Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Macarons

Directions

• MAKE THE CHOCOLATE PASTRY CREAM
• Add cream to a saucepan over low heat. You want to heat the cream but not boil it.
• In a medium bowl, add cocoa powder, flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and instant espresso. Stir to combine.
• Add egg yolks to cocoa mixture and stir.
• Slowly add about ¼ of the cream to the mixture and stir to combine. Repeat this until all the cream is incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
• Return contents to saucepan and increase heat to medium. Stir constantly to prevent any burning on the bottom of the saucepan. The mixture should thicken within 5 minutes to a pudding consistency.
• Once a pudding consistency is reached, add vanilla and stir to combine.
• Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap ensure that the wrap is touching the top of the pastry cream. If it is exposed to air it will form a skin, which is not what you want here. Place in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours and up to 24 hours before piping.
• SHELLS
• Combine almond flour, confectioners sugar, and cocoa powder in a food processor. Pulse several times until thoroughly combined and mixture no longer contains clumps. Set aside.
• Measure out egg whites, then add to a large bowl with salt and cream of tartar. Beat on high speed until egg whites appear foamy (approx 30s).
• Add granulated sugar slowly, and continue to beat on high speed until egg whites become a fluffy merengue (approx 3-5 min). You want the egg whites to have soft peaks at this point, meaning that when you stop the mixer and pull the beaters out, the egg white tips fold over onto themselves and don’t stand up straight.
• Add vanilla and chocolate extracts and continue to beat until you achieve stiff peaks, meaning the egg white tips do not fold over on themselves.
• Take your flour and confectioners sugar mixture and sift it using a fine sieve or manual sifter onto the top of the merengue. Discard any clumps or balls that do not sift properly.
• Using a spatula, fold the flour mixture into the merengue, in other words, do not furiously whisk, but gently scoop the ingredients onto the spatula and then over onto itself. You should expect to continue this folding process for about 50 turns. Make sure you press out some of the air as you do so. You will continue until the mixture is completely combined and resembles lava as you lift your spatula and let it drop into the bowl. It should flow slowly in an even stream. You are now ready to pipe your shells.
• Prepare a silicon baking sheet or parchment paper on a baking tray. Transfer your batter into a piping bag with a 1a round piping tip attempting to avoid any extra air bubbles in the process.
• Pipe ½ inch round discs onto your baking sheet, one sheet at a time. Pick up the baking sheet and slam it onto the counter or cooking surface 4-5 times to remove extra air bubbles. Use a toothpick to fill air bubble holes or pop larger air bubbles. Continue with the 2nd and 3rd baking sheet. You should be able to pipe approx 50-60 circles with this recipe.
• Set aside and allow to dry for 45 min to 1 hr or until the shells are not sticky to the touch. You want the shells to form a nice skin and dry completely prior to baking. Place shells in a draft free location in order for them to dry evenly.
• Preheat oven to 275°.
• Bake one tray at a time at 275° for 15 minutes. If your oven is electric, you should not need to turn the tray mid-bake. If your oven often bakes uneven or is gas, you may need to turn your tray after 7-8 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from baking mat/parchment paper. Add filling and enjoy! For best results, allow macarons to sit for 24 hrs in the fridge before eating. This will allow the cookie to develop fully with better texture and flavor.
• WHIPPED PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
• While the macarons are cooling, make the peanut butter frosting.
• Add peanut butter, confectioners sugar and vanilla to a bowl. With an electric hand mixer, or stand mixer, beat the contents until combined.
• Add butter 1 tbsp at a time and continue to beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy.
• FILLING THE MACARONS
• Add peanut butter frosting and pastry cream to two separate piping bags.
• Pipe the peanut butter around the outside edge of one side of the shells.
• Pipe the pastry cream into the middle of the peanut butter.
• Place the other half of the shell on top.
• Enjoy!