Description

Delight in these elegant Chocolate Hazelnut Macarons, featuring delicate almond and hazelnut shells filled with a rich chocolate ganache and creamy hazelnut paste. These macarons boast a perfect balance of nutty flavors and smooth chocolate, complemented by a crisp bite and a melt-in-the-mouth texture. Ideal for special occasions or sophisticated treats, this recipe guides you through the detailed technique to achieve flawless macarons with luscious filling and decorative finishes.

Ingredients

Macaron Shells

75 g Almond flour (finely grounded)
75 g Hazelnut flour (finely grounded)
150 g Icing sugar
55 g Egg whites (room temperature, divided)
120 g Granulated sugar
50 g Water
30 g Superfine sugar
Good pinch of salt

Chocolate Ganache Filling

300 g Milk chocolate (e.g., Callebaut milk chocolate, finely chopped)
180 g Heavy cream (36% fat)
Good pinch of salt

Hazelnut Paste Filling and Decoration

50 g Hazelnut paste (homemade or store-bought 100% hazelnut paste)
Small amount of roasted chopped hazelnuts (optional)
Melted chocolate (for decoration)

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Instructions

Make the Chocolate Ganache Filling: Finely chop the milk chocolate and place it in a bowl. Semi-melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds to avoid burning. Heat the heavy cream until just simmering, then pour it over the chocolate. Add a good pinch of salt. Let it sit for a minute, then stir gently or use a blender to emulsify until smooth. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to avoid skin formation and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight until it reaches a piping-consistency.
Prepare the Hazelnut Paste: Process roasted hazelnuts in a food processor until creamy to create homemade hazelnut paste, or use pre-made 100% hazelnut paste.
Prepare Dry Ingredients for Shells: Measure almond flour, hazelnut flour, and icing sugar accurately using a digital scale. Pulse blend these together for 5-10 seconds in a blender or food processor, then sift thoroughly for a fine powder texture.
Clean Equipment: Clean your mixing bowl and whisk attachment thoroughly by wiping them with vinegar to remove any grease that could affect the meringue formation.
Make the First Meringue: Place 55 g of egg white in a stand mixer and begin whisking on low to medium speed. Gradually add superfine sugar and continue whisking until soft peaks form.
Make the Sugar Syrup: Combine granulated sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Heat until the syrup reaches 118-120°C (244-248°F), monitored with a thermometer.
Make the Italian Meringue: As the sugar syrup reaches temperature, slowly pour it onto the side of the stand mixer bowl into the whisked egg whites while mixing on medium speed, ensuring syrup does not touch the whisk directly. Increase speed to medium-high and whisk until the meringue forms early stiff peaks and cools slightly.
Mix Dry Ingredients with Egg White: Combine the remaining 55 g of room temperature egg whites with the almond, hazelnut flour, and icing sugar mixture using a flexible rubber spatula until a smooth paste forms.
Fold Meringue into Nut Paste (Macaronage): Gently fold the meringue into the nut paste in three additions. The first loosens the paste, the second expels air and starts macaronage, and the third fine-tunes the batter to a ribbon-like consistency. Test by lifting the spatula and making a figure 8 with the flowing batter.
Pipe the Macaron Batter: Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle. Pipe uniform rounds onto silicone baking mats or parchment paper spaced sufficiently to allow spreading.
Remove Air Bubbles: Tap the baking tray several times on the counter and use a toothpick to pop any surface air bubbles.
Rest the Macarons: Let the piped macarons rest at room temperature for 25-40 minutes until a dry, firm skin forms. The time varies with kitchen humidity and temperature.
Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 155°C (311°F). It is recommended to preheat slightly higher by about 20°C to compensate for temperature loss when opening the oven door. Use a thermometer to verify accurate oven temperature.
Bake Macarons: Bake the rested macarons for 14-15 minutes. Adjust time depending on your oven's characteristics to avoid over or under baking.
Cool Macarons: Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack, leaving them on the silicone mat or parchment for 30 minutes until fully cool and able to be removed without sticking.
Pair Matching Sizes: Once cooled, pair macaron shells by similar sizes to ensure uniform sandwiches.
Assemble Filling: Pipe the chilled chocolate ganache onto one shell, pipe hazelnut paste in the center, and optionally sprinkle roasted chopped hazelnuts. Sandwich with a matching shell and gently press until filling slightly oozes out sides.
Decorate: Drizzle or decorate assembled macarons with melted chocolate and chopped hazelnuts for a finished look.
Age the Macarons: Refrigerate assembled macarons for at least 12 hours to allow the filling to soften the shells and develop optimal flavor and texture.

Notes

Accuracy in weighing ingredients is crucial for macaron success, so use a precise digital scale.
Ensure egg whites are at room temperature before whisking to achieve better volume in meringue.
Cleanliness of equipment impacts meringue stability; avoid any grease or residue.
Control the humidity and temperature in your kitchen as macarons are sensitive; resting times may vary accordingly.
Use silicone mats or parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease of removal after baking.
Allow macarons to age in the refrigerator; this maturation improves texture and flavor.
Adjust baking time or temperature slightly according to your oven’s performance to avoid hollow shells or cracking.
For the best ganache texture, use high-quality milk chocolate.