Chocolate Macaron Recipe

I perfected a Macaron Recipe featuring chocolate ganache and practical tips for folding batter and avoiding hollow shells; save it to your board and follow me for more healthy and tasty recipes #chocolaterecipe #dessertrecipe

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I never thought I could nail chocolate macarons until I kept trying and finally got shells that are crispy outside chewy inside, that contrast is oddly addictive. This recipe uses almond flour and a deep dark chocolate center so you actually taste real chocolate not just sweetness.

I watched Macaron Making Videos, copied bits, messed up a lot then finally got lucky, the guide even hints at folding tricks and avoiding hollow shells, stuff I wish I knew sooner. Save this on your board you wont regret it, follow me for more healthy and tasty recipes.

Ingredients

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Almond flour: High in healthy fats, fiber and some protein, less carb than wheat.
Powdered sugar: Pure simple carbs, makes shells sweet, theres no fiber or protein.
Unsweetened cocoa: Bitter, adds chocolate flavor, has antioxidants and small fiber content.
Egg whites: Mostly protein, helps structure and rise, very low in fat.
Granulated sugar: Stabilizes meringue while sweetening, pure simple carbs, no nutrients.
Cream of tartar: Acid helps stabilize egg whites, tiny amount, no nutrition.
Dark chocolate: Provides cocoa richness, some healthy antioxidants, adds bitter sweet balance.
Heavy cream: High fat, makes ganache silky and rich, its minimal nutrients beyond calories.

Ingredient Quantities

120 g almond flour (about 1 cup), finely ground

200 g powdered sugar (about 1 2/3 cups)

20 g unsweetened cocoa powder (about 3 tbsp)

90–100 g egg whites (about 3 large)

55–60 g granulated sugar (about 1/4 cup)

1/4 tsp cream of tartar or a small pinch fine salt (optional)

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

120 ml heavy cream (1/2 cup) for ganache

120 g dark chocolate (about 4 oz), chopped, 60 to 70% cocoa

1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional, for smoother ganache)

How to Make this

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1. Weigh and grind the dry mix: pulse 120 g almond flour, 200 g powdered sugar and 20 g unsweetened cocoa powder in a food processor until very fine, then sift at least once to remove any big bits, set aside.

2. Prep the egg whites: use about 90 to 100 g egg whites (roughly 3 large), either aged in the fridge a day or left at room temp for 30 minutes, add 1/4 tsp cream of tartar or a small pinch of salt if using.

3. Make a glossy meringue: beat the egg whites until foamy, slowly sprinkle in 55 to 60 g granulated sugar while whipping, continue until stiff glossy peaks form, stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract if you like.

4. Fold the batter: add the dry mix to the meringue in two or three additions, use a spatula and fold with gentle but decisive strokes, scrape the bowl, keep folding until the batter flows like thick lava and when you lift the spatula it falls back in a ribbon that disappears in about 10 to 15 seconds, but dont overmix.

5. Pipe and rest: transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round tip or cut the end, pipe 3 to 4 cm rounds onto parchment or silicone mat, tap the tray firmly on the counter a few times to release big air bubbles and pop any visible ones with a toothpick, let the shells sit at room temperature 20 to 60 minutes until they form a dry skin and are no longer tacky to the touch.

6. Bake carefully: preheat oven to 150 degrees C, bake on the middle rack for about 14 to 16 minutes, rotate trays once if needed, shells should have little feet and tops should be set but not browned, avoid opening the oven while they bake.

7. Cool and remove: let shells cool completely on the tray before lifting, if they stick when warm you baked too hot or didnt rest long enough.

8. Make the ganache: heat 120 ml heavy cream until just simmering, pour over 120 g chopped dark chocolate 60 to 70 percent cocoa, let sit one minute then stir until smooth, stir in 1 tbsp unsalted butter if using for extra shine and creaminess, chill until pipeable.

9. Assemble and age: pipe or spoon ganache onto one shell, sandwich with a matching shell and press gently, store macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 24 hours for best chewy center and crisp shell, bring to room temp before serving.

