Post by gaga4ever95 on Aug 22, 2012 6:37:07 GMT -7
I love macaroons and these are my favorite!!!
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup(s) confectioners' sugar
2/3 cup(s) hazelnuts, shelled and skinned
1 1/2 tablespoon(s) unsweetend cocoa powder
3 large egg whites
2 tablespoon(s) superfine sugar
1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
2/3 cup(s) chocolate-hazelnut spread (Nutella)
Directions
1.Line 2 baking sheets with reusable nonstick liners or parchment paper. Have ready a large 16-inch pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip.
2.Combine confectioners' sugar, hazelnuts, and cocoa powder in a food processor; process until nuts are finely ground and mixture is powdery. Spoon mixture into a medium sieve set over a bowl or a flour sifter.
3.In large bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg whites on medium until soft peaks start to form. Gradually beat in superfine sugar. Continue to beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla until blended.
4.Sift nut mixture over egg whites, in three additions, folding with a rubber spatula after each, until incorporated. Scrape batter into pastry bag. Pipe 28 (1 1/4-inch) mounds of batter on prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart (they will spread to about 1 3/4-inch rounds). Let air-dry at room temperature for 30 minutes.
5.Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Bake 1 sheet at a time 16 minutes, or until puffed and tops are shiny and firm to the touch. Remove from oven; let cool on sheet placed on a wire rack 3 minutes. Transfer macaroons with a spatula to wire rack to cool completely.
6.To assemble macaroons, spread about 1½ tsp chocolate-hazelnut spread onto the flat side of half the cookies; sandwich with the remaining macaroons, flat side onto filling. Filled cookies can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Unfilled macaroons can be kept in an airtight container between waxed paper for at least 3 days.
7.For Pistachio-Apricot Macaroons: Follow the directions for chocolate-hazelnut macaroons with the following changes: Substitute unsalted, shelled pistachios for the hazelnuts and omit the cocoa powder; substitute ¼ tsp almond extract for the vanilla extract and beat with 11 drops liquid green food coloring into stiffly beaten egg whites until batter is a pale green. Pipe, let stand, and bake as directed. Substitute all-fruit apricot spread for the Nutella.
8.For Lemon-Raspberry Macaroons: Follow the directions for chocolate-hazelnut macaroons with the following changes: Substitute blanched whole almonds for the hazelnuts; substitute 1 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest for the cocoa powder and process as directed; substitute 1 tsp fresh lemon juice for the vanilla extract and beat with 8 drops liquid yellow food coloring into the stiffly beaten egg whites until batter is pale yellow. Pipe, let stand, and bake as directed. Substitute all-fruit raspberry spread for the Nutella.
