You likely know French macarons as dainty little almond meringue cookies, sandwiched with buttercream or jam in the middle. But did you know their ancestors, the original macarons, are simple little sweet almond cookies—far easier to make and just as delicious?
Their origin dates back to the seventeenth century, from various French cities all fiercely claiming their invention, of course, including Saint-Émilion, in southwestern France. These macarons were made by the city’s ursulines, using the almonds growing abundantly in their region. They are still very popular today, loved for their crisp shell and chewy insides.
And as if these macarons weren’t irresistible enough, they are also used to create a decadent cake that is another specialty from the city. Built from layers of macarons and rich chocolate ganache, this Saint-Émilion’s cake is an easy, yet absolutely decadent cake that is perfect for big occasions.
SERVES 8 / MAKES 1 CAKE
For the Macarons
2⅔ cups (320 g) powdered sugar
2 cups (200 g) ground almonds
½ tsp salt
4 large egg whites
For the Cake
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp (200 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
½ cup plus 1½ tbsp (75 g) powdered sugar ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp (205 ml) milk (2%)
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large egg yolks
7¾ oz (220 g) dark chocolate (70%)
2 tbsp (30 ml) Cognac or other brandy
2 tbsp (30 ml) water
To make the macarons, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4), and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together the powdered sugar, ground almonds and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to a medium peak and gently fold in the dry ingredients, until just incorporated. The batter will be fairly thick.
Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, spoon the batter onto the baking sheets into 24 small dollops, each 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter and 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Bake for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 300°F (150°C, or gas mark 2) and bake for an extra 5 to 6 minutes, until the macaron rims are slightly golden. Using a spatula, transfer the macarons from the baking sheets to a cooling rack.
To make the chocolate ganache, in a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and powdered sugar for 5 minutes until pale and fluffy.
Warm up the milk over medium-low heat with the vanilla extract in a small saucepan; you should still be able to safely dip a finger in it. Add the egg yolks, and whisk continuously until the milk thickens to a creamy consistency, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Melt the dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. When melted, whisk it into the milk-and-egg mixture. Then stir this mixture into the creamed butter and sugar.
To assemble the cake, line an 8-inch (20-cm) circular springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom and sides. Combine the Cognac and water in a small bowl.
Dip six macarons into the Cognac-water, line them at the bottom of the pan and spread out one-third of the chocolate ganache on top. Repeat this step twice, finishing with the last third of the chocolate ganache. Chill for at least 2 hours, until the ganache is set to a firm, fudge-like consistency.
Gently remove the cake from the pan, transfer to a serving plate and remove the parchment paper around it. Crush two to three of the remaining macarons, and sprinkle them on top for decoration. Serve immediately.