makes 30-32
THESE EXTRAVAGANT BISCUITS ARE NAMED AFTER SARAH BERNHARDT (1844-1923), AN ECCENTRIC FRENCH ACTRESS ABSOLUTELY ADORED BY HER AUDIENCES. ONE OF THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL STARS, SHE PERFORMED IN DENMARK ON ONE OF HER TOURS, AND THE DANES THANKED HER WITH THIS RECIPE.
ingredients
ganache
475 ml/16 fl oz double cream
3 tbsp clear honey
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
450 g/1 lb plain chocolate
almond macaroons
250 g/9 oz marzipan paste
90 g/3¼ oz caster sugar
1 tsp almond extract
½ tsp salt
2 egg whites
icing
175 g/6 oz plain chocolate, at least 70 per cent cocoa solids
2 tbsp vegetable oil
55 g/2 oz white chocolate, melted
1 To make the ganache, put the cream, honey, salt and vanilla extract into a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon until melted. Cover with clingfilm and leave to cool overnight.
2 Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Line a tray with greaseproof paper.
3 To make the macaroons, put the marzipan paste, sugar, almond extract and salt into a bowl and mix until well combined. Add the egg whites, one at a time, mixing well after each addition until combined.
4 Put the macaroon mixture into a piping bag fitted with a plain 1-cm/¼-inch nozzle and pipe 2-cm/¾-inch rounds on the baking paper-lined baking trays. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes.
5 Transfer the macaroons to the prepared tray. Fill a piping bag with the ganache and pipe a little mound on each macaroon. Sandwich pairs of macaroons together and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
6 To make the icing, put the plain chocolate into a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water and heat until melted. Remove from the heat, stir in the oil and leave to cool slightly.
7 Remove the macaroons from the refrigerator and dip into the chocolate icing. Leave to cool and set. Finally drizzle melted white chocolate over the plain chocolate icing.
8 Keep the biscuits in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
Recipe from Bake