French Mocha Macaroon Tart Recipes

BASIC FRENCH MACARONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in lower third. Place almonds in a food processor; process until as fine as possible, about 1 minute. Add confectioners' sugar; process until combined, about 1 minute.
• Pass almond mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Transfer solids in sieve to food processor; grind and sift again, pressing down on clumps. Repeat until less than 2 tablespoons of solids remains in sieve.
• Whisk egg whites and granulated sugar by hand to combine. Beat on medium speed (4 on a KitchenAid) 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high (6) and beat 2 minutes. Then beat on high (8) 2 minutes more.
• The beaten egg whites will hold stiff, glossy peaks when you lift the whisk out of the bowl. Add flavoring and food coloring, if desired, and beat on highest speed 30 seconds.
• Add dry ingredients all at once. Fold with a spatula from bottom of bowl upward, then press flat side of spatula firmly through middle of mixture. Repeat just until batter flows like lava, 35 to 40 complete strokes.
• Rest a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch round tip (Ateco #804) inside a glass. Transfer batter to bag; secure top. Dab some batter remaining in bowl onto corners of 2 heavy baking sheets; line with parchment.
• With piping tip 1/2 inch above sheet, pipe batter into a 3/4-inch round, then swirl tip off to one side. Repeat, spacing rounds 1 inch apart. Tap sheets firmly against counter 2 or 3 times to release air bubbles.
• Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until risen and just set, 13 minutes. Let cool. Pipe or spread filling on flat sides of half of cookies; top with remaining half. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate.

MIX-AND-MATCH FRENCH MACARONS

Steps:

• Pulse confectioners' sugar and almond flour in a food processor until combined. Sift mixture 2 times.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and whisk until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low, then add superfine sugar. Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Sift flour mixture over whites, and fold until mixture is smooth and shiny.
• Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip, and pipe 3/4-inch rounds 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, dragging pastry tip to the side of rounds rather than forming peaks. Tap bottom of each sheet on work surface to release trapped air. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 10 minutes. After each batch, increase oven temperature to 375 degrees, heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees.
• Let macarons cool on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. (If macarons stick, spray water underneath parchment on hot sheet. The steam will help release macarons.)
• Sandwich 2 same-size macarons with 1 teaspoon filling. Serve immediately.

FRENCH MOCHA MACAROON TART

Steps:

• For Crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom with foil, carefully pressing up sides and into grooves. Brush foil with vegetable oil. Finely grind first 4 ingredients in processor. Add egg white and vanilla and blend until mixture almost forms balls. Press onto bottom (not up sides) of prepared pan, using wet finger-tips as aid. Bake until crust looks dry and feels firm, about 14 minutes. Cool.
• For Dark Chocolate Filling:
• Bring first 4 ingredients to simmer in heavy medium saucepan, stirring ocassionally. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
• For White Chocolate Filling:
• Bring first 3 ingredients to simmer in heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Add white chocolate and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in sour cream. Pour 1/2 cup of mixture into small bowl; add butter to mixture in small bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside for garnish.
• Drop dark chocolate filling and remaining white chocolate filling alternately by 1/4 cupfuls onto crust. Swirl fillings together using tip of knife. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
• Freeze reserved 1/2 cup white chocolate filling until firm enough to pipe, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Lift tart from pan using foil sides as aid. Peel down foil sides. Turn tart on side and carefully peel foil off bottom of tart. Place tart on platter. Spoon reserved white chocolate filling into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe white chocolate mixture around edge of tart. Garnish with almonds. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead; refrigerate. Cover when firm and keep refrigerated.) Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.