Description
These Double-Chocolate French Macarons are delicate, airy sandwich cookies made from almond flour and dark cocoa, filled with a luscious whipped bittersweet chocolate ganache. Perfect for chocolate lovers looking to enjoy an elegant, classic French treat with a rich twist.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chocolate Macaron Shells
- 1 1/2 cup (150g) finely ground almond flour
- 1 3/4 cup (198g) powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup (21g) cocoa powder (preferably dark or black cocoa powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon (2g) fine sea salt
- 4 large (140g) egg whites
- 1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon (2g) vanilla extract
Whipped Ganache Filling
- 1 1/3 cup (8 oz / 226g) finely chopped bittersweet chocolate
- 2/3 cup (157g) heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper using your flattest sheets. Trace 1 ½-inch rounds using a cookie cutter spaced ¾-inch apart in staggered rows, ideally fitting 24 per sheet. Turn parchment over to prevent ink contact when piping.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift almond flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together into a medium bowl. Repeat 1-2 more times to remove clumps and aerate the mixture. Discard any stubborn clumps.
- Make Meringue: Using a stand mixer with a whisk or a hand mixer, whip egg whites on medium speed until foamy (~30-45 seconds). Increase to high speed, gradually add granulated sugar, and whip until stiff peaks form (5-7 minutes). Add vanilla and mix to combine.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients – Part 1: Remove meringue from mixer. Add half of the almond flour mixture and mix with a silicone spatula to temper and start deflating the batter.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients – Part 2: Add remaining dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula using a circular motion, cutting through the center and rotating the bowl. Batter should flow slowly from the spatula like lava.
- Pipe Macarons: Fill prepared pastry bag just over halfway with batter. Pipe batter onto baking sheets within the traced circles, holding pastry bag parallel and applying even pressure until each round is filled. Refill as needed.
- Remove Air Bubbles & Smooth Surface: Tap baking sheets gently on countertop to level macarons and flatten peaks. Use a needle or skewer to pop surface bubbles if present.
- Rest for Skin Formation: Allow macarons to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until a skin forms on the surface. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C) during last part of resting time.
- Bake Macarons: Bake one sheet at a time in the center rack for 18 to 20 minutes until feet form and surface is shiny and set. Cool completely on baking sheets.
- Make Whipped Ganache: Place chopped bittersweet chocolate in heatproof bowl. Heat cream to a simmer, pour over chocolate, and let stand 15 seconds. Stir until smooth and shiny. Cool 30 minutes to 1 hour until slightly firm but scoopable.
- Whip Ganache: Whip cooled ganache on medium speed with a whisk attachment for 2 to 4 minutes until lightened in color and texture. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a medium round or star tip.
- Prepare Macarons for Filling: Peel cooled macaron shells from parchment. Pair cookies by size, flipping over half to create top and bottom sets.
- Fill Macarons: Pipe a mound of ganache filling onto the flat side of one cookie, leaving a small border. Top with the paired cookie and press gently.
- Refrigerate for Best Texture: Though edible immediately, refrigerate filled macarons in an airtight container overnight to soften cookies as they absorb moisture from the filling. Can be frozen up to 3 months.
- Variations: For Vanilla Macarons omit cocoa powder and increase powdered sugar to 2 cups (226g), add gel food coloring to meringue for tinting. Fill with any flavored filling. For Fruity Macarons, add fruit jam or preserves into Italian Buttercream filling. For Spiced Macarons, add 2 teaspoons ground spices (cinnamon, cardamom, or pepper) to dry ingredients when sifting.
Notes
- Ensure almond flour is finely ground and clump-free for smooth shells.
- Resting macarons until a skin forms is essential to prevent cracking during baking.
- Baking one sheet at a time yields the most consistent results; adjust based on oven capacity.
- Use dark or black cocoa powder for a richer chocolate flavor and deeper color.
- Macarons improve in texture and flavor after refrigerating overnight.
- Macarons can be stored unfilled for up to 3 months in the freezer; fill after thawing.
- Use gel food coloring to avoid affecting batter consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 20mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
