Dark chocolate French macarons

Name: Chocolate french macarons
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Serves 10

These chocolate French macaroons take a little bit of practice to get right, but once you've got the knack, they're as satisfying to make as they are delicious to eat.

Mar 31, 2011 1:00pm

Serves 10
30 mins preparation
30 mins cooking

Ingredients

3 egg whites
1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
1 1/4 cup (200g) icing sugar
3/4 cup (90g) ground almonds
1/4 cup (25g) cocoa powder

Dark chocolate ganache

1/4 cup (60ml) cream
155 gram dark eating chocolate, chopped coarsely
1 tablespoon finely crushed buttered brazil nuts

Method

1
Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add caster sugar; beat until sugar dissolves; transfer mixture to large bowl. Fold in sifted icing sugar, ground almonds and sifted cocoa, in two batches.
2
Spoon mixture into piping bag fitted with 1cm plain tube. Pipe 4cm rounds about 2.5cm apart onto trays. Tap trays on bench so macaroons spread slightly. Stand 30 minutes.
3
Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F. Bake macaroons about 20 minutes. Cool on trays.
4
To make the dark chocolate ganache: Bring cream to the boil in small saucepan. Remove from heat; pour over chocolate in small bowl, stir until smooth. Stir in nuts. Stand at room temperature until spreadable.
5
Sandwich macaroons with dark chocolate ganache.