I love coffee and dessert, so it's only fitting that I tried my hand at coffee macarons!
The recipe that I started with was okay, I ended up changing some steps along the way and pulling from a few other recipes to make the finished product. I also created my own chocolate buttercream filling since I thought the original recipe's chocolate ganache was overpowering.
The real key to this recipe is patience. I left my egg whites out on my kitchen counter for two days (in a covered container, of course). And once my macarons were completed, I left them in the fridge for a day to let the flavors fully develop before letting my husband inhale them.
What you need
For the filling –
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 TSP vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 oz milk
For the cookies –
3 egg whites, kept at room temperature for 24-48 hours
1/4 cup white sugar
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup almond flour
1 TBSP instant coffee
1/2 TSP vanilla extract
Directions
To make the filling –
1) Beat the butter with the vanilla extract in a stand mixer (or a hand mixer) until fluffy.
2) Gradually add the cocoa powder and powdered sugar, making sure to frequently scrape down the sides of the bowl. If the mixture looks too dry while adding the dry ingredients, add the milk a splash at a time until you get the desired texture.
3) Place a plastic bag or pastry bag in a cup to hold it straight. Fill the bag with the prepared buttercream. Keep refrigerated until needed.
To make the macarons –
1) In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed. Gradually add the white sugar until it forms stiff peaks. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine.
Do not add the vanilla extract until the egg whites have fully formed stiff peaks, or else it could deflate them.
2) Sift the powdered sugar, almond flour and instant coffee together in a large bowl to get rid of any lumps.
3) Stir in the dry ingredients into the egg whites one third at a time. Be gentle and do not overmix the batter. The mixture is ready once you can slowly make a figure-eight symbol without the batter breaking.
4) Place a plastic or pastry bag into a cup to hold it straight. Pour the entire mixture into the bag. Remove the cup and twist to hold the batter on the inside. If using a plastic bag, cut off the tip of one of the corners.
5) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pipe the batter in circles onto the baking sheet, about 1 inch in diameter. Tap the baking sheet on the counter at least 3 times on each side. If you notice any lingering bubbles, poke them lightly with a toothpick.
6) Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes, they will create a shell-like texture that shouldn't break when you rub your finger on them. While they rest, prepare the buttercream filling.
Tapping the baking sheet will get rid of any air bubbles and prevent them from getting cracks. Letting them rest also prevents cracks.
7) Bake the macarons at 300ºF for 17 minutes. Once you pull them out of the oven, let them sit for 5-10 minutes before removing them from the parchment paper. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.
If you are using a gas stove, place an oven thermometer inside while the oven preheats and carefully watch the temperature of your oven as the cookies bake.
8) Retrieve the plastic bag with your buttercream filling and cut the tip off of one of the corners. Pipe the filling onto one of the cookies and cover it with a similarly-sized cookie.
9) Keep the macarons refrigerated until ready to serve.
The longer you let them sit and develop their flavor, the better they will taste!