Dark Chocolate Almond Macaroons

What’s wrong with this picture?That’s right, absolutely nothing. Well, maybe I would add one of my dad’s extra foamy cappuccinos for complete perfection. Ladies and gentleman,  I have met my match. Hello Almond Macaroons with Dark Chocolate Ganache. I love you deeply.Have you ever had one of those kitchen moments where you feel obligated to pause, smile and give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done? Come on, we all do it. There are times when I am in complete disbelief that I…me…Nora…made that. French Macaroons was one of those things. Never did I think that I would be capable of making these lovely treats on my own. I have been telling my mom for days and days that I was going to make them. I even emailed her to inquire what flavors to use. Every time I pulled the eggs out from the refrigerator to bring them to room temperature, I shied away. They look so delicate and…difficult to master. I wanted to make sure that I studied the procedure and knew what I was doing. A Martha Stewart video and a few recipes later I felt ready. Let’s get cookin!First things first, you MUST bring your eggs to room temperature. Just pull them out of the refrigerator, clean your tiny apartment, play with your cat and make dinner while you are waiting. By the time you are done, the eggs will be room temperature and you will be good to go.Add two large egg whites to a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer. Whisking meringue by hand is not for the faint of heart, so I have to caution you, this takes time.When the eggs are white and fluffy, add 5 TBS of granulated sugar with the whisk running. This was interesting with my hand mixer and required me to “hug” the bowl a bit.When the eggs are glossy and beautiful, whisk in 1/4 tsp almond extract. I think this gave the cookies a lot more punch!The mixture should hold a soft peak.In a separate bowl. whisk together 1/2 cup pulverized almonds (almond flour/ almond meal) with 1 cup confectioners sugar to remove any lumps. Gently fold this into the meringue. I did this by dusting just enough to cover the top of the meringue and taking my spatula down the center to ‘slice’ and folding the flour in by running my spatula around the edge of the bowl. Repeat as necessary in both directions to incorporate all of the dry ingredients.Fill a piping bag with the mixture. (Note: Standing your piping bag in a large glass helps for this!)Pipe away! Make sure they are about 2 inches apart. They will slightly expand.  When finished, let them rest for a moment and then… SLAM you baking sheet on the counter top twice. Don’t be shy with this! This step gives the macaroon the little ‘foot’ at the bottom. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes and cool completely on the tray.  Place a teaspoon-ish of filling (I used chocolate ganache, however; butter cream or jam would be okay too.) into the center and top with another cookie.

Dark Chocolate Almond Macaroons

• 2 large egg whites, room temperature
• 5 TBS granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp pure almond extract
• 1/2 cup pulverized almonds (almond flour, or finely ground almonds)
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• chocolate ganache

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, whip 2 large eggs until light and fluffy.
3. Add 5 TBS of sugar with whisk running.
4. Whisk in 1/4 tsp almond extract. The mixture should be glossy and the whisk should be able to hold a soft peak.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk almond flour and confectioners sugar to remove any lumps. Carefully fold this into the egg mixture and fill a piping bag.
6. Pipe about quarter sized circles onto baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
7. SLAM your baking sheet on the counter twice and place into the oven for ~12-15 minutes.
8. Allow to cool completely on the baking tray so the tops do not crack.
9. Fill with chocolate ganache and eat several.

Holiday Cookie 1: Pistachio and Cherry Mexican Wedding Cakes

Holiday Cookie 2: Vanilla Almond Biscotti Dipped in Chocolate

Holiday Cookie 3: Chocolate Covered Sable and Orange Curd Sandwiches

Holiday Cookie 4: Hazlenut Linzer Cookie with Blackberry Jam

Holiday Cookie 5: Chocolate-Pecan Fingers

Holiday Cookie 6: Orange-Ginger Spice Cookies

Happy Holidays,

Nora