Chocolate French Macarons

I saw an adorable book called “I Love Macarons” and I just had to try my hand at this notoriously finicky recipe. For starters, I had to do my research. Apparently everyone has their own version of what makes a good macaron (and we’re not talking about those globs of coconut…). Step two was procuring the right ingredients—organic powdered sugar, eggs, cocoa powder, and almond meal. The macarons began by whipping egg whites and folding in the almond meal, and sugar/cocoa until the mixture was glossy and ribbon like in texture. After placing it in a piping bag, I made half-dollar sized circles onto a silpat, where I let them dry out for thirty minutes before baking them in a 375-degree oven for 14 minutes. I knew I had done it right when I saw the famous “foot” appear. Once the macarons had cooled I held them together with nutella, for a delicious chocolate and hazelnut treat. I can’t wait to try them again!