Infinitely Chocolate Macaron Recipe by Pierre Hermé

Pierre Hermé's favorite chocolate macaron recipe.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 13

Resting Time 1

Total Time 1 58

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Servings 72 macarons

500 g heavy whipping cream
500 g dark chocolate (Pure origin brazil, Plantation Paineiras 64% cocoa or Manjari, Valrhona)
145 g unsalted butter

Cut the butter into pieces.
Chop the chocolate and place it in a bowl.
Bring the cream to a boil in a saucepan. Pour it, one-third at a time, over the chopped chocolate, stirring from the center out in small, then progressively larger circles.
When the temperature of the chocolate mixture cools to 50°C/122°F, gradually incorporate the butter. Whisk until the ganache is smooth.
Pour into a shallow dish like a gratin pan for example.
Press a plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the chocolate ganache.
Refrigerate until the texture is creamy. Pierre Hermé prefers to let it cool at room temperature to avoid having to reheat it when filling the macarons.

Sift the powdered sugar and almond powder.
Chop the cocoa paste and place it in a bowl over a bain-marie of simmering water to melt to 50°C/122°F.
Combine the 110g of aged egg whites (from part 1) with a few drops of the food coloring. Pour onto the sifted almond powder–sugar mixture without mixing.
Combine the sugar and mineral water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, monitoring the temperature with a food thermometer. Meanwhile, place the remaining 110g of aged egg whites (from part 2) in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a wire whisk. Once the sugar syrup has reached 115°C/239°F start whisking the egg whites.
Once the syrup has reached 118°C/244°F, reduce the mixer speed to medium and pour the syrup in a steady stream into the beaten egg whites. Continue beating until the mixture cools to 50°C/122°F. Then, incorporate the meringue mixture into the almond–sugar–egg white mixture. Add the melted cocoa paste and use a spatula to gently fold until combined.
Mix the batter to remove the air pockets. This step is called the macaronage. Just work the batter until smooth, shiny, and flowing. The batter should lose 1/3 of his volume.

Transfer the batter into a pastry bag, fitted with a round tip (around 1.2 cm in diameter). Line baking sheets with cooking parchment and pipe about 3.5 cm rounds about 2 cm apart.
Tap the baking sheets gently on a work surface covered with a kitchen towel to get rid of any air bubbles. This step ensures smooth tops.
Place the cocoa powder in a sifter and sprinkle lightly over the macaron shells. Let the macarons sit out on the counter for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. When you lightly touch the macarons and the batter does not stick to your finger, then it’s ready to go into the oven.
Preheat the oven on convection setting to 180°C/356°F. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for about 12/13 minutes. Open and close the oven door quickly twice during the baking to release steam. To test for doneness, touch a macaron lightly and try to move it. The cooked macarons should be firm to touch and the base shouldn’t move.
Remove from the oven and slide the macaron shells onto the work surface. Let them cool completely.

Remove the shells from the parchment paper and turn half of them over, flat side up, on the work surface.
Pour the chocolate ganache into a pastry bag, fitted with a round tip.
Pipe the ganache generously onto each shell. Place the top shell over the filling and press lightly so the filling spreads to the edges.
Store the filled macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 24 hours. It will allow the filling to soften and flavor the shells.
To serve, bring the macarons out about 2 hours prior to serving.

Keyword macarons