Chocolate Macarons

Macarons are tricky beasts: mess up one step and the whole operation is ruined. I should know, since my first attempt was just shy of disastrous. But as I like to say, Mama didn't raise no quitter, so I pulled myself together for attempt number two. They still weren't perfect, as you can see from the cracks in the tops, but they were much better since I was able to identify where I went wrong the first time. First, make sure you whip the egg whites all the way to stiff peaks. Second, you can't possibly be too careful when you're folding the egg whites into the dry ingredients. I highly recommend looking it up on YouTube if you have any doubts as to the process. Finally, make sure you pipe the shells to the right size. The second time around, I drew forms on the underside of the parchment paper so they would all be the same size. Whatever you do, don't be afraid to try them just because they're a little more complicated! I seriously almost cried when I tasted the second batch and they were so much better. Attempting new things can only expand on your abilities!


Ingredients: 
For macaron shells
1 cup almond flour
3/4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
2 large egg whites, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, optional
For chocolate ganache filling:
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons Nutella

Directions:

1. In  medium bowl, sift together almond flour, powdered sugar and cocoa powder twice. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl with whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue to beat. Slowly add sugar one tablespoon at a time. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until hard peaks form. 
3. Sift the almond flour mixture over the whipped egg whites. Gently fold the mixture, running the spatula clockwise from the bottom, up around the sides, and cut the batter in half. The batter will look very thick at first, but it will get thinner as you fold. Be careful not to overmix! Every so often, test the batter to see if it has reached the right consistency. Do this by dropping a small amount of batter and counting to ten. If the edges of the ribbon are dissolved within seconds, the batter is ready. Do NOT mix again. If you still see edges, fold the batter a couple more times and test again. 
4. Transfer the batter into a pastry bag with a round tip.
5. Pipe out 1.5-inch rounds about an inch apart on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. You should get about 42 shells. Tap the baking sheets firmly on the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles. If you don't release the air bubbles, they will expand during baking and crack the shells. 
6. Let the macarons rest and dry for 15-30 minutes. On a humid, this step will take longer. To see if it's ready to be baked, lightly touch it. If the batter doesn't stick to your finger, it's ready. Sprinkle a little bit of sea salt on each macaron right before baking, if desired. Preheat the oven to 300 F. 
7. Bake the macarons for 18-2 minutes. To check if they are done, remove one macaron. If the bottom doesn't stick, they're done. 
8. Transfer to wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, then remove from the baking sheets.
9. While macarons are cooling, prepare the ganache filling. Heat the heavy cream in the microwave for a minute. Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl and pour hot cream over them. Let it stand for a minute or two, then stir until smooth. Stir in Nutella. Cool the ganache in the fridge to thicken
10. Transfer the ganache filling into a pastry bag and fill the macarons.
11. Store the filled macarons in airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the filled macarons in airtight container for up to 5 months.

Source: Sweet and Savory