Salted Maple Macarons
Ingredients:
- For the cookies:
- 3/4 cup icing sugar
- 3/4 cup almond meal
- 2 egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup maple sugar
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons water
- 1/2 package dark chocolate chips (or 6 ounces chopped chocolate)
- Sea salt
- For the frosting:
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon milk
Instructions:
- Combine the icing sugar and almond meal for the cookies in a food processor and pulse several times until you get a fine powder.
- Run the mixture through a sifter or a sieve to remove any large pieces.
- Add one of the egg whites to the almond mixture and combine to get a paste. Set aside.
- Combine the maple sugar and water in a small saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring regularly. You want to bring the temperature up to 115 degrees Celcius (about 240 degrees F).
- While the sugar is heating up, beat the other egg white in a bowl until soft peaks form. You want the egg white to finish around the same time that the sugar reaches 115 degrees C, but it's safer to err on the side of finishing the egg white first since you want to add the syrup as soon as it reaches the right temperature.
- Once the syrup reaches 115 degrees C (240 degrees F), remove it from heat and add to the egg white. Continue mixing on high speed until stiff peaks form, and the bowl cools down. You want to be able to turn the bowl upside down and have the meringue stay put.
- Fold the meringue into the almond mixture until combined (do not overmix). The mixture should run slowly off of your spatula but should not be runny.
- Fill a pastry bag or large ziploc with the corner cut off and a round icing tip in it with the batter. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and pipe small, 1-inch circles onto the paper (about 24 per sheet).
- Bang the cookie sheets on the counter a couple of times to get rid of any air bubbles and then let them sit out for about 30 minutes until the cookies dry out before baking.
- When ready, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a cooling rack before removing from the parchment paper to avoid sticking.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting. Combine the butter, icing sugar, maple syrup, sea salt and milk with a mixer until smooth.
- Fill a piping bag and pipe onto cooled macarons, topping with another cookie.
- Melt the chocolate in a shallow dish in 30 second increments in the microwave until fully melted. Dip the top of each macaron in the chocolate, letting any excess drip off. Sprinkle with sea salt.