Chocolate Macarons with Chocolate Peppermint Ganache

These chocolate macarons with chocolate peppermint ganache are perfect for the celebrating the holidays! Made with dutch-process cocoa powder, the macaron shells are almost brownie like in flavor. And to make them even more decadent, they're filled with a smooth chocolate peppermint ganache that will without a doubt satisfy that chocolate craving. Read up on all of my tips and tricks on making macarons below!

Ingredients you'll need to make these macarons:

• White Vinegar: To ensure that your meringue remains stable, clean and wipe down all appliances with white vinegar.
• Powdered Sugar: You’ll need powdered sugar for the macaron shells.
• Almond Flour: Be sure to use extra fine almond flour to get those super smooth shells!
• Cocoa Powder: You'll need 15g of cocoa powder for the macaron shells. I used dutch process cocoa powder, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
• Egg Whites: You’ll need about 3 egg whites for the shells. Don’t worry about bringing them to room temperature because you’ll just heat them up over a double boiler to make a swiss meringue! 
• Granulated Sugar: The sugar is going to be added to the egg whites when making the swiss meringue for both the shells and the buttercream. It will only take a couple minutes for the sugar to dissolve into the egg whites, so whisk frequently and watch carefully! You’ll also need ½ cup of sugar for the chocolate caramel ganache. 
• Vanilla Paste: Add a touch of vanilla paste to the macaron shells to amplify the flavor!
• Chocolate: You'll need 140g of chocolate for the ganache. Use semi-sweet, dark, or milk chocolate.
• Heavy Cream: You'll need a little less than half a cup of heavy cream for the ganache.
• Peppermint Extract: Add just ½ teaspoon to the ganache for the perfect chocolate peppermint flavor. 

HOW TO MAKE MACARONS WITH MY 6 ESSENTIAL MACARON RULES:

1. Wipe down all bowls and appliances with white vinegar. This will ensure that everything is spotlessly clean and nothing will hinder the stability of the meringue. 
2. Beat the meringue until STIFF peaks form. The best way to test this is to turn the bowl upside down to make sure that the meringue is stable enough and does not move at all. 
3. SIFT SIFT SIFT! You need to sift the powdered sugar and almond flour to get those smooth macaron shells!
4. Mix the batter with a silicone spatula by circling around and straight through the middle. Once all of the dry ingredients are incorporated, deflate the macaron batter by spreading it against the sides of the bowl. This will ensure that the shells do not come out hollow.
5. Test the consistency of the batter frequently by drawing a figure eight with the silicone spatula. You should be able to draw a figure eight a few times in a row without the batter breaking. This is how you know the batter is ready to be piped onto a baking sheet. 
6. Allow the macarons to rest long enough before going into the oven. I would recommend 30-40 minutes of rest time before baking. As they rest, a skin forms on the surface, which is what forces the macarons to bake upwards and grow feet!

A FEW TIPS TO MAKE THESE CHOCOLATE MACARONS WITH CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT GANACHE:

• The flavor of macaron shells develop more by the second day, so I recommend making them the day before and chilling them overnight, then assemble the next day. 
• If you have trouble peeling the macarons off of the parchment once they have cooled, pop them into the freezer for a few minutes and they should come off easily.  
• Macarons will last for a few days at room temperature and up to a week in the fridge. I prefer to store them in the fridge not only so they will last longer, but also because I find that they taste even better cold.
• If you'd like to decorate them with royal icing like I did, get the recipe here.
• If you liked this recipe, check out my other macaron recipes! 

Happy baking! x

Chocolate Macarons with Chocolate Peppermint Ganache

• Author: Sloane
• Yield: 25 macarons 1x

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Description

These chocolate macarons with chocolate peppermint ganache are perfect for the celebrating the holidays!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Macaron Shells:

• 130g powdered sugar
• 120g almond flour
• 15g cocoa powder
• 105g egg whites (about 3)
• 100g granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla paste

For the Chocolate Peppermint Ganache:

• 84g heavy cream (warm)
• 140g chocolate
• ½ tsp peppermint extract

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Instructions

For the Macaron Shells:

1. Prepare a macaron template by using a large piping tip or small round cookie cutter of about 1 ½″ in size to trace circles about 2 inches a apart on one sheet of parchment paper. You will place this under another piece of parchment paper when ready to pipe the macaron shells.
2. In a medium bowl, sift the powdered sugar, almond flour, and cocoa powder twice.
3. Next, heat the egg whites and granulated sugar over a double boiler until the sugar has dissolved or until the temperature is about 120 degrees F.
4. Transfer the egg white mixture to a large bowl or a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk until the meringue reaches soft peaks. At this point, you can add the vanilla paste.
5. Continue whisking the meringue until stiff peaks form. The best way to test if it is ready is by turning the bowl upside down. If the meringue does not fall or move at all, then it is ready.
6. Start the macaronage by folding in ⅓ of the dry ingredients. Mix carefully with a silicone spatula by scraping aroung the sides of the bowl, then through the middle of the batter. Do this a few times until it is mostly combined.
7. Add the remainder of the dry ingredients, folding with the same gentle method. Once the dry ingredients are fully incorporated, begin spreading the batter along the sides of the bowl to deflate it slightly. I find that this mixing method ensures that the shells do not bake up hollow. Continue scraping around the sides of the bowl and through the middle. The mixture is ready when you can draw several figure eights without the batter breaking.
8. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with a small round piping tip (I used Ateco 802). Place your macaron template under another piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and pipe perpendicular to fill in each circle. Carefully remove the template and tap the baking sheet on the on counter a few times in order to release any air bubbles. It also helps to bang on the bottom of the baking sheet with your hand. 
9. Let the macarons rest for about 30-40 minutes, or until they are dry and no batter comes away when you touch them. Toward the end of the resting time, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Bake the macarons for about 8-12 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing them from the baking sheet.

For the Chocolate Peppermint Ganache:

1. In a small bowl, weigh out the chocolate. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to just shy of a simmer. Pour over the chocolate and stir to combine.
3. If there are still pieces of chocolate, heat the ganache in the microwave in 10 second intervals until completely smooth.
4. Stir in peppermint extract, then place in the fridge for a few minutes until thick, but pipeable. 

For Assembly:

1. Transfer the ganache to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
2. Pair the macaron shells up and pipe the ganache onto the bottom shell, then place the paired shell on top, pressing down slightly to ensure they stick together. 

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