Tips: weigh everything, dont skip sifting, aging whites helps, tapping and popping bubbles prevents big holes, oven temp and resting time are the usual troublemakers so adjust slightly for your oven.

Equipment Needed

1. Digital kitchen scale — for weighing almonds, sugars and egg whites precisely
2. Food processor or high speed blender for grinding the dry mix very fine
3. Fine mesh sieve or sifter to remove any big bits after grinding
4. Electric mixer (stand or hand) to whip glossy, stiff meringue
5. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping the bowl clean
6. Piping bag with a round tip (or a disposable bag you can snip) to pipe uniform shells
7. Baking sheets plus parchment paper or silicone baking mats for baking the shells
8. Oven thermometer to check actual oven temperature (ovens lie sometimes)
9. Small saucepan and heatproof bowl for heating cream and making the ganache
10. Toothpick (to pop visible bubbles) and a tray/towel to tap out air bubbles

FAQ

Q: Why did my shells crack on top? A: Most often thats from not letting them dry long enough so a skin forms, or from uneven/too-hot oven heat. Pipe, tap the tray to pop big bubbles, let them sit 20–60 minutes until the tops feel dry, and bake on the middle rack with an oven thermometer to check temp.

Q: Why do I get no feet or hollow shells? A: Feet need a good meringue and correct macaronage. If whites arent whipped enough or the batter is under- or over-mixed you get bad texture. Aim for stiff peaks, then fold until the batter flows like slow lava; also check oven temp and avoid overbaking which causes hollows.

Q: Can I use almond meal instead of almond flour? A: You can but it must be very finely ground and well sieved. If its coarse or has skins youll get bumpy shells; pulse it in a food processor and push through a fine sieve first.

Q: How do I make the chocolate ganache? A: Heat the 120 ml cream until just simmering, pour over the chopped chocolate, let sit 60 seconds, then stir until smooth. Stir in the butter and vanilla if using, cool until thick enough to pipe, then fill shells. If too runny chill briefly.

Q: Do I need cream of tartar or can I skip it? A: Its optional. Cream of tartar stabilizes the meringue so it can help on humid days, but a small pinch of salt works too. Fresh egg whites (90–100 g) give the best results; carton whites sometimes make softer meringues.

Q: How should I store them and when are they best to eat? A: Filled macarons get better after 24 hours in the fridge because the flavors mature. Keep in an airtight container 3–5 days in the fridge, or freeze up to a month (thaw in the fridge, then bring to room temp before serving). Unfilled shells freeze well too.

Chocolate Macaron Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Almond flour: use finely ground blanched pistachios or hazelnuts, same weight. Pulse and sift well cause any big bits or skins will mess up the shells, flavor and color will change though.
Powdered sugar: make your own by blitzing 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon cornstarch until super fine in a blender or spice grinder. Or if you only have caster/superfine sugar you can try that, but sift extra so the batter stays smooth.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: swap for Dutch process cocoa (same weight) for a richer less acidic chocolate note. If you only have solid dark chocolate, use about 25 g melted for every 20 g cocoa and adjust dryness a bit.
Heavy cream (for ganache): replace with full fat coconut milk or creme fraiche, 1 to 1, for a dairy free or slightly tangy ganache. Or omit cream and use 120 g chopped dark or semisweet chocolate plus 1 tbsp butter for a thicker, truffle style filling.

Pro Tips

– Weigh everything and sift the dry mix at least twice, no shortcuts. Even tiny almond bits or sugar lumps will give you cracked or bumpy tops, so take the extra minute to get a silky powder, or your shells wont be smooth.

– Age or warm your whites, and stabilize the meringue if needed with a pinch of cream of tartar. If the whites wont hold glossy peaks, keep whipping, or your sugar might be damp from humid weather so dry it out a bit by letting it sit uncovered for a few minutes.

