How to make chocolate macarons
4th Apr 2024 Recipes
1 min read
Learn how to make chocolate macarons here, and enjoy their delicate texture and the mouth-watering combination of almonds and luxurious dark chocolate
Makes: About 20
Preparation: 15 minutes plus
resting time
Cooking: 20 minutes
Ingredients
Macarons
- 90g almond meal (ground almonds)
- 200g icing (confectioners’) sugar
- 25g (2½ tbsp) Dutch cocoa powder
- 3 large egg-whites
- 55g caster (superfine) sugar
Chocolate filling
- 150ml thickened (heavy/double) whipping cream
- 200g dark chocolate, finely chopped
Method
- Preheat the oven to 150°C. Line two baking trays with baking (parchment) paper
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the almond meal, icing sugar and cocoa on low speed until combined. Pass the mixture through a sieve onto baking paper
- Whisk egg-whites until foamy. While beating, gradually add the caster sugar and beat until soft peaks form and the sugar is dissolved. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the almond mixture into the egg-whites, one-third at a time
- Transfer the mixture to a piping (icing) bag fitted with a 1cm (1⁄2 inch) plain nozzle. Pipe 4cm (1 1⁄2 inch) rounds onto the prepared trays, allowing room for spreading. Leave to rest for 30–60 minutes to allow a skin to form
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until puffed, firm to touch and crusted a little. Cool for ten to 15 minutes on the trays, then transfer to wire racks
- For the filling, bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, add the chocolate and stand two minutes. Stir until smooth. Let stand at room temperature or chill for ten minutes until the mixture is spreadable. Sandwich the cooled macarons together with the filling
Macarons vs macaroons
French-style macarons such as
these are a mixture of egg-white and ground nuts (usually almonds), sandwiched
together with a flavoured filling, while the main ingredients of macaroons are egg-white and coconut.
Banner photo: How to make mouth-watering chocolate macarons (credit: Reader's Digest Books)
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