Valentine’s Day Macarons: 

White Chocolate & Cherries

 

Difficulty:

Prep Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Cook Time:  30 minutes (overlaps with prep time)


Makes 50 Macarons


Cherry Macarons

225g (1 ¾ c.)Almond Flour

350g (3 c.)        Confectioners Sugar

4 Large        Egg Whites

1 ½ Tbsp.        Kirsch Cherry Schnapps or Cherry Liqueur


200g (1 c.)        Sugar

70g (1/3 c.)Water


3 Large         Egg Whites

1 pinch        Salt


•Preheat oven to 275°F and line 3-4 sheet pans with parchment paper.  Begin cooking cherries for filling to save time.


•Sift together Flour and Sugar into a med-large mixing bowl to remove lumps.

•Add Whites and Schnapps, then whisk together into a thick batter.


•Add Sugar and Water in a small saucepan and heat on med-high to 240°F. 

oKeep a candy thermometer inside to monitor temperature.


•Whisk in electric mixer on medium speed while Sugar syrup heats, and when it passes 225°F, turn mixer up to bring whites to soft peaks.

oSoft peaks means when you stop the mixer and lift up the whisk, the whites take form, but do not hold firm.

•When sugar syrup reaches 240°F, stream into egg whites and turn up mixer to med-high for 10 seconds then turn off and remove bowl.

•Add 1/3 whites to Almond batter, gently folding in with a spatula…then remaining 2/3.

•Add to a piping bag fitted with a 5mm round pastry tip.  

•Hold tip straight, ½” above the parchment paper and gently squeeze batter out in one straight line (thicker at the beginning, thin at the end/point.)  Repeat on the other side to make a heart shape.

•Allow to rest for 15-25 minutes (faster in front of a fan) before baking to create a ‘skin’ that will not stick to your finger.

•Cook for 7 minutes at 285°F.  Lower heat to 275°F and turn/rotate pans in oven so they cook evenly.  Bake 7 more minutes.

•Remove from oven and cool thoroughly before moving cookies.


White Chocolate Cherry Ganache

25 ea.       Fresh Cherries

1 cup (140g)    Dried Cherries

3 oz.                Kirsch Cherry Schnapps or Cherry Liqueur

3 oz.                Water

3 oz. (90g)        White Chocolate (high quality)

2 Tbsp.            Heavy Cream

4 oz. (115g)      Butter, room temperature

½ c. (55g)        Confectioner’s Sugar


•In a small pot, add cherries, Kirsch and water.  Bring to a boil and simmer slowly for 25-30 minutes, until cherries are very soft.

•Crush cherries with a vegetable masher and remove seeds (count all 25 to be sure).

•Cook down until barely any liquid is left. Cool. Chop by hand or blend.

•In a metal mixing bowl (KitchenAid) combine cream and white chocolate, and melt over a double boiler (pot of simmering water) until smooth and creamy. Chill.

•Whip the cooled white chocolate with the whisk attachment, and incorporate butter 1 Tbsp. at a time.  Repeat with confectioner’s sugar, then cherry compote.
•Transfer to a piping bag, adding a small amount in a heart shape on every other macaron.
•Sandwich the cookies, pack into plastic containers, and store frozen until 30 minutes before eating.  (Defrost at room temperature)
 

Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012

 
 
Made on a Mac