Chocolate Macaron

Salam to all,

Last night, I had this as my facebook status :-

"Hb has joined the gym and start pumping irons. Hmmmzz......inferiority complex maybe I should start zumbaing or just start running yup yup start running to the kitchen and start baking ahhhaakkksss :D"

My exercise routine that I chose today was to bake macs again!!  I think I am addicted to making them at the moment ahaaakksss.  The satisfaction is there when u bake these beauties.  The suspense, not knowing how they will turn out once they are out of the oven excites me hehehez.  Since I had some egg whites left from making the prune layer cake yesterday.  I decided to try my hands at making these choc macs as I have never tried making chocolate macs with dark chocolate ganache before.  Alhamdullilah these little beauties turn out perfect and only 6 shells cracked.  I dont know why that happened, overall I am a happy camper ;)

The first 2 macs that I made didn't get a good response from hb.  He's not a fan of my bakes when they are either coloured pink or green.  He hates pandan chiffon cake, putri salat & anything that I bake that is green in colour most.  I reckon he hates the 2 colours or it could be a mind over matter thingy I supposed.  This time he cant stop eating the chocolate macs bcos he really, really loves dark chocolate.  Before I sandwiched all the macs, I sandwiched the 6 cracked ones first and left them in the fridge.  I didnt have time to sandwich the rest of the macs as I had to attend to Jannah.  Hb asked if he can try ONE of the rejected ones when I was attending to Jannah.  When I finished with Jannah, I was gonna continue with what I was doing earlier.  So, I went to the fridge to grab the choc ganache and  I was a little surprised cos all the rejected ones were all gone doh!!!  He said its sunnah to have 3 and also said that he can't resist them as they kept on calling him to eat them.  Hmmmmzz great story eh hb hehehez.  Anyway there he is now, having a cuppa coffee and munching the macs away at 9.30pm....enjoy them dear, glad u luv them ;)

Source : Rima @ Bisousatoi

Ingredients
Swiss Meringue
80g egg white (at room temperature)
65g caster sugar
80g ground almond
140g icing sugar (remove 2 tblsp)
2 tblsp cocoa powder (I used Valrhona)
1/2tsp lemon juice

Method Swiss Meringue Macarons:
1. Line 3 to 4 baking trays with silicon sheet. (I used silpat & baking paper)
2. Use a round cookies cutter, press it into some cocoa powder or flour.
3. Use the cookies cutter to make some round imprint on the silicon sheet and set aside.
4. Sift icing sugar, cocoa powder and almond together and set aside.
5. Pour sugar and egg white into a heatproof pan and place it over a saucepan of simmering water.
6. Stir constantly until sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch (about 50 to 55C).
7. Pour the egg white and lemon juice into the mixing bowl with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks then add in the powder colouring.
8. Continue to beat until the egg white has cooled down and it look smooth and shiny. (medium peak but not dry)
9. Fold in the sifted mixture in 4 portions into the meringue. Do not over fold batter until it turn watery, batter should be slightly thicker than cake batter.(I hv tried dumping the sifted mixture all at once.. it works too)
10.Spoon batter into a piping bag and pipe it within the round imprint which had made earlier on.
11.Let the macarons to rest for 30mins.
12.Preheat oven to 150C.
13.Bake a tray at a time for 20-25mins, depend on individual oven. (I baked mine for 20 mins)
14.Remove macarons and cool on a wire rack. (if ur having difficulty removing shell, spray a little water (mist) under baking sheet.. let it sit for a few sec and peel it off)

Chocolate Ganache Filling
60g 70% Dark Chocolate (I used 64% Callebaut)
40g Butter
15g Heavy Cream

To make the ganache
In a double boiler or microwave, heat the chocolate, butter and cream together.
Mix well, take off heat and let it cool.
You can put it in the fridge if u want the ganache to firm up faster.

 I didnt break a sweat from exercising in the kitchen.  Only cold sweat, fearing that the macs wont turn out right ahakksss.  TTFN Folks ;)