French Mocha Macarons

Thanks to Martha Stewart, I checked something off of my bucket list today.  My March issue of Martha Stewart Living arrived, and the front cover was peppered with beautiful, pastel macarons.  Now, check that spelling.  It’s not the traditional coconut macaroons like the ones in this recipe that Jordan made.  These are the delicate, little French sweets that are all the rage.  I have been wanting to make them forever, and she took the fear factor out of it.

 

I studied the recipe and realized I had every ingredient on hand except food coloring.  I dashed over to our neighborhood Kroger, which is closing its doors this Saturday, and low and behold they were out!!!  Yikes!!!  I wanted to make a pastel green mint macaron in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, but had to switch to Plan B.  Therefore, I opted to make the mocha macaron which highlights the flavors of chocolate and coffee.  (It didn’t require food coloring).  I’ll be sure to pick up some food coloring on my next trip to the grocery because making these cookies was a lot of fun instead of being intimidating like I always thought.

 

 

Before I started the recipe, I read the reviews that were on Martha’s website.  A few people mentioned that you need to be very precise when following the directions so I pulled out my food scale.

 

 

Since the measurements were in both grams and cups, I  decided to go with the grams since they are more precise.  Don’t worry, though.  You can use your measuring cups and still be okay.

 

MOCHA MACARONS

 

Source – Martha Stewart

2/3 cups almond flour (or sliced blanched almonds which need to be ground in the food processor)

2 cup confectioners sugar

1/2 teaspoon instant coffee grains

2 large egg white, room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

 

Pulse confectioners’ sugar and almond flour in a food processor until combined and then sift the mixture 2 times.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy.  Reduce speed to low, then add granulated sugar. Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Sift flour mixture over whites, and fold in until mixture is smooth and shiny.

 

 

Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip, and pipe 3/4-inch rounds 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, dragging pastry tip to the side of rounds rather than forming peaks. Tap bottom of each sheet on work surface to release trapped air. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.  Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 10 minutes.

 

 

Let macarons cool on cookie sheets for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. (If macarons stick, spray water underneath parchment. The steam will help release macarons.)

 

 

Pipe 1 teaspoon filling onto the flat side of a cookie and sandwich 2 same-size macarons together. Serve immediately, or stack between layers of parchment, wrap in plastic, and freeze for up to 3 months.

 

FILLING

 

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate chips

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour cream over chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let stand for 2 minutes. Add butter, then whisk mixture until smooth. Let cool, stirring often. Use immediately by placing into a pastry bag and pipe filling on the flat sides of the cookies.  Top with a half that is of a similar size.

 

Note – The macaron recipe that Martha provides in her magazine is different from the one she has on her website.  In fact, they are called macaroons on the website.  The baking temperature is different on the two, also.  I followed the directions in the magazine.

 

Take care and have a great week-end!