Chocolate Macarons With Orange Ganache Food

CHOCOLATE MACARONS WITH ORANGE GANACHE

Steps:

• For cookies:
• Arrange racks in lower and upper thirds of oven; preheat to 325°F. Line 3 rimless baking sheets with parchment paper. Pulse 1 cup powdered sugar and almonds in a food processor until nuts are very finely ground (but not to a paste), 60-90 seconds. Add cocoa powder and remaining 1 cup powdered sugar; process to blend well. Sift mixture through a medium-mesh strainer into a large bowl; discard larger almond pieces remaining in strainer (if more than 1 tablespoon remains, pulse nuts again in processor and re-sift).
• Using an electric mixer, beat 1/3 cup egg whites in a medium bowl on medium speed until white and frothy, about 1 minute. With mixer on medium-low speed, gradually add sugar by tablespoonfuls. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until firm peaks form.
• Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons egg whites. Fold meringue into dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing well between additions.
• Spoon meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4" tip. (Alternatively, spoon into a plastic freezer bag, then cut 1/4" off a corner of bag.) Twist top of bag and pipe quarter size rounds onto 2 of the 3 prepared baking sheets, spacing 1" apart. Let stand until tops appear dry, about 10 minutes.
• Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through baking, until puffed and dry, about 16 minutes. Slide cookies on parchment onto a wire rack. Let cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter on third baking sheet.
• For ganache:
• Place chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Bring cream just to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; stir in orange zest, cloves, allspice, and salt. Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate and butter; whisk until smooth. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Spoon ganache into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4" tip. (Alternatively, spoon into a plastic freezer bag, then cut 1/4" off a corner of bag.) Twist top of bag and pipe about 1 teaspoon ganache onto flat side of 1 cookie, leaving 1/4"-1/8" plain border. Top with a second cookie, flat side down. Repeat with the remaining cookies and ganache. Brush tops with gold dust, if desired. Layer in an airtight container between sheets of parchment paper and refrigerate overnight. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let return to room temperature before serving.

ORANGE-CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Zest orange with a microplane, add to heavy cream and place it into the sauce pan.
• Heat the cream in a sauce pan over medium heat stirring constantly untill it comes to a boil. take off heat.
• add hot cream to chocolate in a medium bowl, stirring untill all chocolate has melted, add butter at once, and stir untill melted.
• chill untill thickened to spread on cakes, brownies, or cupcakes. pour over cakes or dip cupcakes while still liquid. chill untill firm.

CHOCOLATE MACARONS

Steps:

• Sift powdered sugar, almond meal/flour, and cocoa powder in a large bowl and set aside.
• Whip egg whites until foamy and until there is no more liquid remaining in the bottom of the bowl.
• Continue whipping the egg whites while slowly incorporating the granulated sugar and cream of tartar to the whites until it makes stiff peaks and are glossy (meringue).
• Gently incorporate the sifted mix 1/3 at a time to the meringue mixture until it has the texture of lava and looks like pudding.
• Pipe the batter onto any baking sheet/mat into your desired size and shape (traditional macarons are shaped as circles and are about 1 to 4 inches).
• Let the piped batter sit until it creates a skin (touch the batter and if it doesn't stick to your finger then they are ready to bake).
• Bake for 10-20 mins and check occasionally and gently push the top of the macaron down to see if it's done (if it moves then it's not finished, but if you poke it and it stays still then they are ready).
• Take the shells out of the oven and let it cool down (once cooled then you may take off the shells and fill it with any desired filling, I recommend a chocolate ganache).
• Decorate or leave it be, then enjoy.