Pierre Hermé's Chocolate Macarons - French Macaroons

ThatSouthernBelle's Note:

These are the French macarons - not the Americanized coconut macaroons I'm accustomed to. (I hate American macaroons... they're gross and have a strange mouth feel.) I found this recipe online at dianasdesserts.com Vogue has dubbed this French pastry chef, Pierre Hermé, as "the Picasso of Pastry". He started his career at just 14 at at 24 he was in charge of the pastry kitchens of Fauchon in Paris. Prep time includes chill time as does the cook time.

• Total Time: 26 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 24 hrs
• Cook Time: 2 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 24

Yield: 24.0 Sandwic ...

Chocolate Filling

• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate or 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Macaroons

• 1 lb powdered sugar
• 2 cups whole blanched almonds
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 large egg whites

Directions:

1. 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.).
2. To Prepare the Macaroons: Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Spoon half of the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Slide the parchment paper with the cookies onto a work surface to cool.
9. Repeat with the remaining batter, cooling the cookies completely and lining the baking sheets with new paper each time.
10. To Assemble: Arrange a macaroon flat (bottom) side up on a work surface.
11. 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).
12. Repeat with remaining macaroons and filling. Arrange on a platter, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve cold.