Here I am again with a macaron recipe! But it’s THE recipe, the Mogador macaron by Pierre Hermé. I’ve been hearing about this milk chocolate and passion fruit combination for ages, so it was high time I tried it.
Obviously, you have to like passion fruit… I didn’t really know it, so I was very surprised by the tangy side. Personally, I didn’t like it, but my colleagues really enjoyed it. And it takes all sorts, doesn’t it? 🙂
Ingredients & preparation
3 components · Full recipe
Shells
Ingredients
- 2 × 52 g (1.8 oz) egg whites
- 150 g (5.3 oz) icing sugar
- 150 g (5.3 oz) ground almonds
- 50 g (1.8 oz) water
- 150 g (5.3 oz) caster sugar
- yellow food colouring
- unsweetened cocoa powder
Preparation
1
Blend the icing sugar and ground almonds together, then sift the mixture.
2
Prepare the syrup by placing the sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil until the temperature reaches 118°C / 244°F. When the syrup reaches 110°C / 225°F, gradually whisk 52 g (1.8 oz) of egg whites to stiff peaks. Once the temperature of 118°C / 244°F is reached, slow the mixer speed and pour the syrup over the whisked whites. Also add the food colouring. Increase the mixer speed again to cool the meringue. Check with your finger — it should be warm but not cold.
3
Switch the whisk attachment on your mixer for the paddle and incorporate the remaining 52 g (1.8 oz) of egg whites, then gradually add the ground almond and icing sugar mixture. Leave to run until the mixture becomes smooth, glossy and falls in a ribbon.
4
Once the right consistency is achieved, transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle. Don’t hesitate to use a tall glass to support the piping bag — that way you can use both hands.
5
Pipe small domes of approximately 3.5 cm (1.4 in) in a staggered pattern on a sheet of baking paper. For evenly-sized macarons, I use a template downloaded from Pure Gourmandise. Tap the baking tray to flatten the domes, then leave to form a skin for around twenty minutes.
6
Bake at 120°C / 250°F for 22–24 minutes. Once out of the oven, leave to cool before removing the shells. They are ready when they come away 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:
Milk Chocolate and Passion Fruit Ganache
Ingredients
- 125 g (4.4 oz) passion fruit juice
- 275 g (9.7 oz) milk chocolate
- 50 g (1.8 oz) butter at room temperature
Preparation
1
In a small saucepan, heat the passion fruit juice.
2
Meanwhile, break the milk chocolate into pieces in a bowl (you can melt it slightly in a bain-marie or the microwave).
3
Pour one-third of the hot juice over the milk chocolate and stir to create an emulsion. Then pour in the second third, followed by the third, to obtain a perfectly smooth mixture.
4
As soon as the mixture reaches 60°C / 140°F, gradually incorporate the pieces of butter. Stir until the ganache is smooth.
5
Press cling film directly onto the surface and refrigerate until the ganache is creamy.
Assembly
Ingredients
- None
Preparation
1
Sort your macaron shells so that the ones you pair together are the same size.
2
Place a small dollop of ganache in the centre of half the shells and sandwich with the remaining shells.
3
Refrigerate the macarons and wait 24 to 48 hours before eating. The macarons should spend the first night in an uncovered container (to prevent them becoming damp), then close the box and keep them in the fridge for a further 24 hours. They will be all the better for it.
Gallery
