Chocolate Filled Almond Puffs 1968 (Belgium)

This is another meringue recipe that I make for gift giving to that someone special. They will last up to 6 or 7 days in a air tight tin only because of the ganache filling on top. The directions seem to be long, but once you read them you will see that they are simple to make.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 20 mins
• Yields: 30 cookies

Ingredients

• Meringue

• 3⁄4 cup  sliced almonds, toasted
• 2  tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3  large  egg whites, room temperature
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1⁄4 cup  granulated  superfine sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  almond extract
• 1⁄4 cup  confectioners powdered sugar

• Chocolate Filling

• 6  ounces  semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I use bittersweet)
• 1⁄3 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
• 2  tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Place the sliced almonds onto a baking sheet and toast in a 325 degree oven for 7 minutes, and cool.
3. Place the toasted almonds with the two tablespoons of sugar into a food processor and grind to a fine meal.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer and with the ballon whisk, beat the egg whites until frothy.
5. Add in the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form.
6. Gradually add in the superfine white sugar beating until stiff and glossy.
7. Beat in the almond extract.
8. Sift the powdered sugar over the glossy whites and using a hand held whisk fold into the beaten stiff whites.
9. Now fold in the cooled ground almonds.
10. Drop by tablespoon or using a plastic tip cut bag, pipe 1 3/4 inch high mounds onto your baking parchment sheets. Dont overcrowd on sheet. Should be able to get 15 on each sheet.
11. Now -- let sit for 15 minutes out at room temperature.
12. Now -- dip your index finger into some powdered sugar and make a depression into the centre of each cookie about 1/2 inch wide.
13. Now -- let sit for a drying time of one hour on the counter.
14. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
15. Bake after the drying time for one hour.
16. Turn off oven and now leave in closed oven for one hour more.
17. Remove from oven to a wire rack and cool completely.
18. Place chopped chocolate in a bowl, with the butter.
19. Heat the cream in a saucepot and add to the chocolate stirring until all melted and smooth. Cover with plastic and cool until thickened, usually about 15 minutes or so.
20. Now pipe the chocolate into the depressions of each meringue.
21. Store chocolate filled cookies in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.