Black Sesame Italian Macaron 黑芝麻意式馬卡龍

This batch is perfect! I was failed at least 4 times before making this batch of macarons. Why? Because I want to use French meringue for making macarons. I like the crispy texture more than the Italian Meringue. And the French way is much easier. However, I never succeed. Fail fail fail....:( 

I want to make some macarons to all moms in my fellowship group for mother's day this year. I need to be successful this time. Therefore, I made Italian Macarons for guarantee successful. Here we are!!! It is full of black sesame aroma. For the fillings, I use store bought Black Sesame Paste.  

Ingredients:

(make around 45-50 macarons - ~90-100 shells)

50g almond powder

100g black sesame powder

150g icing sugar

120g (approx. 4) egg whites (divided into 2 parts 60g/60g) room temperature

170g sugar (separate into 20g + 150g)

50g water

Directions:

1 Prepare egg whites 1 day before making. And remove them from the fridge 1 hour before use to bring them back to room temperature.

2. Pour icing sugar + almond powder + black sesame powder into food processor to obtain a fine powder. Sift them into a bowl and add 2 (60g) non-beaten egg whites .

3. Place the other 2 egg whites (60g) in a stainless steel bowl. Mix in 20g sugar then whisk until firm with an electric whisk on a low speed.

4. In the mean time, pour the water and 150g sugar in a pan. Heat until you obtain a syrup and has a temperature of 110C/230F. Remove the pan from heat as soon as the temperature is reached.

5. When syrup is ready, pour onto the meringue mix ( from step 3). Pour syrup near the edge and not near the whisk, keep whisking on an average speed until the mixture cools completely. The meringue mist be firm but smooth. It's ready when you can form stiff peaks with the whisk.

6. Mix the Italian Meringue into the powders and non-beaten egg whites (Pour in first quarter of the meringue and then gently fold together with a silicone spatula). Add in quarters, the remaining meringue and repeat the same process until it is all thoroughly mixed together. (the mixture must be shiny and slightly runny like Lava). And you must stop at the right moment.

If mixed too much it will become liquid and the macarons will not develop perfect edges during cooking...if it is not mixed enough the macarons will split during cooking!

7.  Once the mixture is ready, pour it in pastry bag and use the round nozzle.

8. Place silicon mat on (cold) baking pan. Place a small drop, about 2 cm wide.

9. Slightly tap the grill pan on the counter top to remove any air bubbles.

10. Leave (to crisp) at least 15-30minutes at room temperature (the shells are ready once they no longer stick to your finger)

11. Preheat oven to 150C/300F. Place macaron sheet in preheated oven and cook for 20-30mintues. 

Temperatures may vary from one oven to another, the cooking process must be monitored carefully and tests must be carried out to find the most adapted process: the shells must not dry out.