Hazelnut Mocha Macarons
Hazelnut macaron shells flavored with espresso and cocoa powder, filled with espresso Italian meringue buttercream.
Servings 50 Macarons
Calories 102kcal
Ingredients
Macaron Base
- 212 grams hazelnut flour
- 212 grams powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp espresso powder
- 82 grams egg whites room temperature
Italian Meringue
- 90 grams egg whites room temperature
- 236 grams granulated sugar
- 90 grams water
Espresso Italian Meringue Buttercream
- 2 egg whites room temperature
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of cream of tartar
- 5 oz sugar divided
- 1.5 oz water
- 8 oz unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 Tbsp espresso powder
- Hot water
Instructions
Hazelnut Mocha Macaron Shells
- Cut parchment paper to fit your baking sheet or line with silicone mats. Set aside.
- Place hazelnut flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and espresso powder in a food processor and pulse to grind as finely as possible. Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl, discarding any large bits, and whisk to combine. If you have a lot of larger chunks, pulse these again with a scoop or two of the finely ground mixture. Repeat until you are discarding less than 20g of large chunks.
- Place the 90 grams of egg whites for the Italian Meringue into the bowl of a standing mixer with a whisk attachment. In a small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water and place over medium- high heat. DO NOT stir once the sugar begins to boil. Stir just to combine and leave it be after that.
- When the sugar hits 203℉ begin to whip the egg whites in the stand mixer at medium speed to soft peaks. If the egg whites hit soft peaks before the syrup is ready, bump the speed to low.
- Once the syrup hits 245℉, remove from the heat. Bump the mixer's speed down to medium- low and very slowly pour the syrup into the bowl, making sure not to hit the whisk. It's best to aim for the edge of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and whip for about 5- 8 minutes, or until the whites hold stiff, glossy peaks.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the 82 grams of egg whites. Stir about ⅓ of the meringue into the flour mixture until well combined. You can be a bit rough with this first addition. Now gently fold in the remaining meringue until just before you hit ribbon stage.
- Transfer the mixture to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch tip (2A). Holding the bag straight up, pipe circles onto your baking sheet by applying even pressure (don't try to draw a circle). If you are using a template, you want to fill the circles until just shy of the edge. They will spread a bit in the next step.
- Firmly bang baking sheet on the counter several times to even the batter and loosen any air bubbles. Use a toothpick to pop any surface bubbles and even out any bumps. Bang the sheet on the counter again.
- Let the macarons sit on the counter for about an hour to form a skin. When you touch the surface it should feel dry.
- About 30 minutes before the macarons are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 310°F. Once the macarons are dry, bake one sheet at a time for 14 minutes, rotating the sheet every 5 minutes. Keep an eye on them and adjust the baking temperature and time as needed.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5- 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Espresso Italian Meringue Buttercream
- Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a balloon whisk. Begin whipping on a low speed to break up the eggs. Add the salt and cream of tartar.
- Place the water and 4 ounces of sugar in a small saucepan and stir to combine. Heat over medium heat while you work on the meringue.
- Bump the mixer up to a medium speed and gradually add the remaining ounce of sugar one spoonful at a time. Let the egg whites whip until they form soft peaks. Turn the speed to low if they hit soft peaks before the syrup is ready.
- Once the sugar syrup hits 245°F, bump the mixer down to a medium- low speed. Slowly and carefully drizzle the syrup in, being cautious not to hit the whisk. Whisk the meringue on a medium- high speed until it reaches room temperature, about 10- 20 minutes.
- Switch to the paddle attachment and begin beating the butter in one tablespoon at a time. While the mixture will deflate at first, if it is still soupy after all the butter has been added, chill for 5- 10 minutes and continue beating.
- After all of the butter has been added, scrape down the bowl and beat until thick and fluffy, just a few minutes. In a tiny bowl, combine the espresso powder with a small dash of warm water. Stir to combine. Add this slurry to the buttercream a bit at a time until you reach the desired flavor.
Macaron Assembly
- Pair up the macaron shells by size and fill a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
- Pipe a blob of frosting into the center of a macaron shell, stopping before the frosting reaches the edge. Top with the other macaron shell and press lightly to spread out the buttercream.
- Place the finished macarons in the fridge overnight. Take them out about 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Add brown food gel to the shells or buttercream for a deeper color.