Chocolate

Macarons
By Claire Saffitz

Time About 3 ¼ hours, plus at

least 24 hours chilling
Rating (37)

Chocolate macarons are beloved for a couple of reasons: First, the bitterness of cocoa and barely sweet
ganache is a good foil for the sugariness of the meringue shells. Second, the cocoa in the batter masks
any color the meringue might take on during baking, so there’s a wider margin of error for your oven
temperature compared with other flavors.

INGRE DIE NTS PRE PARATION

Yield: 23 macarons Step 1

Trace your guides and prepare the baking sheets: Using a

FOR TH E B ATTER
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons/124
grams confectioners’ sugar
¾ cup/85 grams superfine
blanched almond flour
¼ cup/25 grams unsweetened
cocoa powder
Lemon wedge (optional), for
cleaning bowl
3 large egg whites (90 grams), at
room temperature
½ teaspoon kosher salt (such as
Diamond Crystal)
6 tablespoons/75 grams granulated
sugar
FOR TH E F IL L ING
permanent marker and a bottle cap or a 1 ¼-inch-wide ring
cutter, trace 23 evenly spaced circles onto a 13-by-18-inch silicone
baking mat or a piece of parchment paper. (Making 3 rows of 5,
separated by 2 rows of 4, allows you to stagger the 23 circles.)
Repeat with a second piece of parchment or silicone baking mat,
then turn both upside down and place each on a flat, rimless
baking sheet (or on an upside-down rimmed baking sheet).
Step 2
Grind and sift the dry ingredients: In the bowl of a food
processor, combine the confectioners’ sugar, almond flour and
cocoa powder, and pulse just until the mixture is a uniform color,
about 8 pulses. Transfer to a medium-mesh sieve set over a large
bowl; shake to sift it through, then discard any lumps.
Step 3
Make the meringue: Make sure the bowl of the stand mixer is

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, grease-free. (To clean it, you can rub the inside with the cut side

finely chopped of a lemon wedge.) Then combine the egg whites and salt in the
bowl. Using the whisk attachment, beat the whites on medium-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
low speed until broken up and frothy, about 20 seconds. Increase
½ teaspoon espresso powder speed to medium-high, and add the granulated sugar in a slow,
(optional) steady stream. Continue to beat until the meringue has a slightly
Pinch of kosher salt (such as
Diamond Crystal)
½ cup/120 milliliters heavy cream
matte sheen, starts to gather inside the whisk and forms very
stiff peaks, 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 4
Macaronage: To the bowl with the meringue, add half of the
sifted ingredients and use a large flexible spatula to fold them in,
working the mixture vigorously and scraping the bottom and
sides thoroughly. Add the remaining sifted ingredients and fold,
using the spatula to press the mixture against the side of the
bowl and making sure there are no unincorporated pockets of
meringue or dry ingredients along the sides or in the bottom.
You want to deflate the egg whites to create a fluid — but not
liquidy — batter, a process called macaronage.
Step 5
Continue to fold until the batter has lost about half its volume, is
very smooth and glossy, and falls off the spatula in a steady
stream, forming a ribbon that slowly oozes back onto the surface
of the batter. Getting the texture right is critical, so try this test:
Spoon about a teaspoon of the batter onto a plate — it should
ooze slightly but hold a flat dome, and any peak should settle
into the surface and disappear within 15 seconds. If it holds a
peak, scrape the mixture back into the bowl and fold it a few
more times, then repeat the test.
Step 6
Pipe the circles: Scrape the batter into a large piping bag fitted
with a medium circle pastry tip. Twist the bag to close, then,
hovering the bag upright, positioning the tip about ½ inch over
the surface of the parchment or baking mat in the center of a
circle, apply steady pressure to the bag until the circle is filled.
(The batter will continue to spread a bit.) As you lift the piping
bag to move on to the next circle, make a rapid, tight circular
motion to release the batter. When you have filled the first sheet
of circles, firmly tap the baking sheet several times straight down
on the towel-lined work surface to pop any large air bubbles, then
set the first sheet aside. Pipe the remaining circles on the second
sheet, then repeat the tapping motion. Use a toothpick to pop
any remaining bubbles beneath the surfaces and fill in any
pockmarks left by popped bubbles.
Step 7
Let the batter dry slightly: Let the baking sheets sit, uncovered,
at room temperature until the surfaces are matte and a thin skin
has formed, 45 minutes to 1 hour, though possibly much longer if
you’re working in a humid environment. To test if the shells are
ready, gently touch the test batter on the plate with your
fingertip. If it feels nonsticky and slightly leathery to the touch,
and it doesn't indent with light pressure applied, it’s ready.

Step 8
Bake and cool the shells: Arrange an oven rack in the center
position and heat the oven to 300 degrees. (It's highly
recommended that you use an oven thermometer to verify the
true internal temperature.) Transfer one of the sheets to the
oven and bake on the center rack until the shells are dry on the
surfaces, a ruffled foot has formed around the bases and they
stay put on the parchment or baking mat when you try to wiggle
them, 16 to 22 minutes. (If you’re baking on silicone mats, the
shells might take a minute or two longer, since silicone doesn’t
conduct heat as well as parchment.) If you’re unsure if they’re
done, bake the shells a minute or two longer, as underbaked
shells might hollow out and dry shells will rehydrate during the
aging process. Let the shells cool completely on the baking sheet,
then carefully peel them away. In the meantime, bake and cool
the second sheet. Set the shells aside, sorting them into pairs,
matching up shells of similar size. If you want to bake the shells
in advance, store them at room temperature in an airtight
container for up to 2 days.

Step 9
Make the ganache filling: Meanwhile, in a medium heatproof
bowl, combine the chocolate, vanilla, espresso powder (if using)
and salt. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream
to a gentle simmer, then set it aside to cool for about 1 minute.
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate mixture and let it sit for
several minutes, then whisk gently, starting in the center and
working your way outward, until smooth. (If not all of the
chocolate has melted, add about 1 inch of water to the saucepan,
set it over medium heat, and place the bowl over top. Stir just
until all of the chocolate is melted.) Let the ganache sit (off
heat), whisking occasionally, until it’s thick and spreadable and
holds its shape, 45 minutes to 1 hour. (To speed up this process,
you can stir the ganache over an ice bath, but don’t let it get too
cold or it will harden.)

Step 10
Fill the macarons: Scrape the ganache into a piping bag fitted
with a medium round pastry tip and twist the bag to close. Pipe a
generous teaspoon of ganache onto the flat sides of half of the
cooled shells, then place the remaining shells on top to create
 little sandwiches, pressing on the shells gently to squeeze the
filling to the edges.

Step 11
Age the macarons: Chill the macarons briefly to set the ganache
(15 to 20 minutes), then pack them into a lidded container, cover,
and refrigerate until the shells are softened and yield to the
filling, at least 24 hours. Serve chilled. The macarons will keep,
covered and refrigerated, up to 1 week.

You have
limited
access to
New York
Times
Cooking.
Subscribe to return
to this recipe, plus
over 20,000 more
for every interest and
skill level.

See
subscription
options

Cancel or pause
anytime
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.