- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
- Calories
- 504 kcal
Quick summary
“Tradicional doce francês preparado com merengue aerado e farinha fina de amêndoas, assado a cento e cinquenta graus com pezinho característico e recheado com ganache cremosa de chocolate meio amargo para textura crocante e sedosa.”
What you need to know
- The macaronage process folds the batter until it reaches a continuous ribbon stage without deflating the aerated meringue.
- The previous rest in the pan develops the matte surface crust that forces the rise of the traditional bottom skirt.
- Baking at a gentle temperature of one hundred and fifty degrees keeps the top smooth and prevents the batter from browning.
Ingredients
Main
- 150g of powdered sugar
- 100g of almond flour
- 80g egg whites (approximately 3 whites)
- 30g of granulated sugar
- A pinch of salt
- For the filling: 100g of dark chocolate and 50g of heavy cream
Instructions
Principal
- Preheat the oven to 150°C.
- In a bowl, mix the powdered sugar and almond flour until homogeneous.
- In another bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy.
- Add the granulated sugar gradually, beating until a firm meringue consistency is obtained.
- Add the sugar and almond mixture little by little, incorporating delicately with the spatula.
- Place the dough in a piping bag and make small circles on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Let it rest for 15 minutes, until a crust forms on the surface.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the macarons are firm.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling by melting the chocolate with the heavy cream in a double boiler.
- Let it cool and mix well until smooth.
- Fill the already cooled macarons and join them to form the sandwiches.
Chef's tips
- Grind and sift the almond flour with the powdered sugar through a fine sieve to obtain smooth shells without granules.
- Tap the baking sheet firmly against the counter three times after dropping the discs to expel trapped air bubbles.
- Touch the surface with a dry fingertip before baking; the dough should not stick if the skin has formed.
Variations
- Add gel food coloring in the desired color to the meringue at the end of beating to create vivid colored shells.
- Mix a coffee spoon of alkalized cocoa powder into the almond flour to produce chocolatey crusts.
- Fill with salted caramel cream with fleur de sel to balance the pronounced sweetness of the almond shell.
Substitutions
- Pure almond flour can be replaced by finely sifted cashew flour in the same proportion.
- The granulated sugar in the meringue can be swapped for regular refined sugar without changes to the stability of the egg whites.
- The dark chocolate ganache can be replaced by thick raspberry jam, brigadeiro branco, or lemon curd.
How to store
Store the filled macarons in the refrigerator in a closed box for up to five days. The twenty-four-hour maturation under cold is fundamental so that the filling's moisture penetrates the crust gently, leaving the center soft.
Can it be frozen?
Freeze the filled macarons in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers for up to sixty days. Thaw in the closed refrigerator for two hours and leave for twenty minutes at room temperature before consumption.
What to serve with
Serve accompanied by black tea scented with jasmine flowers, short espresso coffee without sugar, well-chilled brut rosé sparkling wine, or a glass of late harvest dessert wine for a classic French pâtisserie pairing.
Frequently asked questions
Why are aged egg whites recommended?
Egg whites left in the fridge for twenty-four hours lose some moisture, generating a more stable and structured meringue.
Why did the macaron not form the bottom foot?
The rest time to dry the surface film was missing, causing the steam to escape through the top instead of rising the base.
What is the correct consistency of the macaronage point?
The batter should flow from the spatula like a shiny, continuous ribbon that slowly settles in the bowl after thirty seconds.
How to prevent the shells from cracking in the oven?
Eliminate the air by tapping the baking sheet on the counter and ensure that the oven is not at an excessive temperature above one hundred and fifty degrees.
