, then press flat side of spatula firmly through middle of mixture. Repeat just until batter flows like lava, 35 to 40 complete strokes.
• Rest a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch round tip (Ateco #804) inside a glass. Transfer batter to bag; secure top. Dab some batter remaining in bowl onto corners of 2 heavy baking sheets; line with parchment.
• With piping tip 1/2 inch above sheet, pipe batter into a 3/4-inch round, then swirl tip off to one side. Repeat, spacing rounds 1 inch apart. Tap sheets firmly against counter 2 or 3 times to release air bubbles.
• Finely grate bittersweet chocolate over half of unbaked rounds.
• Filling: Heat heavy cream in a saucepan until bubbles begin to form. Add bittersweet chocolate and butter; stir to combine. Let cool until thick and spreadable.
• Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until risen and just set, 13 minutes. Let cool. Pipe or spread filling on flat sides of half of cookies; top with remaining half. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate.

CHOCOLATE MACARONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place the almond paste and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the almond paste is softened and the sugar well incorporated, about 5 minutes. Add the cocoa powder and blend just until combined.
• Add the egg whites a little bit at a time, incorporating fully after each addition. Egg whites are difficult to pour in small amounts, so hold a rubber spatula against the rim of the bowl and use it to "cut" the egg whites as they are poured. If you add the egg whites all at once, the mixture will be lumpy because the difference in consistency between the egg whites and the almond paste mixture is too great. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. You may or may not need all of the egg whites depending on the moistness and age of your almond paste. Stop mixing when the mixture reaches a consistency soft enough to pipe (like toothpaste).
• Place the batter in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe 1-inch mounds onto a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. It will be easier if you hold the pastry bag at a slight angle and allow the tip to touch the parchment as you start to pipe. Once you have formed the mound, stop squeezing and lift the tip straight up, leaving a small tail on the top of each mound. Space the macarons about 1-inch apart to allow for spreading. Pipe carefully: Your macarons will look nicest when they are sandwiched together if they are all the same size.
• Immediately before placing them in the oven, liberally sprinkle granulated sugar over the macarons. This will give them a nice crust that will keep the inside moist and chewy. Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. The top of each macaron should be very finely cracked, a characteristic for which they are known. If overbaked, the macarons will be dry and crunchy.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and immediately pour 1/4 cup of water onto the baking sheet under the parchment paper. Be careful: If you get any water on the macarons, they will be soggy. You will need to tilt the baking sheet to spread the water evenly. Let it sit for 2 minutes. The water will loosen the macarons from the paper. Remove the macarons from the paper 2 at a time and stick them together, matching the flat sides. Do not put them back on the hot, wet baking sheet or they will become soggy.
• The macarons can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or well wrapped in the freezer for up to 1 week. Unwrap them before bringing back to room temperature, or the condensation will make them soggy.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FOR MACARONS

Steps:

• 1. Cream together butter and sugar. 2. Melt chocolate, set aside. 3. Add milk to butter/sugar mixture and mix thoroughly. 4. Add chocolate and beat furiously until smooth and shiny.

CHOCOLATE MACARONS WITH ESPRESSO GANACHE FILLING

Steps:

• Pulse the almonds in the bowl of a food processor until finely ground.
• Add the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder to the bowl and process until blended.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy.
• Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating until a smooth, shiny meringue with stiff peaks forms.
• Add the ground almond mixture to the bowl with the meringue and quickly but gently fold together using a wide rubber spatula until no streaks remain. You want to achieve a thick batter that ribbons or flows from the spatula when lifted.
• Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a plain wide round tip. Pipe into small rounds on the prepared baking sheets (each round should be about 1-1½ inches in diameter), spaced about 1 inch apart. Let sit at room temperature for about an hour to develop a hard shell.
• Preheat the oven to 300˚F. Bake for 8-10 minutes, depending on size. Transfer the pans to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely before moving the cookies.
• (Look, they have feet!)
• While the cookies are cooling, make the ganache. Combine the cream, butter and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Place the chopped chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Bring the cream mixture to a simmer, remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Let stand 2 minutes, then whisk gently in small circular motions until the ganache forms. Blend in the espresso powder. Let the mixture cool until it is thick enough to pipe. (To speed chilling, transfer the bowl to the freezer or refrigerator and let cool, stirring every 10 minutes, until thickened.)
• Macs baked on parchment paper - a few had less than perfect bottoms.
• Baked on the silpat - all were perfect! (Hence, I have now invested in a second silpat.)
• Once the cookies are totally cooled, match them up by size. Pipe a layer of ganache onto the flat side of one cookie of each pair. Sandwich together with the remaining cookie, pushing the filling to the edges. Store in an airtight container.

