Double Chocolate Espresso Macarons

Chocolate is great but double chocolate is even better and espresso, well that's chocolate's perfect partner, which is why I had to create these macarons.

The rich filling is so simple to make, it's just butter, sea salt, sugar, espresso, vanilla and dark cocoa powder whipped until smooth and creamy and the chocolate macaron shells are made by adding just 10 grams of dark cocoa powder to my tried and true recipe. It couldn't be easier and it couldn't be more delicous.

Here's the recipe:

Double Chocolate Espresso Macarons
180g ground almonds, sifted
270g powdered sugar, sifted
10g dark cocoa powder (I use Hershey's Special Dark)
150g egg whites, aged 2 to 4 days in the fridge and then brought to room temperature
100g granulated sugar

Line four heavy baking sheets with good quality parchment paper and set aside. Also, set aside two pastry bags for the piping of the macarons.

Sift together your ground almonds with the powdered sugar and cocoa powder and set aside.

Whisk the egg whites (at room temperature) to glossy firm peaks adding the granulated sugar gradually in four parts.

Incorporate the dry ingredients into the beaten egg whites using a large rubber scraper.  Mix well. 

Fold the mixture with the rubber scraper by pulling down the sides and flipping the mixture over. Do this until you have a smooth mixture that falls like a “ribbon” off the scraper.

Transfer the mixture into the two piping bags. Use rubber bands to close the piping bags. Clip the tip of the bags, one at a time, and pipe small quarter sized rounds, leaving 1-inch of space between each because they spread as they set. Leave to set for about 30 minutes or until the top has formed a crust and is not sticky to the touch.

While they are setting, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. A convection oven is preferable. 

Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for about 12 minutes or until the cookie is firm, matte and doesn't wobble when touched.

Leave on the baking tray until cool then lift them all off the parchment carefully. You may need to use a thin knife to help lift them off.

Sort into pairs and fill with Chocolate Espresso Buttercream.

Chocolate Espresso Buttercream
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 tablespoons espresso powder dissolved in 2 teaspoons of hot water, cooled
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder (I use Hershey's Special Dark)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup powdered sugar

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whip until smooth and creamy. This takes about 5 minutes.