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Macaroon: Chocolate Macaroons w/Chocolate Filling

Source of Recipe

Pierre Herme - posted by Ivanka @ Mimi's Recipe Exchange


Recipe Introduction

Pierre Herme, a fourth-generation French pastry chef, was only 24 when he took over the pastry kitchens of Fauchon in Paris. From there, he went to Ladur�e to direct the opening of its new restaurant on the Champs-Elysees. He was named France's pastry chef of the year in 1997. These macaroons are at their best when eaten within a day.

List of Ingredients

Chocolate Filling
3/4 cup whole milk
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Macaroons
1 (1-pound) box powdered sugar
2 cups whole blanched almonds
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 large egg whites



Recipe

To prepare the filling: Bring the milk and butter to a simmer in a heavy medium-sized saucepan. Remove from heat, then add the chocolate.

Whisk the mixture until the chocolate melts and is smooth, then transfer it to a small bowl and set aside to cool. When cool, cover and refrigerate until thick and cold, at least 1 day.

May be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

To prepare the macaroons: Preheat the oven to 400�. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Blend the powdered sugar and almonds in a food processor until the nuts are ground to powder, scraping the sides of the bowl often. It should take about 8 minutes. Add the cocoa and blend for about 1 minute longer.

Using a whisk or electric beater, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until they are stiff but not dry. Fold in the nut mixture in 4 additions, until it forms a thick batter.

Spoon half of the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip.

Pipe the batter onto each paper-lined baking sheet in 12 walnut-sized mounds, spacing the mounds apart slightly, as they will spread a little as they bake.

Bake the cookies, 1 sheet at a time, for about 11 minutes, or until they are firm to the touch in the center and dry and cracked on top.

Slide the parchment paper with the cookies onto a work surface to cool.

Repeat with the remaining batter, cooling the cookies completely and lining the baking sheets with new paper each time.

To assemble: Arrange a macaroon flat (bottom) side up on a work surface.

Drop about 1 tablespoon of filling onto each cookie, then top with a second cookie flat (bottom) side down (facing and pressing against the filling).

Repeat with remaining macaroons and filling. Arrange on a platter, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Serve cold.

Yields 24 sandwich cookies

PER COOKIE: 225 calories, 4 g protein, 28 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat (3 g saturated), 8 mg cholesterol, 21 mg sodium, 2 g fiber.