Cocoa Hazelnut Macarons with Buttercream Filling

 Hi, Everybody! Happy Weekend! Yet another busy week has gone by, and I'm so happy that the weekend is here again! I wanted to share these Cocoa Hazelnut Macarons with you today; you see, macarons have been like my culinary Mount Everest, an unattainable feat. I have tried making them unsuccessfully before and have been so intimidated ever since, but have finally decided to give them a try again! The result? Well, let's just say much better than the last time! These aren't quite the classic Parisian macarons as they use ground hazelnuts instead of almond flour, but I really liked the sound of the recipe, and they turned out pretty well! They are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, and the cocoa and hazelnut flavors work really well together! Here's what I did...

COCOA HAZELNUT MACARONS 

*Makes about 20 Macarons*
(Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens)

YOU WILL NEED:
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup finely ground hazelnuts
2 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
3 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Dash of salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. In your electric mixer bowl, combine the egg whites, vanilla and salt. Beat until frothy, then, with the mixer running, add the granulated sugar in three parts. Beat on high speed for a couple of minutes, until stiff glossy white peaks form.

2. In a smaller bowl, combine ground hazelnuts, powdered sugar and cocoa. Very gently stir this mixture into the egg white mixture. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and fill a decorating bag with the macaron mixture (you will need about a 1/2 inch decorating tip). Pipe 1 1/2 inch circles onto your parchment paper lined baking sheets, leaving about an inch between the circles. Let them sit for about a half hour, then bake at 325deg F for 8 - 9 minutes.

*Notes - I made a simple buttercream filling for the macarons, but you could definitely use a chocolate or even a Nutella filling here. I wasn't sure why my macaron shells cracked, so I looked it up and found out that humidity has a significant effect on this. And since it's super hot and humid outside, I guess it's possible!

Happy Baking, Everyone! Have a great weekend!

I will be linking to:

Mangia Mondays at Delightfully Dowling, Makin' You Crave Mondays, Skip to My Lou, Tip Junkie, Cozy Home Scenes, The Shabby Nest, My Romantic Home, Chic on a Shoestring Decorating, Bubbly Nature Creations, Tatertots and Jello, Six Sisters' Stuff, Be Different, Act Normal and Country Momma Cooks.