– Nail the macaronnage by feel not time: fold until the batter flows like thick lava and the ribbon disappears in about 10 to 15 seconds, stop a little early rather than overmixing. Overmixed batter makes flat shells, undermixed gives lumpy tops, so when in doubt fold one more gentle turn and test.

– Use an oven thermometer and adjust for your oven quirks, not the dial marking. Many ovens run hot or cold so a few degrees up or down will change whether you get nice feet or browning, and if shells stick after baking you probably baked too hot or didnt let them form a proper skin before baking.

– For the ganache, pour hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit a full minute before stirring, then add the butter for shine if you want. Chill until pipeable, and if it firms too much warm it gently in short bursts so you dont break the emulsion or make it grainy.

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

253

kcal

Equipment: 1. Digital kitchen scale — for weighing almonds, sugars and egg whites precisely
2. Food processor or high speed blender for grinding the dry mix very fine
3. Fine mesh sieve or sifter to remove any big bits after grinding
4. Electric mixer (stand or hand) to whip glossy, stiff meringue
5. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping the bowl clean
6. Piping bag with a round tip (or a disposable bag you can snip) to pipe uniform shells
7. Baking sheets plus parchment paper or silicone baking mats for baking the shells
8. Oven thermometer to check actual oven temperature (ovens lie sometimes)
9. Small saucepan and heatproof bowl for heating cream and making the ganache
10. Toothpick (to pop visible bubbles) and a tray/towel to tap out air bubbles

Ingredients

120 g almond flour (about 1 cup), finely ground
200 g powdered sugar (about 1 2/3 cups)
20 g unsweetened cocoa powder (about 3 tbsp)
90–100 g egg whites (about 3 large)
55–60 g granulated sugar (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar or a small pinch fine salt (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
120 ml heavy cream (1/2 cup) for ganache
120 g dark chocolate (about 4 oz), chopped, 60 to 70% cocoa
1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional, for smoother ganache)

Directions

Weigh and grind the dry mix: pulse 120 g almond flour, 200 g powdered sugar and 20 g unsweetened cocoa powder in a food processor until very fine, then sift at least once to remove any big bits, set aside.
Prep the egg whites: use about 90 to 100 g egg whites (roughly 3 large), either aged in the fridge a day or left at room temp for 30 minutes, add 1/4 tsp cream of tartar or a small pinch of salt if using.
Make a glossy meringue: beat the egg whites until foamy, slowly sprinkle in 55 to 60 g granulated sugar while whipping, continue until stiff glossy peaks form, stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract if you like.
Fold the batter: add the dry mix to the meringue in two or three additions, use a spatula and fold with gentle but decisive strokes, scrape the bowl, keep folding until the batter flows like thick lava and when you lift the spatula it falls back in a ribbon that disappears in about 10 to 15 seconds, but dont overmix.
Pipe and rest: transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round tip or cut the end, pipe 3 to 4 cm rounds onto parchment or silicone mat, tap the tray firmly on the counter a few times to release big air bubbles and pop any visible ones with a toothpick, let the shells sit at room temperature 20 to 60 minutes until they form a dry skin and are no longer tacky to the touch.
Bake carefully: preheat oven to 150 degrees C, bake on the middle rack for about 14 to 16 minutes, rotate trays once if needed, shells should have little feet and tops should be set but not browned, avoid opening the oven while they bake.
Cool and remove: let shells cool completely on the tray before lifting, if they stick when warm you baked too hot or didnt rest long enough.
Make the ganache: heat 120 ml heavy cream until just simmering, pour over 120 g chopped dark chocolate 60 to 70 percent cocoa, let sit one minute then stir until smooth, stir in 1 tbsp unsalted butter if using for extra shine and creaminess, chill until pipeable.
Assemble and age: pipe or spoon ganache onto one shell, sandwich with a matching shell and press gently, store macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 24 hours for best chewy center and crisp shell, bring to room temp before serving.
Tips: weigh everything, dont skip sifting, aging whites helps, tapping and popping bubbles prevents big holes, oven temp and resting time are the usual troublemakers so adjust slightly for your oven.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.