LADUREE CHOCOLATE MACARONS

Steps:

• -Mix almonds sugar and cocoa powder in food processor until you have a smooth fine powder -Place the eggwhites in the powder. Beat rapidly and delicately (you can tell this is french, right?)with a wooden spoon to obtain a homogenous mixture -With a wooden spatula, stir downward toward the middle of the mixture and back up the sides of the again, constantly turning the bowl, until the mixture is even, light and fluid. -Using a parchment bag with about a 1cm tip (as you would for icing), squeeze the small macarons on wax paper. -cook for 11-12 minutes in the oven at 180 degrees on a baking sheet, leaving the door slightly ajar. (I'm not sure what they are called but you should use a sheet that is insulated with an inner air layer) -remove from the oven and with the aide of a glass, slip some water between the wax paper and the baking sheet while gently lifting off the macarons. The water vapor will allow them to release from the paper when they cool. -Pour the creme over the finely chopped bitter chocolate. Add butter at a temp of at least 60 degrees C (104F). Let sit and cool to ambient temperature. The original doesn't say to mix, but I'm assuming you need to blend to make the ganache. -garnish the macaron shells with a layer of ganache about 3/4 millimeters thick and sandwich the two halves together. -Advice: Let the macarons chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours before eating (if you have the will, it is REALLY worth it!) This recipe is really delicate, but incredibly delicious! Recipe credit Ph. Andrieu (Laduree) translated by Gerri Davis IMAGE: http://pechesmignons.canalblog.com/images/t-Ladur_e_macarons1.jpg

CHOCOLATE MACARONS

Steps:

• Sift powdered sugar, almond meal/flour, and cocoa powder in a large bowl and set aside.
• Whip egg whites until foamy and until there is no more liquid remaining in the bottom of the bowl.
• Continue whipping the egg whites while slowly incorporating the granulated sugar and cream of tartar to the whites until it makes stiff peaks and are glossy (meringue).
• Gently incorporate the sifted mix 1/3 at a time to the meringue mixture until it has the texture of lava and looks like pudding.
• Pipe the batter onto any baking sheet/mat into your desired size and shape (traditional macarons are shaped as circles and are about 1 to 4 inches).
• Let the piped batter sit until it creates a skin (touch the batter and if it doesn't stick to your finger then they are ready to bake).
• Bake for 10-20 mins and check occasionally and gently push the top of the macaron down to see if it's done (if it moves then it's not finished, but if you poke it and it stays still then they are ready).
• Take the shells out of the oven and let it cool down (once cooled then you may take off the shells and fill it with any desired filling, I recommend a chocolate ganache).
• Decorate or leave it be, then enjoy.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL MACARONS

Steps:

