Although not a regular coffee drinker, I’m a big fan of coffee ice cream topped with warm chocolate-hazelnut spread. These delightful macarons embody this much-loved treat.
Coffee Macarons with Chocolate-Hazelnut Filling
Shells:
100g egg whites (aged 24 hours at room temperature)
1 1/2 t dehydrated egg white powder
1 t instant coffee or espresso granules
28g granulated sugar
125g almond meal
225g confectioners’ sugar
Filling:
3/4 c chocolate-hazelnut spread, such as Nutella
powdered sugar to thicken
Measure all ingredients using a kitchen scale. Then, process the almond meal, powdered sugar, and coffee granules in a food processor for 1-2 minutes. Afterwards sift them into a large bowl, discarding the large pieces of almond meal that don’t make it through.
Weigh egg whites and begin beating them on medium speed until foamy. Slowly sprinkle in the powdered egg white and sugar mixture as you beat. Then increase the speed to medium high and beat until a firm meringue forms. Stop when the peaks are firm and glossy, but not stiff. I usually take the bowl and hold it upside down. When it gets to the point where all of it stays in the bowl without budging, you are ready!
Next: the macaronage. Add the almond mixture in thirds, folding it in gently and scraping the sides of the bowl. Be wary of over-mixing (and under-mixing!) Practice makes perfect…
Add your batter to a piping bag with a round tip (Wilton size 12 works great) and pipe rows of macarons. I use heavy-duty aluminum baking sheets lined with parchment paper for baking the macaron shells. When piping, do so with the bag perpendicular to the baking sheet. Aim to keep the shells one to one and a half inches in diameter as they will spread out just a little bit after piping. If they spread out a lot, it means the batter was likely over-mixed. It they retain a small peak after about 20 seconds, the batter may have been under-mixed.
Next pick up the pan with both hands, and holding it level, tap it firmly onto the counter several times. This will bring up any air bubbles in the cookies. If necessary, “edit” the macarons by popping the bubbles with a toothpick if they don't break while tapping.
Now—walk away! Let the shells rest between 30-60 minutes, depending on the humidity. More humidity = more rest time. The shells will develop a relatively firm coating.
While macarons are drying, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Bake one sheet at a time for 16-18 minutes. When time is up I like to test one along the edge to see if I can lift it from the parchment without breaking it. Once this test is passed, remove from oven and let cool for ~10 minutes before carefully peeling away the parchment paper and placing them on cooling racks.
When shells are cool, make the filling by gradually adding a little powdered sugar to the chocolate hazelnut spread until it is the desired consistency. 2-3 T should do it. Pipe filling onto one of the shells, then top with another shell to make a small “sandwich”. Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. Before serving, bring to room temperature (about 15 minutes). Macarons are best a day or two after they have been made!
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