HI Macs

(Chocolate Macarons with Whiskey-

White Chocolate Ganache Filling)

April 11: HI Cookery Blog Anniversary

When we launched our blog on April 11, 2010, we wanted to feature a recipe that represented us as Highlander and Islander (HI) for HI Cookery. Last year, our HI Pizza incorporated ingredients, such as Canadian bacon and pineapple, to honor our heritage. This year, for our blog’s first anniversary, we made macarons! Our HI Macs are a special combination of dark (Islander) and white (Highlander) chocolate. Besides the obvious skin color symbolism of our intermarriage, we made our macaron shells with organic Hawaiian vanilla and mixed the filling with Canadian whiskey. As chocoholics, we felt that these macarons befitted a recipe post to celebrate HI Cookery’s first blog-o-versary!

Recipe

(Adapted from Macaroons)

For the chocolate macaron shells (Italian meringue method)

• 1 cup almond flour/meal (we used non-blanched ground almonds to enhance the chocolate color)
• 1 cup powdered sugar (we used C&H brand)
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (we used Nestle Toll House brand)
• 3 egg whites (fresh, unpasteurized and aged overnight at room temperature)
• 1 cup sugar, granulated white (we used C&H brand)
• ½ cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (we used Hawaiian Vanilla Company brand)

Directions

Sift the almond flour/meal with the powdered sugar. Stir in the chocolate powder until well combined. Grind in a food processor in batches to remove any lumps (optional).

Whip the egg whites until peaks form. Mix in the vanilla. Make a simple syrup to stabilize the egg whites by boiling the sugar and water together until it reaches a temperature of 245 degrees F on a candy thermometer (or until it reaches a soft ball stage). Pour into the egg whites and whip again until stiff and glossy.

Fold in the almond flour/meal-sugar-chocolate powder mixture until the consistency “flows like magma.” Pipe one-inch discs on a parchment paper on top of an insulated baking sheet. Let the discs air dry to develop a thin skin for at least 30 minutes.

Bake in a preheated oven at 300 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes. Watch the “feet” develop, but be careful not to burn the macarons. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Peel off the macarons from the parchment paper. Sort by size and match pairs. Make the filling.

For the whiskey-white chocolate ganache filling

• 4 squares (4 ounces) white chocolate (we used Baker’s brand)
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon Canadian whiskey

Directions

Melt the white chocolate. Heat the whipping cream and add to the melted chocolate. Stir until smooth. Add the whiskey and mix well. Let cool to thicken but not harden.

Whip the ganache to a spreadable consistency. Fill a pastry bag with a large round tip. Pipe in the filling and sandwich the macarons together. Refrigerate to set.

For the chocolate drizzle decoration

• 2 squares (2 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate (we used Baker’s brand)

Directions

Place the macarons on a wire rack atop another pan lined with foil to catch the chocolate drippings. Melt the chocolate. Fill a plastic zip-top or pastry bag with the melted chocolate. Cut a smll hole in  the corner of the zip-top bag or use a small round tip for the pastry bag. Drizzle the melted chocolate in a back and forth motion. Refrigerate the macarons to set the chocolate drizzles. Bring to room temperature to serve.

Notes           

• HI Macs are also our entry into the MacAttack #18 challenge for “Decadently Chocolate Macarons.” See our MacAttack page for “maca-rights” and our Food Flops page for “maca-wrongs.” Visit the MacTweets blog, hosted by Jamie S. and Deeba R., to see more decadently chocolate macarons made by talented food bloggers.
• Cooking with chocolate is always a challenge for Islander. With her hot flashes and a hot Texas climate, it is a surprise that our HI Macs did not melt and become a mess this month!
• We used our new Silpat silicone baking mat as well as parchment paper to bake our batches of macarons. The “feet” were frillier and the macs baked higher with the Silpat (adjust the baking time about five minutes longer) than on the parchment paper.
• Thanks to Lisa L. for the ground almonds and the Big Island vanilla.