Hazelnut macaroons + chocolate raspberry ganache

More egg whites.  I just can't throw them out.  Thus, more macaroons.  Today, hazelnut shells with chocolate-raspberry ganache.  I think I over aged my egg whites.  Is that possible?  These were not one of the more successful macaroon endeavors.  Nor were they the prettiest, hence, delicious.  The ganache was the perfect combination of bitter and sweet.  It was smooth and easy to apply to the shell of the macaroon.  This will go down as a staple ganache recipe! 


Macaroons
adapted from helene of mytartelette.com


for the shells
90 grams (about 3) egg whites (measured after aging)
25-50 grams(2 Tbls. - 1/4 cup) granulated sugar
200 grams ( 1.5 cups + 2 Tbls) powdered sugar
110 grams ( 3/4 cup) almond flour/meal (for this recipe I did 1/2 hazelnut flour - 1/2 almond flour)
1 Tbls. powdered food coloring (optional)

prep the eggs
48 hours in advance, separate the whites from the yolks and place whites in a super clean bowl.  leave at room
temperature, uncovered for at least 24 hours.  refrigerate after that.  you can use eggs that have been aging for up to 5 days.

prepare the macaroons
• if using nuts, place powdered sugar + nuts in a food processor and give them a good pulse until finely ground.  sift a few times to remove bits and pieces. ( I like bobs red meal hazelnut meal & almond meal ) if using color add it now.
• in a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites to a foam (like bubble bath), gradually add the sugar until you obtain a glossy meringue (like shaving cream).  Do not over beat your meringue or it will be too dry
• add the nut mixture, give a quick fold to break some of the air and then fold the mass carefully until you obtain a batter that falls back on itself after counting to 10.  Give quick strokes at first and then slow down.  Test a small amount on a plate;  if the tops flattens on its won you are good to go.  if there is a small beak, give the batter a couple of turns.
• fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip (80 or 809) with the batter and pipe small mounds on to parchment lined baking sheets.  let macaroons sit out for 30 minutes to an hour to harden their shells.
• preheat oven to 300*.  when read to bake, bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating half way through. let cool.

prepare chocolate raspberry ganache
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 Tbls. unsalted butter, room temp
1/16 tsp. raspberry extract or raspberry oil

directions:
• melt chocolate + cream in a bowl over simmering water ( do not let water touch bottom of the bowl), stirring until smooth.  remove from heat and add the butter and extract until melted.  let stand at room temp until cooled completely and thickened.

assembly:
• match up macaroons by size and lay upside down on a cookie sheet.  put about a teaspoon of ganache on one of the macaroons and carefully press the the other macaroon on top.
• let sit in refrigerator over night.
• eat and enjoy!

Orange Macaroons w/White Chocolate Ganache

I have an over abundance of egg whites at this very moment.  I made a bunch of ice box doughs and the recipes called for yolks, thus left over egg whites.

Earlier this week I used a few to make Eli a Spanish omelet for breakfast.  I had some left over potatoes + onions from the previous nights roasted chicken.  The chicken was infused with a whole lemon, sage leaves, rosemary leaves and garlic.  Plus, the onions/potatoes were covered with the left over fat from the pan.  The smell was intoxicating.  I quickly sauteed the veggies then added  3 egg whites to one whole egg, scrambled it up and poured it over the veggies.  I made this before my 7:30 a.m. yoga class so I didn't taste it.  Yet I knew it would be delicious.

I aged a few of these egg whites to make macaroons.  I wasn't really sure what flavor I was going to make until I realized I had a bunch of citrus zest in the freezer.  I settled on an orange flavored macaroon with a white chocolate ganache.

I used  Helene's original macaroon recipe from our macaroon cooking class ( recipe here).  That was a fun night.  I added about a teaspoon of grated orange zest to the sugar mixture.  I rubbed it together with my fingers and after about 30 seconds the smell of the zest was oh-so fragrant.

I know that orange and bittersweet chocolate is the obvious combo, but I went for the white chocolate ganache.  This is a very delicious filling and I use it quite a bit as a cream filling for cookie sandwiches.  The longer it stays in the fridge, the better it is.

These were delicious and well received.  I am going to prep some more egg whites for some hazelnut/espresso macaroons with espresso butter cream!

White Chocolate Ganache
adapted from Gourmet Magazine 

ingredients:
1/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 Tbls. light corn syrup
6 oz good white chocolate
1 Tbls. unsalted butter, room temp
1 tsp. vanilla

instructions:
• put heavy cream and corn syrup in a small sauce pan.  warm to just before the boiling point
• add white chocolate, stir to blend
• add butter and vanilla, mix completely
• cover with plastic wrap and put in fridge for at least an hour
• remove from fridge and mix with a hand mixer until fluffy and thick.

to assemble: put 1 tsp. of ganache in the center of one macaroon.  place second mac on top and press gently.  let macaroons rest in the fridge over night.

packed a bunch up for teachers and friends...

French Macaroons - Hazelnut

A few weeks ago, I took a class with Helene from My Tartlette.  Her blog, her photos, her recipes are amazing and when I found out on Fuji Mama's blog that she was coming to town, I immediately signed up.  It wasn't so much the macaroon, it was the idea of meeting her, fellow blogger, lover of all things eatable!

I enlisted my friend Lisa, and we ventured out to an evening cooking class.  It was so fun. I really need to get out more.  Not only were we instructed and entertained by Helene, but Rachel and Jen (our hosts) were gracious and funny.  We all met at a new pastry school in Woodland Hills.  The space was perfect and the group of ladies were just an extra added bonus.

I have not attempted to make macaroons since our March 5th class, however the other day I motivated to age some egg whites.  Helene suggests the egg whites be aged, at room temp for 24 hours.  I then covered them and left them in the fridge for 72 hours( you can leave them for up to 5 days).  Today was the day for the big bake off.

Lisa and I were talking and she said she wanted to try to make them with hazelnuts rather than almonds (Lisa has probably turned out 15 dozen macaroons since the class...). That same day I happened to be at whole foods and found a bag of ground hazelnuts.  I threw them in my cart.

I made Helene's macaroon recipe:


 90 grams (3 large) egg whites 
200 grams powdered sugar
110 grams ground almonds ( I used the hazelnuts)
25-50 grams sugar ( used like 30 grams - didn't want them too sweet).


For directions, go to My Tartlette blog.  She explains it way better than I ever could!

macaroons resting  and waiting to bake

baked and resting

piped and ready to be paired with its mate

I paired the hazelnut macaroons with a Mocha Ganache.  Yum!


Mocha Ganache
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbls. heavy cream
3 Tbls. unsalted butter
1 tsp. ground espresso
9 oz. milk chocolate (imported) chopped
1 tsp. vanilla


Bring cream and butter to a simmer over medium heat.  Add instant coffee to dissolve.  Reduce heat to low and add chocolate until melted.  Mix in vanilla.  Pour into a bowl and chill until firm.  Stir occasionally.

Pipe onto macaroons.

place in fridge, covered, overnight to "age"

Eat and Devour!