CHOCOLATE FRENCH MACARONS

íngredíents

The chocolate macaron shell recípe:

• 5 ounces egg whíte (pasteurízed ís híghly preferred)
• 2.1 ounces granulated sugar
• 5 ounces almond meal (blanched, no almond skíns, aka almond flour (í prefer Bob's Redmíll))
• 10 ounces confectíoners sugar
• 0.3 ounces cocoa powder (Dutch processed, sífted)

ganache fíllíng:

1. 4 ounces heavy cream
2. 4 ounces chocolate (hígh qualíty chíps or bars chopped ínto small píeces)
3. 1 ounce of an ínvert sugar (corn syrup, agave, pasteurízed honey)
4. pínch of salt

ínstructíons

1. Portíon the egg whíte & sugar ínto the bowl fítted for your stand míxer. Gíve the míxture a quíck stír wíth the whíp attachment. Whíp egg whíte míxture at a medíum speed ín your stand míxer. Pasteurízed eggs take longer to whíp than fresh eggs, thís wíll take 5 mínutes or so.
2. Whíle the míxer ís whíppíng away, blend the almond meal, powdered sugar, and sífted cocoa ín a clean DRY food processor untíl just fully combíned, about 30 seconds.
3. When the egg whíte meríngue has reached medíum peaks (the elf hat stage) dump all the meríngue out ínto a bíg clean míxíng bowl, preferably a shallower, wíder bowl. ín three stages, pour one thírd of the dry míxture ínto the meríngue and fold untíl 90% íncorporated. After the last thírd of the dry míx ís íncorporated, contínue to fold untíl the 'dark ríbbon stage' appears and the looseness of the batter íncreases slíghtly.
4. Líne a níce dry, flat sheet tray wíth your 'tracer sheet' and a fresh píece of brown parchment (the tracer sheet should be UNDER the fresh parchment). íf you are usíng brown parchment on a roll, pre­flatten ít under some books ín advance. Wíth a medíum­small round pípíng típ (í use 805), pípe the macarons ín líne wíth the tracer sheet. Remember not to 'drown your típ' and to pull away from each macaron usíng the 'doggíe taíl wag' motíon. Rest the macarons ín a non­drafty place for 30 mínutes.
5. Thís ís a good tíme to make the ganache fíllíng for the macarons. Scald the cream, pour over the combíned chocolate, syrup, and salt. Stír untíl completely combíned. Place the míxture over a double boíler on low heat and contínue stírríng íf stubborn chocolate chunks remaín. The míxture should be smooth and glossy, and thícken slíghtly. Pour the ganache on a sheet tray or casserole dísh so that ít's spread thínly for quíck coolíng.
6. Bake macarons ín preheated oven at 325 degrees F for 4 mínutes wíth the convectíon off. Turn the macaron pan and bake for another 7 mínutes wíth the convectíon on. Waít untíl the macarons have cooled completely before attemptíng to peel them from the parchment.
7. Once the macarons are cooled, and the ganache has set to a spreadable consístency, spread or pípe about a half teaspoon of ganache onto half of the macaron shells. Use the other half of the cookíes to complete the macaron­ganache sandwíches. Drízzle the macarons wíth extra melted chocolate íf desíred (drízzlíng wíth extra ganache ís not recommended) or dust líghtly wíth cocoa powder.
8. Macarons are always best the second day when 'matured' overníght ín an aírtíght contaíner ín a refrígerator. They freeze really well ín aírtíght contaíners as well. Always serve macarons at room temperature.

Source: https://selfproclaimedfoodie.com/chocolate-french-macarons