It’s the weekend cheat day again coffee lover friends since we want to rest from the weeks coffee intake, but we still want something caffeinated for the weekend, we decided to make a caffeinated treat for our weekend coffee treat.
We are going to make the infamous posh treat, which is the coffee macarons. Macarons are colorful cookie treats that are commonly made out from almond grounds, coconut, and other nuts with sugar, and other flavorings like glace cherries, jam, or chocolate filling.
This cookie treat can be traced back in the period of the Italian monastery of the 8th or 9th century, where sister Marguerite and sister Marie-Elisabeth baked and sell macaroon cookies to pay for their housing in Nancy the capital of the North-Eastern French, thus these two sisters were known as the “Macaron Sisters” during the French Revolutionary Period.
Later on, the Italian Jews adopted the concept of the French Macarons, and, it is to be eaten during the eight-day observation of the Passover hence the classic macaroons don’t have flour, or leavening.
Today there are many varieties of macarons from the classic to sweetened variations, and this cookie treat is perfect desserts for the weekend, baby shower or just a girly get together with your friends that are excellent pair for a cup of coffee or tea.
Get now your weapons coffee lovers and let’s start baking this sweet coffee macaron treat for the weekend.
Coffee Macaron
INGREDIENTS
Coffee Ganache
- 200 g white chocolate chips.
- 150g heavy cream boiling hot
- 40g unsalted melted butter
- 1 tbsp instant coffee or 2 packets of Starbucks Viva instant coffee
Coffee Macarons
- 212g almond flour
- 212g powdered sugar
Egg Whites
- 172g egg whites, heated to room temperature
- 1 tbsp sugar, granulated
- 1 tbsp instant coffee
Syrup
- 236g granulated sugar
- 158g water
Equipment
- Pastry bag (18 inch)
- Round Pastry tip (Ateco 805)
- Baking Sheet (15″x21″)
- Parchment paper
- Silicone mat for the 15″x21″ baking sheet (this can be used instead of parchment paper)
INSTRUCTIONS
Making the coffee ganache
- To a medium bowl add 200 g white chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.
- In a saucepan heat 150 ml of heavy whipping cream and 1 tablespoon of instant coffee until almost boiling, stir until the coffee is dissolved.
- Pour the hot coffee mixture over the prepared white chocolate chips. Allow to sit for 1 minute then stir until smooth. Whisk in 40 g of room temperature butter until smooth.
- Allow cooling at room temperature then refrigerate for a couple of hours or until pipable consistency and thick. Bring back to room temperature if you would like to whip the ganache.The ganache whips super quick, be careful not to overwhip, or it will separate.
Making the Macarons
- Line two 15 in x 21 in baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Gather all of your ingredients.
Making the Syrup
- Mix the 158 g water and 236 g granulated sugar in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Gently mix the mixture until the sugar is dissolved. Place the probe of the thermometer into the syrup and cook until it reaches 248F degrees. Remove from heat immediately when the temperature is reached.
- If the syrup has crystallized, discard and start over.
- Use the syrup cooking time to sift the dry ingredients and prepare the egg whites.
Sift the flour and powder sugar, and prepare the egg whites.
- Using flour sifter, sift the almond flour and powdered sugar twice into a large bowl.
- Heat the egg whites in the microwave in 5-7 second intervals, mixing after each, for about 30 seconds or until the egg whites are barely warm to the touch.
- Add 82 g of egg whites to the sifted mixture. Pour the rest of the egg whites into a grease-free bowl and add a 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of instant coffee and set aside.
- When the syrup is at about 240F, with a sturdy wooden spoon quickly mix the 90 g of egg whites and the sifted mixture until paste forms.
Making the Italian Meringue
- When the syrup is at about 243F to 244F start to whip the egg whites and the sugar on medium speed, getting them ready for when the syrup reaches 248F and you can pour it into the fluffy egg whites.
- When the egg whites are foamy and the syrup is at 248F degrees, increase the mixer speed to high and slowly pour the syrup into the egg whites between the whisk and the bowl. Continue whipping until the bowl is cool to the touch and the meringue has reached stiff peaks.
Making the macaron batter.
- Fold the prepared meringue into the almond/sugar paste in 3 additions, trying to reach the “lava” stage when the batter flows off the spatula into the bowl like lava, or when the batter dropped into the bowl takes about 30 seconds to dissolve into the rest of the batter.
Pipe and Bake the macarons
1, Preheat oven to 350F degrees with the baking rack in the middle.
2. Fit a pastry bag with a plain 5/8 inch round tip, then fill it with the macaron batter.
3. Squeeze out 1.5 inch round circles onto the parchment paper, about 1.5 inches apart. Add a coffee been to the top of each macaron mount.
4. Rap the baking sheet against a counter about 5-7 times, then rotate it and rap another 5-7 times. Use a pin needle to pop any bubbles that have risen to the top.
5. Place the macarons into the oven and quickly reduce the heat to 325F. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, then remove and allow to completely cool. Remove from the parchment paper (do not attempt to remove macarons before they’re cool).
6. Preheat the oven to 350F and then bake the next sheet in the manner described above.
Maturing the Macarons
- Place the macarons into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before consuming.
Freezing the Macarons
- If you do not plan to eat the macarons right away, wrap each macaron into plastic wrap, then place into an airtight container and freeze until ready to use. Bring to room temperature before consuming.
This coffee macaron recipe is an original recipe of Marina, of Let the Baking Begin thus all credits shall be given to her.
