PIERRE HERME BITTER CHOCOLATE MACARONS (italian method)

Ingredients:
(Adapted from Pierre Herme Macaron book.  I made half the recipe)

 For the macaron shells:

• 120 grams cacao pâte (or dark chocolate 100% cocoa) (I used 90% cocoa)
• 300 grams ground almonds
• 300 grams icing sugar
• 110 grams aged Egg Whites
• 4.5 grams Red food coloring (or cochineal)

• 300 grams caster sugar
• 75g mineral water
•  110 grams aged Egg Whites

 For the bitter chocolate ganache:

• 400 grams liquid creme fraiche or whipping cream (35% fat)
• 360g grams Valrhona Guanaja couverture chocolate  (I used 90% cacao chocolate)
• 40g cacao pate (or dark chocolate, 100% cocoa solids)
• 140 grams 'La Vierra' butter (sweet  butter from Charentes) at room temperature (I used unsalted butter)

METHOD :

1. Sift together the icing sugar and ground almonds. Chop up the cocao pate and melt it at 50C in a  bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir the food colouring into the first portion of aged egg whites and add this to the bowl of icing sugar and ground almonds but do not stir.

2. Bring the water and sugar to boil at 118C.  When the syrup reaches 115C, simultaneously start whisking the second portion of aged egg whites to soft peaks. (I started whisking the egg whites when the syrup reaches about 100C as I used KA)

3. When the sugar reaches 118C, pour it over the egg whites.  Whisk and allow the meringue to cool down to 50C, then add it to the bowl of icing sugar and ground almonds, stir, then fold in the melted cocao.  Spoon the batter into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle.

4.  Pipe rounds of batter measuring about 3.5cm in diameter, 2 cm apart on baking trays lined with baking parchment.  Using a sieve, sprinkle them with a light dusting of cocoa powder.  Rap the baking trays on the work surface covered with a kitchen cloth.  Leave to stand for 30mins until a skin forms on the surface.

5. Preheat the fan oven to 180C.  Put the baking trays in the oven.  Bake for 12 mins, briefly opening and shutting the oven door twice during cooking time. (I baked for 8 mins). Take the shells out of the oven and slide them on to the work surface.

6. For the chocolate ganache.  Cut the butter into pieces.  Chop up the chocolate and tip it into a bowl.  Bring the cream to the boil.  Pour it over chocolate and tip it into a bowl.  Bring the cream to the boil.  Pour it over the chopped chocolate a third at a time.

7.  When the mixture reaches 50C, add the pieces of butter a few at a time. Whisk to obtain a smooth ganache.

8.  Pour into a gratin dish.  Press clingfirm over the surface of a ganache and set aside in the fridge for the ganache to thicken.

9.  Spoon the ganache into a piping bag with a plain nozzle.  Pipe a generous mound of gananche on to half the shells.  Top them with remaining shells.

10.  Store the macarons in the fridge for 24 hrs.  Remove from the fridge 2 hrs10mins before eating.