These chocolate macarons are filled with a creamy dark chocolate ganache and topped with a dark chocolate drizzle and flaky sea salt. Fun fact: I only got to eat 3 of these because Kyle ate ALL of them (sigh). But that's how you know they're gooood.
french macaron tips & tricks
Making macarons from scratch can be tough so setting yourself up for success is key!
- Buy a kitchen scale if you don’t already have one! Macarons are incredibly finicky, so weighing all your ingredients is super important!
- Clean the mixing bowl and whisk attachment of your stand mixer with white vinegar to make sure there are no trace fats on either (if you don’t, your meringue may not form).
- Invest in some silicone macaron mats! They aren’t expensive and they will make your life so much easier!
- Also invest in an oven thermometer! We want our oven as close to 300 degrees as possible to make perfect macarons but just because your oven says it’s 300 degrees, doesn’t mean it actually is. My oven tends to run hot, so I usually end up having it set to about 290.
special ingredient notes
- Egg Whites - I've recently started "aging" my egg whites and I've found it helps with my consistency. This is absolutely not necessary, but it's super easy to do so I recommend trying it out. Weigh out 100 grams of egg whites into a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the top. Place in the fridge for at least 24 hours but up to 3 days. Make sure to remove the egg whites from the fridge at least 1-2 hours before you need to use them.
- Almond Flour - If you've ever seen macarons that look bumpy, it's usually because the almond flour isn't ground finely enough. But if you have lumpy almond flour you can also just pulse it in a food processor for a few seconds to break it up further. Sifting your dry ingredients is also super important for ensuring smooth macarons.
- Cocoa Powder - I highly recommend using Dutch processed cocoa powder for macarons because the acidity has been neutralized. However, you can use natural cocoa if that's all you have.
- Dark Chocolate - I always use chocolate baking bars when baking because the melt much more smoothly than chocolate chips (which contain emulsifiers). If you're interested in reading my diatribe on dark chocolate bars....this hot chocolate post is for you.
- Sea Salt - Maldon sea salt is my all time favorite! It has huge beautiful flakes that are perfect for sprinkling!
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Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Macarons
These chocolate macarons are filled with a creamy dark chocolate ganache and topped with a dark chocolate drizzle and flaky sea salt.
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Servings: 30 filled macarons
Ingredients
Macarons
- 100 grams egg whites, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 60 grams granulated sugar
- 110 grams almond flour, sifted
- 190 grams powdered sugar, sifted
- 10 grams unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- dark chocolate, melted
- flaky sea salt
Dark Chocolate Ganache
- 4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
- 3 ounces heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
Instructions
macarons
- Sift together almond flour, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder into a large bowl and set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until they become foamy, then add in the cream of tartar.
- Turn the mixer up to medium-high and gradually add in the granulated sugar (make sure to add the sugar in very slowly so that the meringue doesn’t deflate).
- Once all the sugar is added, turn the mixer to the highest setting and whip until stiff peaks form.
- Using a spatula, gently fold in half of the dry ingredient mixture until fully combined. Then gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients. Continue to gently fold the batter until it reaches a “flowing lava” consistency. You should be able to make a “figure 8” with the batter before it breaks. As soon as you reach this consistency, stop mixing! If you over-mix the batter, the macarons won’t rise properly in the oven.
- Line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Scoop batter into a large piping bag fitted with a round tip. Hold the piping bag perpendicular to the silicone mat and pipe 1 inch rounds.
- Pick up the baking sheet and drop it onto the counter 3-4 times to help bring any air bubbles to the surface of the macarons. Then use a toothpick to pop any visible air bubbles to make a smooth surface.
- Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30-40 minutes or until a skin forms on the surface. You should be able to lightly touch the surface without any batter being disturbed.
- While the macarons are resting, preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 15 minutes or when they do not move on their “feet” when touched.
- Let the macarons cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them. They should easily peel off when fully cooled.
- Match up your shells before filling, and then turn one side over. On the other side, drizzle a small amount of melted dark chocolate over the top and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
dark chocolate ganache
- Place chopped chocolate and heavy cream in a medium microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds and then stir. Repeat until the chocolate is fully melted (usually 3-4 intervals).
- Once the chocolate is melted, whisk until fully combined and completely smooth. Then stir in the flaky sea salt.
- Let the ganache sit at room temperature until fully cooled (about 2 hours). Once cool, transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
- Once the macarons are cooled and decorated, pipe the ganache in the center of the undecorated shell, leaving a little bit of room on the sides. Then top with the decorated half.
- Put the assembled macarons in an airtight container, then place them in the fridge for mature for 12-24 hours before eating for the best taste/texture. Or just eat them all immediately. You do you.
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 43IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
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Sapna Sheth says
Can these be frozen please?
Kyleigh Sage says
Yes! They freeze best if you fully assemble them and let them mature in the fridge for 24-48 hours (this is what will keep the shell soft). And then after that you can freeze them in an airtight container for about 2 months.