These Swiss Almond Macaroons offer a delightful contrast of textures, featuring crisp, golden almond meringue shells encasing a smooth, decadent chocolate ganache. Made with finely ground blanched almonds and a stabilizing Swiss meringue base, they are light yet satisfying. The simple chocolate filling, crafted from heavy cream and semisweet chocolate, provides a luxurious bite that complements the nutty sweetness of the cookies. Perfect for tea time, holiday platters, or as a sophisticated dessert, these macaroons are a classic treat that balances elegance with home-style comfort. They require a bit of patience but reward you with a professional-quality result that is sure to impress guests and family alike.
Swiss Almond Macaroons
Description
These Swiss Almond Macaroons offer a delightful contrast of textures, featuring crisp, golden almond meringue shells encasing a smooth, decadent chocolate ganache. Made with finely ground blanched almonds and a stabilizing Swiss meringue base, they are light yet satisfying. The simple chocolate filling, crafted from heavy cream and semisweet chocolate, provides a luxurious bite that complements the nutty sweetness of the cookies. Perfect for tea time, holiday platters, or as a sophisticated dessert, these macaroons are a classic treat that balances elegance with home-style comfort. They require a bit of patience but reward you with a professional-quality result that is sure to impress guests and family alike.Ingredients
Directions
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Process almonds and 3 tablespoons of the sugar in a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulsing on and off until very finely ground.
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Add vanilla extract to the almond mixture.
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Pulse again and scrape down the inside of the work bowl with a metal spatula.
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Add water and pulse again to mix thoroughly.
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Leave the almond mixture in the work bowl while preparing the meringue.
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Whisk egg whites and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a mixer bowl.
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Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water (double boiler) and whisk continuously until egg whites are hot and sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes.
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Transfer the bowl to a mixer and whip the meringue until it has cooled and becomes fluffy and holds soft peaks.
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Add about 1/4 of the meringue to the food processor containing the almond mixture and pulse to combine.
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Add another 1/4 of the meringue and pulse to mix again.
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Remove the blade and scrape the almond-meringue mixture from the work bowl onto the remaining egg whites in the mixer bowl.
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Gently fold the almond mixture into the egg whites using a spatula until just combined.
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Scrape the almond-meringue mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/4-inch round tip.
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Cover two baking pans with parchment paper.
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Pipe 24 mounds (about 1/2-inch diameter) on each pan, leaving 1 inch between each macaroon.
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Bake at 375 degrees F (191C) until lightly golden, about 15 minutes.
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Switch pans from back to front and top to bottom once or twice during baking to ensure even browning.
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Cool macaroons completely on the pans.
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When cool, remove macaroons from the parchment paper.
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Bring whipping cream to a boil in a small saucepan.
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Remove from heat and add the chopped semisweet chocolate.
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Allow to stand for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth to create the ganache.
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Scrape the chocolate filling into a bowl and let it cool slightly until thickened enough to spread.
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To assemble, place a small dab of chocolate filling on the flat side of 24 baked macaroons.
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Press the flat sides of the remaining 24 macaroons against the filling to form sandwiches.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 2
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 233.7kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 10.0g16%
- Saturated Fat 0.7g4%
- Cholesterol 0.0mg0%
- Sodium 0.3mg1%
- Total Carbohydrate 34.7g12%
- Dietary Fiber 2.7g11%
- Sugars 31.0g
- Protein 4.3g9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Store assembled macaroons in an airtight container in a cool place. They are best served on the day they are prepared for optimal texture.
Ensure the egg whites are completely free of yolk for the best meringue structure.
The ganache should be thick but spreadable when assembling. If it becomes too hard to spread, let it warm slightly at room temperature.
You can vary the flavor by adding a pinch of salt to the meringue or using dark chocolate for a more intense cocoa flavor.