Gingerbread Macarons with Lindt Orange Intense Dark Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

Shell

80g egg white~room temperature

65g castor sugar

80g almond meal

140g icing sugar

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon of mixed spice

Filling

250g Lindt Orange Intense Dark Chocolate

180ml thick cream

50g butter

Preparation ~ 3 days before making macarons ~ separate egg white from yolk. Refrigerate.

Instructions

Macarons

  1. Egg white at room temperature
  2. Pulse Almond meal with icicng sugar for 5 minutes. Sieve with mixed spice. Set aside.
  3. Mix the egg white and castor sugar in a heatproof bowl.
  4. Making sure that the bowl will snuggly fit the pot, bring the water to boil then lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
  5. Place the bowl on top of the pot, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the simmering water… aka double boil method.
  6. Whisk the egg white mixture until the sugar is dissolved and the temperature reads 50-55C on the sugar thermometer.
  7. Transfer the egg mixture into the mixing bowl with the balloon attachment.
  8. Add lemon juice.
  9. Whisk on medium speed until soft peak or ‘shaving foam’ consistency.
  10. Using a flexible silicon spatula, fold in sieved almond mix into the meringue one third at a time. And start counting the strokes.
  11. Continue to fold until all dry ingredients are fully incorporated and it forms a shiny batter with a thick, ribbon like consistency…
  12. Pour the mixture into a piping bag fitted with 10mm nozzle, and pipe onto prepared baking sheets.
  13. Leave the tray at room temperature for 30 minutes or more until the macarons surface are ‘drier’ to touch.
  14. Pre heat oven to 150C and bake each tray for 15-20 minutes depending on the oven.
  15. Cool for 10 minutes then carefully peel off the baking sheet.
  16. Leave to cool completely before piping in the filling

Filling

  1. Break the chocolate into small pieces and place them in a heatproof bowl.
  2. Bring the cream to boil and pour into the bowl.
  3. Let it stand for 2 minutes.
  4. Using the whisk ballon, whisk until the mixture is smooth.
  5. Add in butter, and keep stirring until its nice and glossy.
  6. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight) then piped the filling onto the shells.

Macarons tasted better…after an overnight refrigeration

Recipe from mykeuken.com