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Place 120 grams of sugar and 40 grams of water into a heavy-bottomed saucepan, over low heat, without stirring.
Once mixture begins to boil, whisk 55 grams of egg whites and 35 grams of sugar in a clean bowl until it becomes white and foamy.
When the sugar mixture reaches a temperature of 235 degrees Fahrenheit, whisk the egg whites on high and drizzle in the sugar mixture at the same time.
Continue whisking the egg whites until it becomes thick, white, glossy and it is able to hold itself up.
Mix together 150 grams of sifted almond flour and 150 grams of sifted icing sugar in a large bowl.
Pour in 50 grams of egg whites and mix together to form a paste. Add colouring at this stage, if you wish.
Season the paste with a bit of salt.
Spoon in a third of the meringue into the large bowl and fold it into the paste.
After folding, remember to scratch the mixture to remove a bit of air.
Continue folding in another third of the meringue, followed by the scratching process.
Test the viscosity of the mixture. If it has a disjointed flow, scratch the surface of the batter again, to remove more air.
It should have a continuous flow. Once achieved, do not mix again.
Pour the batter into a piping bag. The batter should not be left out to dry.
Prepare your baking pan by lining it with baking paper, ensuring that it is non-stick.
Cut a centimetre across the tip of your piping bag.
Begin piping by making sure that the bag is perpendicular to the baking paper and that the bag remains still.
Give the tray a few knocks all around to remove excess air and to create a nice flat surface on each macaron.
Leave to dry. Depending on the humidity, it may take from merely thirty minutes to more than two hours. Allow them to dry directly under an air conditioner, to quicken the drying process.
The tops should not be sticking to your finger once dried. It should also have a dull surface.
Preheat your oven to 150 degrees celsius and bake for 14 minutes.
If you find that your macarons are browning too quickly, reduce the temperature by 10 degrees. Adjust the baking time as needed.
Once baked, leave the macarons to cool completely.
After, remove them from the baking paper by pulling the paper from the shell and not the shell from the paper.
Pair up the macarons and prepare them for the filling.
To make a simple dark chocolate ganache, heat up 1 cup of double cream or thickened cream in a microwave safe bowl for one minute.
Pour 1 cup of dark chocolate buttons into the cream and let it melt for thirty seconds.
Stir to combine until the ganache is smooth and glossy.
Let the ganache cool in the fridge or the freezer until it is able to hold itself up.
Using a spoon or a piping bag, fill the macarons with the dark chocolate ganache and sandwich them together.
Let the macarons age in the fridge, for 24 hours before consumption.