Chocolate Macaroons With Chocolate Or Caramel Filling Recipes

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL MACARONS

Steps:

• Line two or three baking sheets with parchment or nonstick baking mats.
• In a bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, almond flour, cocoa powder and salt.
• Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until egg whites are white in color and hold onto the bottom of the whisk, 2 to 3 minutes. Continue to beat, slowly adding 40 grams (3 tablespoons) granulated sugar until peaks are stiff, about 1 minute.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold almond mixture into egg whites in 4 batches, until there are no traces of egg whites.
• Spoon batter into a pastry bag or a heavy-duty plastic bag, cutting a small hole in a corner of the plastic bag. Pipe 1-inch rounds of batter, an inch apart from one another, onto the baking sheets.. (Alternatively, use a 1/2 teaspoon measure to form the rounds.) Pick up baking sheets and bang them against work surface. Let sheets sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to dry tops. (Don't skip this step; it helps the macarons rise nicely.)
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake macarons until puffed and firm, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through baking. Transfer sheets to rack to cool completely, then overturn cookies on the baking sheets so that flat bottoms are facing up.
• To make the caramel, combine the remaining 215 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar with 1/4 cup water in a clean, dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally to help distribute the sugar until it completely melts and turns a rich reddish brown (imagine the color of an Irish setter), about 15 minutes.
• Working quickly, spoon caramel over half the overturned cookies; immediately sandwich with remaining, unfilled cookies. If the caramel hardens before you're done, gently melt it over low heat and continue filling cookies.
• Fill a small saucepan with water and bring to a simmer. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place over pot. Heat, stirring frequently, until melted. (Or melt chocolate in the microwave.) Using a fork, drizzle cookies with melted chocolate. Let the caramel and chocolate set at room temperature or in the refrigerator. The caramel should harden to the texture of hard candy.

CHOCOLATE MACAROON CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 10-inch bundt pan.
• To Make Filling: Beat egg white with 1 teaspoon vanilla until soft mounds form. Add 1/2 cup sugar gradually, beating until stiff peaks form. Stir in coconut and 1 tablespoon flour. Set filling aside.
• Dissolve the cocoa in the hot coffee. Separate the three eggs, setting the yolks aside. Beat the egg whites until soft mounds form. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar until meringue stands in medium-stiff peaks.
• Combine the sour cream and the baking soda. Beat remaining 1 1/4 cups of the sugar, shortening, egg yolks, salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 of the of the cocoa mixture until light and creamy, about 4 minutes. Stir in 2 cups flour, the sour cream mixture, and the remaining cocoa mixture; blend well.
• Fold about 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten it; gently fold in remaining egg whites.
• Turn 1/2 of the chocolate batter into the prepared pan. Place 1/2 of the coconut mixture on top. Cover with the remaining chocolate batter, then the remaining coconut mixture.
• Bake in preheated oven until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cake cool completely before removing from pan and icing.
• To Make Icing: Combine 2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa powder; transfer to a saucepan. Add butter, corn syrup, and milk. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring frequently, and let boil for 1 minute. Do not overcook! Remove from heat, let cool, and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat icing until it is at a soft, spreading consistency; glaze cake.