• Line two or three baking sheets with parchment or nonstick baking mats.
• In a bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, almond flour, cocoa powder and salt.
• Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until egg whites are white in color and hold onto the bottom of the whisk, 2 to 3 minutes. Continue to beat, slowly adding 40 grams (3 tablespoons) granulated sugar until peaks are stiff, about 1 minute.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold almond mixture into egg whites in 4 batches, until there are no traces of egg whites.
• Spoon batter into a pastry bag or a heavy-duty plastic bag, cutting a small hole in a corner of the plastic bag. Pipe 1-inch rounds of batter, an inch apart from one another, onto the baking sheets.. (Alternatively, use a 1/2 teaspoon measure to form the rounds.) Pick up baking sheets and bang them against work surface. Let sheets sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to dry tops. (Don't skip this step; it helps the macarons rise nicely.)
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake macarons until puffed and firm, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through baking. Transfer sheets to rack to cool completely, then overturn cookies on the baking sheets so that flat bottoms are facing up.
• To make the caramel, combine the remaining 215 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar with 1/4 cup water in a clean, dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally to help distribute the sugar until it completely melts and turns a rich reddish brown (imagine the color of an Irish setter), about 15 minutes.
• Working quickly, spoon caramel over half the overturned cookies; immediately sandwich with remaining, unfilled cookies. If the caramel hardens before you're done, gently melt it over low heat and continue filling cookies.
• Fill a small saucepan with water and bring to a simmer. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place over pot. Heat, stirring frequently, until melted. (Or melt chocolate in the microwave.) Using a fork, drizzle cookies with melted chocolate. Let the caramel and chocolate set at room temperature or in the refrigerator. The caramel should harden to the texture of hard candy.

TOASTED-ALMOND MACARONS WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Pulse almonds in a food processor until very finely ground. Sift through a medium-fine sieve into a bowl, returning any remaining large pieces to food processor. Add confectioner's sugar and vanilla seeds and pulse until very finely ground. Sift through sieve and discard any remaining large bits. (There shouldn't be more than 1/4 cup; if there is, continue to pulse.)
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat egg whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy, about 2 minutes. Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add superfine sugar. Increase speed to high, and beat until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Sift almond mixture over whites and fold in with a rubber spatula until batter is smooth and shiny.
• Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip (Ateco #804). Pipe 1-inch flat mounds 1 inch apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets, pressing down any peaks with a dampened finger. Tap each baking sheet on work surface to release trapped air in batter. Let stand 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 12 minutes. After each batch, increase oven temperature to 375 degrees, heat 5 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees. Let macarons cool on baking sheets 3 minutes, then peel off parchment and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, place chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until melted and completely smooth. Remove bowl from heat. Sandwich flat sides of 2 macarons with 1/4 teaspoon melted white chocolate. Repeat with remaining macarons and chocolate. Let set in refrigerator 5 minutes, then return to room temperature before serving.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL MACARONS

Steps:

• Line two or three baking sheets with parchment or nonstick baking mats.
• In a bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, almond flour, cocoa powder and salt.
• Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until egg whites are white in color and hold onto the bottom of the whisk, 2 to 3 minutes. Continue to beat, slowly adding 40 grams (3 tablespoons) granulated sugar until peaks are stiff, about 1 minute.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold almond mixture into egg whites in 4 batches, until there are no traces of egg whites.
• Spoon batter into a pastry bag or a heavy-duty plastic bag, cutting a small hole in a corner of the plastic bag. Pipe 1-inch rounds of batter, an inch apart from one another, onto the baking sheets.. (Alternatively, use a 1/2 teaspoon measure to form the rounds.) Pick up baking sheets and bang them against work surface. Let sheets sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to dry tops. (Don't skip this step; it helps the macarons rise nicely.)
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake macarons until puffed and firm, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through baking. Transfer sheets to rack to cool completely, then overturn cookies on the baking sheets so that flat bottoms are facing up.
• To make the caramel, combine the remaining 215 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar with 1/4 cup water in a clean, dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally to help distribute the sugar until it completely melts and turns a rich reddish brown (imagine the color of an Irish setter), about 15 minutes.
• Working quickly, spoon caramel over half the overturned cookies; immediately sandwich with remaining, unfilled cookies. If the caramel hardens before you're done, gently melt it over low heat and continue filling cookies.
• Fill a small saucepan with water and bring to a simmer. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place over pot. Heat, stirring frequently, until melted. (Or melt chocolate in the microwave.) Using a fork, drizzle cookies with melted chocolate. Let the caramel and chocolate set at room temperature or in the refrigerator. The caramel should harden to the texture of hard candy.