Try out this Chartreuse and walnut macaron recipe
This tasty treat combines the liquer from Isère with a nutty flavour to create one France's favourite confectioneries
Food colouring is optional but can help your macarons pop
Laurent Dupont
"A macaron that pays homage to Grenoble and two of its emblematic products:
Chartreuse and walnuts”, Thierry Court for Thierry Court Créations.
This recipe makes 100 macarons and takes around 1h30 to prepare. They only need around 15 minutes to cook although they will need to rest overnight.
Ingredients
For the Chartreuse and walnut ganache:
65g shelled walnuts
265g whipping cream
265g white chocolate
50g green Chartreuse
For the walnut macaron shells:
250g almond flour
125g walnut flour, plus extra for dusting
385g icing sugar
8½ large (UK medium/280g) egg whites
375g caster sugar
Green food colouring and brown food colouring
Method
1. To make the Chartreuse and walnut ganache: One day before, chop and roast the walnuts at 160°C for 15 minutes.
Heat the cream, add the roasted walnuts, and let infuse.
Add the walnut-infused cream, a little at a time, to the white chocolate, stirring with a silicone spatula (palette knife) to emulsify.
Add the Chartreuse and blend with an immersion (stick) blender. Refrigerate at least overnight.
2. To make the walnut macaron shells: Mix the almond and walnut flours with the confectioners’ sugar and sift together. Add half the egg whites and mix until smooth.
Heat the superfine sugar with 110g water to make a syrup.
When the syrup reaches 115°C, start beating the remaining egg whites in a stand mixer.
When the syrup is at 120°C, pour it over the egg whites and beat to an Italian meringue.
When the meringue drops to 40°C, fold it into the batter.
3. Divide the batter into two halves and, if you like, add a little green food colouring to one half and brown to the other.
Finish by mixing briskly (a process known as macaronage), leaving a smooth and glossy batter that spreads slightly.
4. Pipe 4cm-diameter macaron shells on a sheet of parchment (baking) paper or a fibreglass and silicone baking mat. Decorate by lightly dusting with walnut flour.
Bake in a convection (fan-assisted) oven at 160°C for 12 to 14 minutes.
5. Assembly: When cold, turn the shells over and pipe with Chartreuse ganache.
Top with a shell of a different colour.
This recipe is from the cookbook Sweet France from François Blanc and can be purchased on Amazon, Fnac and other book sellers.
