Treat yourself to a delectable experience with hazelnut macarons, a delightful fusion of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. Discover the secrets of creating these delicate French pastries, renowned for their crisp outer shell and chewy, flavorful interior. With this comprehensive guide, you'll embark on a culinary journey, learning the art of macaron-making and exploring the endless possibilities of fillings and toppings.
Here are our top 3 tried and tested recipes!
HAZELNUT MACARONS
You don't have to be an expert in French cooking to whip up these sandwich cookies. The crisp, chewy macarons take attention to detail, but they're not hard to make-and they're simply a delight, both for personal snacking and giving as gifts! -Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 1h
Yield about 5 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. Place hazelnuts and confectioners' sugar in a food processor; pulse until nuts are finely ground., Add salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add superfine sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Fold in hazelnut mixture., With a pastry bag, pipe 1-in.-diameter cookies 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned and firm to the touch, 9-12 minutes. Transfer cookies on the parchment to wire racks; cool completely., For the buttercream, in a heavy saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil; cook over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot syrup into egg yolks; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Cook until thickened, 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Stir in espresso powder and vanilla; cool completely., In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat butter until creamy. Gradually beat in cooled syrup. Beat in confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Refrigerate until mixture firms to a spreading consistency, about 10 minutes., Spread about 1-1/2 tsp buttercream onto the bottom of each of half the cookies; top with remaining cookies. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 117 calories, Fat 8g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 31mg cholesterol, Sodium 67mg sodium, Carbohydrate 12g carbohydrate (11g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.
CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT MACARONS
Impress everyone by sandwiching a quick chocolate ganache between cookies made with hazelnuts and cocoa powder you blitz in the food processor.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 2h
Yield 16 filled cookies
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Put the hazelnuts, cocoa powder and 1 cup of the confectioners' sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until the nuts are very finely ground and powdery, about 3 minutes. Sift with a medium-mesh strainer and discard any pieces of nuts that didn't pass through the strainer.
- Beat the egg whites and salt in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium-high speed until they hold firm but not dry peaks, about 2 minutes. While beating, gradually add the remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed until the peaks are firm and shiny. Fold the nut mixture into the egg whites with a large rubber spatula until just blended. Transfer to a large piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe 32 two-inch rounds on the prepared pans. Set aside to air-dry for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Bake until the tops of the cookies are puffed and set, 18 to 20 minutes. Take care not to overcook the cookies or they will crack. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes, then gently peel from the parchment and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Heat the cream to a boil in a small saucepot over medium heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate and set aside until the chocolate is soft, about 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth; let stand at room temperature until thick but still spreadable. Sandwich about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate mixture between two cookies and repeat with the remaining filling and cookies.
CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT MACARONS
Provided by Next Iron Chef All Star: Elizabeth Falkner
Categories dessert
Time 1h5m
Yield 20 sandwich cookies
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Grind the nuts: Pulse the blanched hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground. (Don't walk away; if you overprocess, you'll have hazelnut butter.) Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the almonds.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Combine 3/4 cup of the ground hazelnuts and 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon of the ground almonds in a large bowl. Sift in the cocoa powder and confectioners' sugar.
- Make the meringue: Whisk the egg whites and granulated sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. (Don't let the bowl touch the water.)
- Continue whisking until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. (If you can still feel the sugar, keep whisking.) Turn off the heat but leave the water in the saucepan.
- Using a rubber spatula, transfer the egg white mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Beat on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 6 minutes. (If you turn the bowl over, the whites shouldn't move.)
- Finish the batter: Fold a few dollops of the meringue into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until incorporated. Gently fold in the rest until smooth and fluffy, scooping from the bottom of the bowl to the top.
- Pipe into rounds: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch plain tip and fill with the batter; press out the air. Pipe the batter into 1-inch rounds on the baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
- Rest and bake: Tap the baking sheets on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.
- Let sit at room temperature until slightly dry, 15 to 30 minutes.
- Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F.
- Bake 12 to 14 minutes, or until you can slide a spatula underneath the cookies, switching the position of the pans halfway through. Pull the parchment and cookies off the pans; cool.
- Make the filling: Meanwhile, bring the water in the saucepan back to a simmer. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set it over the water.
- Stir with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is almost completely melted. Remove the bowl from the pan.
- Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until simmering. Stir the warm cream and praline paste into the chocolate.
- Fold in the butter, salt and chopped hazelnuts. Let the filling cool until spreadable, about 15 minutes.
- Sandwich the cookies: Spread the filling on half of the cookies with the back of a spoon and sandwich with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate the macarons, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 1 week.
Tips:
- Precise Measurements: Follow the recipe's measurements accurately. Macarons are delicate and require precision.
- Quality Ingredients: Use high-quality almond flour, powdered sugar, and egg whites. Fresh ingredients yield better results.
- Proper Egg Whites: Use aged egg whites for better macaronage (the mixing process). Age egg whites in the fridge for at least 24 hours.
- Macaronage: Macaronage is the key to successful macarons. Mix until the batter flows slowly and forms a ribbon.
- Resting the Batter: Let the batter rest for 30-60 minutes before piping. Resting helps develop the skin on the macarons.
- Baking Temperature: Bake macarons at a low temperature (around 300°F) for a longer duration. This helps prevent cracking.
- Cooling: Let the macarons cool completely before filling. This helps prevent breakage.
Conclusion:
Creating perfect macarons requires patience, precision, and attention to detail. By following the tips and techniques outlined in this article, you can master the art of making these delectable treats. Experiment with different flavors and fillings to create your own unique macaron creations. Remember, practice makes perfect, so don't be discouraged if your first batch doesn't turn out as expected. With time and dedication, you'll be able to impress your friends and family with your homemade macarons.
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