I have a love hate relationship with Macarons, but today, I have a more of love, love, love relationship. The batch I made today turned out perfect! As in all the pieces! I cannot be more than happy. I had tried making this several times, but it’s like a hit and miss thing.

Today seems to be my lucky day. All those practice and research finally paid off. I finally got it. If you check the ingredients and steps, it looks so simple to make. Looks could be deceiving. It’s VERY tricky to make. Almost anyone who had made this will tell you the same thing. But still, I love-making them. I feel excited every time I think of making them again. I guess it’s the element of surprise for me.

I don’t know how my Macarons will turn out until its past half way the cooking time. Will it have feet? Will it rise enough? With it have crack?  Will it have hollow shell? It’s just a Macarons, I know, and it might sound silly, but I once I put this little thing inside the oven I started becoming uneasy, and excited. And when it’s time to open the oven half time of baking, I’m like a child who is going to open a present.

I can still remember my share of disappointment for a failed batch of Macarons, and for anything that you give your time and attention, when it fails, it’s always disappointing. But, that disappointment kept me going. I got addicted in making them again, and again and again until I finally got it. Oh how wonderful the feeling I had when I opened and saw that all of the Macarons are perfect!

Chocolate is an all time favorite for any bake treats. I did show my Chocolate Macarons in my first Macarons post “Macarons, a Taste of France” but I did not post the recipe. The recipe in that post is a basic Macarons recipe. The proportion for Chocolate Macarons is slightly different because of the use of cocoa powder, but the steps are basically the same.  Let’s get started!

How to freeze baked and unbaked cookie

I created a separate post that discusses How to Freeze Cookie Dough. Check it out as it covers the basic information that you  need to know, and they are very handy. The post covers briefly the following:

• Why freeze cookie dough?
• What kind of cookies are best for freezing?
• What are the cookies to avoid freezing
• How long can you freeze a cookie dough?
• Freezing baked cookies
• How to freeze cookie dough?
• Baking Frozen Cookie dough
• Freezing decorated cookies

Ingredients:

• 100g powdered Sugar – Sifted
• 50g powdered Almonds – Sifted
• 25g unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Sifted
• 2 large Egg Whites, at room temperature (approximately 66g)
• 24g granulated white Sugar

Filling Options:

• Chocolate Ganache
• Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
• Strawberry Jam
• Raspberry Jam
• Caramel Buttercream Frosting : Use the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting then add 2-3 tbsp of Caramel syrup
• Cookies and Cream Buttercream Frosting
• Pastry Cream

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300F degrees.
2. Sift confectioners sugar, cocoa powder and almond flour until combined. Do this 2 3- 3 times to get a finer texture. Discard the bigger pieces.
3. Whisk egg whites and  salt for 30 seconds then add cream of tartar.
4. Gradually add granulated sugar, 1 tbsp at a time. Beat for 2 – 4 minutes in medium speed. I prefer using hand mixer for this step because I can actually monitor the texture. You can use stand mixer just pay close attention and set your timer. The beaten egg whites will hold stiff, glossy peaks when you lift the whisk out of the bowl. Add flavoring and food coloring, if desired, and beat for 30 seconds more.
5. Add dry ingredients in two additions . Fold and press with a spatula from bottom of bowl upward, then press flat side of spatula firmly through middle of mixture. Repeat just until batter flows like lava, 40 to 50 complete strokes. When you scoop it out with a spatula and you turn the spatula down, the batter should fall slowly. This is a very crucial step, over mixing or under  mixing the batter can ruin the entire batch. It takes practice, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be fine.
6. 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. Hold you pastry bag straight and push the batter out without moving your tip. Just have it steady in the center and stop when you reach your desired size.
7. Tap bottom of each sheet on work surface to release trapped air. Do it until the batter starts to spread a bit, and the bubbles are released and the top smooth is smooth. If a peak or pointed top remains, wet your finger with water and slightly touch it to flatten it.
8. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes (depending on the humidity). This will make the shell dry and a little bit hard to the touch. When you lightly touch it, the batter should not stick to your fingers.
9. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until Macarons are crisp and firm, about 15 minutes.  Let Macarons cool on sheets for 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. If the Macarons are still sticking to the parchment paper when you try to remove it, then it needs more time to cool. Do not force it. Once completely cooled, it will be easier to lift it.
10. Sandwich 2 same-size Macarons with 1 teaspoon filling of your choice (Chocolate Ganache, Vanilla Buttercream Frosting , Strawberry Jam, Raspberry Jam , Cookies and Cream Buttercream Frosting, Pastry Cream etc.)
11.  Macarons are at it’s best after 2-3 days. This is because the “aging” process allow the shell of the Macarons to soften and to fully absorb the flavor of the filling. I had tried eating it few hours after I put the filling, and I also ate it after 2-3 days and there is really big difference in taste and texture. The shell is softer and gooey, and the flavor is more intense.

 Serving: Makes 20 – 21  (approx.) cookies

Recipe Notes:

• Macarons are at their best when aged. Normally, they are at their best on the 2nd or 3rd day, depending on the type of filling you are using. For fillings like Jam, Pudding, Custard, or anything that has more liquid, storing it overnight before serving it is enough time for the Macarons to absorb the flavor. For buttercream frosting, or anything that hardens when you put it inside the fridge, 2-3 days is best for the flavor to absorb.

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