Reese’s macarons

Reese’s macarons are utterly indulgent chocolate almond cookies filled with a creamy peanut butter filling. Decorated with chocolate and sprinkled with peanuts for extra crunch – a perfect combination! These macarons are made using Italian meringue, giving them a crisp exterior and a slightly chewy centre. Once filled with the peanut butter cream, they are stable and, in principle, do not require refrigeration. 

Ingredients for approximately 30 macarons (or about 40 mini macarons).

Ingredients for Reese’s macarons:

• 150 g ground almonds
• 115 g icing sugar
• 35 g cocoa powder
• 120 g egg whites (divided into 60 g + 60 g), at room temperature
• 185 g sugar (divided into 150 g + 35 g)
• 50 ml water

Place the almonds, icing sugar and cocoa powder in a food processor. Blend for approximately 2 minutes until combined. Sift through a very fine sieve into a large bowl, removing any larger pieces of almonds. Replace them with fresh, finely ground almonds (usually about 1 tsp). Add 60 g of the egg whites and mix thoroughly.

Place the remaining 60 g egg whites in the bowl of a mixer. The bowl must be completely dry and free from any traces of fat, and the egg whites should be perfectly separated from the yolks. Measure 35 g of sugar into a small cup and set aside.

Place 150 g sugar and 50 ml water in a small saucepan. Stir and bring to the boil. Attach a sugar thermometer and cook over medium heat, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 118°C (245°F).

Meanwhile, when the syrup reaches 100°C (210°F), start whipping the egg whites. Whip until stiff, then gradually add the 35 g sugar, one teaspoon at a time, continuing to whisk. When the syrup reaches the required temperature, immediately remove it from the heat and slowly pour it into the whipping egg whites in a thin stream. Initially, mix on low speed while pouring, making sure the syrup lands in the egg whites rather than on the sides of the bowl. Then increase the speed to maximum. Continue beating for 5–8 minutes, until the meringue has cooled. Add the Italian meringue to the almond mixture in three batches, mixing thoroughly after each addition. The mixture will become progressively looser and should eventually fall from the spatula in a thick, glossy ribbon. Important: If the mixture is overmixed, the macarons may spread too much on the baking mat; if undermixed, the batter will be too thick. This is the most difficult stage when making Italian-meringue macarons.

Line baking trays with silicone/teflon baking mats or baking paper. You will need at least 3 trays. Transfer the macaron batter to a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle. Hold the nozzle perpendicular to the tray and pipe macarons approximately 3 cm in diameter (about 2 cm for mini macarons), leaving plenty of space between them. Leave the macarons to dry until they are no longer sticky to the touch and a thin skin has formed on the surface. Depending on the humidity, this can take 20–60 minutes (it took me 60 minutes). Do not extend the drying time unnecessarily, as the shells may develop a skin that is too thick.

Bake at 160°C for approximately 12–15 minutes. Smaller macarons will need less time and larger ones slightly longer. The macarons should not brown. If they do, reduce the temperature and extend the baking time. Remove from the oven and leave on the mat or baking paper until completely cool.

Carefully remove the macarons from the tray and sandwich them together with the peanut butter filling.

Ingredients for the peanut butter filling:

• 150 g smooth peanut butter, at room temperature
• 75 g butter, at room temperature
• 100 g icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• a large pinch of salt

Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a mixer and beat until light and fluffy.

To decorate:

• a few squares of dark or semi-sweet chocolate, melted
• a small handful of peanuts, chopped

Place the melted chocolate in a piping bag and snip off the tip. Drizzle the chocolate over the macarons and sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Leave until the chocolate has set.

Storage:

Unfilled macarons can be stored for up to 7 days in an airtight container or frozen for up to 1 month. Once filled with the peanut butter cream, Reese’s macarons should ideally be stored in the refrigerator, although they can also remain at room temperature for quite some time.

Enjoy!