Ginger Macarons Filled with White Chocolate Ganache
30 filled cookies (60 individual cookies)
2 ¼ cups sliced almonds, toasted, cooled and finely ground
3 cups confectionary’s sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
7 large egg whites, divided equally in half
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
13 ounces of white chocolate, chopped (or purchased morsels)
1 ¼ cups heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla paste
1) Toast the almond slices and let cool.
2) Prepare a template using a 1 ½” biscuit cutter to draw twenty circles on a piece of parchment the same size as your baking sheets. Space the circles at least 3/4” apart. Then line three baking sheets with parchment paper cut to fit the pans.
3) Grind the toasted almonds to a fine mix (the texture of cornmeal) and, in a medium bowl, whisk them together with the confectionary’s sugar and ground ginger.
4) Pour half the egg whites over the almond mix and fold together with a spatula into a thick paste. Set aside.
5) Place the remaining egg whites in a smaller bowl and add the granulated sugar. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and gently whisk until the sugar is melted and the mixture reaches 150 degrees F. (I use a digital thermometer.)
6) Pour the egg white/sugar mixture into the bowl of a standing mixer and whisk on high speed until the mixture transforms into a glossy meringue. This could take between three to five minutes.
7) Gently fold the meringue into the almond paste. Start with ¼ of the meringue to lighten the paste and then fold in the remaining meringue.
8) Slide your template under the parchment on your first baking sheet. Use a piping bag with a round tip to pipe the mixture, filling the circles. I f necessary, wet your finger and gently tap down any tips on the piped cookies.
9) Gently slide the template out and follow the same procedure to pipe the circles on the second pan and then the third. Leave the pans, uncovered, for thirty minutes to dry the tops of your macarons before baking.
10) Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Bake one pan at a time for fifteen minutes, rotating after nine minutes. Leave the macarons to cool completely on the baking sheets.
11) Heat the 1 ¼ cups of heavy cream to a simmer in a small pan. Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate and let sit five minutes. Add the vanilla paste and gently whisk until the ganache is smooth and silky. Let cool completely to a piping consistency. This could take an hour or so.
12) Using a piping bag with a star tip, pipe a little ganache into the center of half the cookies leaving a narrow space around the edges. Sandwich the cookies together and refrigerate the finished cookies until you are ready to serve.
