Description
A twist on the traditional ice cream sandwich – chocolate macarons as the sandwich holder!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups (8 oz) blanched almonds, toasted
- 2 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons baking cocoa
- 3/4 cup egg whites (from 6 large eggs,) at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a 3-inch cookie cutter, trace 12 circles on the parchment. Turn the sheet of parchment over. Repeat for a second baking sheet.
- Grind the nuts with 1/4 cup of the confectioners’ sugar in a food processor until a fine nut flour forms; do not allow mixture to become a paste. Add cocoa and remaining confectioners’ sugar and pulse just until incorporated. Strain the mixture through a sieve to remove large nut pieces
- Whip the egg whites and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until frothy. While mixer is running, slowly add granulated sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, and whip until the meringue is shiny and holds medium peaks, about 5 minutes.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the almond mixture one-third at a time until thoroughly combined.
- Fit a pastry bag with a 1/4-in plain tip and fill the bag halfway with batter. (Or use a plastic zip-top bag; cut off 1/16-in to form a tip.) Holding the bag upright pipe macaroons inside the traced circles in a spiral, beginning in the center of the circle.
- Let the cookies sit a room temperature for 30 minutes to dry. This will create the crisp crust on the outside of the macaron.
- Heat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Bake cookies for 18-20 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through until they have risen and look crisp and set on top. Remove from oven and let cool completely.