Another macaron recipe on the blog (and more will follow very soon ^^). I wanted to try pairing chocolate with pepper, since these 2 flavours apparently go very well together (I used Sichuan green pepper). As it was the first time I’d used pepper in baking, I wasn’t very sure of the amount, nor of how to go about incorporating the pepper. I infused it in the hot cream, but that wasn’t enough. Before putting the peppercorns in the cream, you need to crush them a little so that the aromas are released. After that, it’s a simple chocolate whipped ganache.
When tasting, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to taste the pepper… but you do end up noticing it afterwards. First the chocolate notes, then this little novelty, surprising but delicious, which does indeed go very well. So I’m delighted with this pairing 🙂
Ingredients & preparation
3 components · Complete recipe
Shells
Ingredients
- 70 g (2.5 oz) egg whites
- 140 g (4.9 oz) icing sugar
- 80 g (2.8 oz) ground almonds
- 20 g (0.7 oz) caster sugar
- brown food colouring
Instructions
1
Blitz the icing sugar and ground almonds together, then sift the whole mixture.
2
Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks, add the caster sugar in two additions and whisk at maximum speed to obtain the “bird’s beak” consistency. Add a little brown food colouring powder and mix again.
3
Gradually fold in the almond and icing sugar mixture using a spatula. The mixture should be smooth, shiny and fall in a ribbon. Once the right consistency is reached, transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a plain tip. Don’t hesitate to use a tall glass to hold your piping bag — that way you can use both hands.
4
Pipe small domes of about 3.5 cm (1.4 in) in a staggered pattern onto a sheet of baking paper. For even macarons, I use a template downloaded from Pure Gourmandise. Leave to dry for about twenty minutes. If after an hour the surface of your macarons is still not dry, there is a good chance they won’t dry at all. Several possible reasons for this… in any case, there’s no point in waiting longer. Bake them anyway, but be prepared for the fact that they probably won’t develop a ruff 😉
5
Bake at 120°C / 250°F for 20–22 minutes. Once out of the oven, leave to cool before peeling off the shells. The shells are done when they come off the paper very easily.
Step by step
Not quite comfortable with macaron shells yet? I’ve put together two full step-by-step picture guides to help you get it right every time:
Whipped Dark Chocolate and Sichuan Green Pepper Ganache
Ingredients
- 150 g (5.3 oz) milk chocolate
- 130 ml (4.4 fl oz) full-fat liquid cream
- 20 g (0.7 oz) butter
- 3 g (0.1 oz) Sichuan green peppercorns
Instructions
1
Crush the peppercorns.
2
Heat the cream and pepper in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Cover and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
3
Bring the cream back to the heat and meanwhile break the chocolate into pieces in a heatproof bowl.
4
As soon as the cream begins to simmer, remove the peppercorns and pour one third of the cream over the chocolate, stirring to create an emulsion. Add the second third, then the third, until the mixture is completely smooth and homogeneous.
5
Add the butter, stir, then cover with cling film pressed directly onto the surface. Refrigerate for more than 6 hours (or preferably overnight).
6
The next day (or after 6 hours), place the bowl of ganache and the whisk attachments of your electric mixer in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
7
Remove the bowl and gradually whip the ganache until thicker and creamy. Continue until the ganache is firm.
Assembly
Ingredients
- None
Instructions
1
Sort your macaron shells so that the ones you pair together are the same size.
2
Using a piping bag fitted with a plain tip, pipe a small mound of whipped dark chocolate and Sichuan green pepper ganache in the centre of one shell and sandwich with its matching shell.
3
Refrigerate and wait 24 to 48 hours before eating. The macarons should spend their first night in an uncovered container (to prevent them from becoming damp), then close the box and keep them in the fridge for a further 24 hours — they’ll only get better.
Gallery
