Blackberry Filled Macaroons Sandwich Cookies Recipe

How to make it

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• Equipment: a food processor with a sharp blade or an electric coffee/spice grinder; a large pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch plain tip or a quart-size sealable bag with a corner snipped off; an offset spatula.
• PreparationMake macarons batter:
• Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Grind almond flour or almonds with confectioners sugar in food processor until powdery, 30 seconds for almond flour, about 2 minutes for almonds. (If using grinder, grind in small batches.)
• Sift through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl (if not fine enough for almost all of nuts to go through sieve, regrind).
• Sift again into a large bowl.
• Stir together espresso powder and vanilla in a cup until powder has dissolved.
• Beat egg whites with salt in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks.
• Beat in granulated sugar, a little at a time. Increase speed to high and beat until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks, about 1 minute.
• Add espresso mixture and mix at low speed until incorporated.
• Fold meringue into almond mixture with a rubber spatula until completely incorporated. (Meringue will deflate and batter will be loose.)
• Pipe and bake macarons:
• Put small dabs of batter under corners of parchment to secure to baking sheets.
• Spoon half of batter into pastry bag.
• Holding bag vertically just above baking sheet, pipe 1 1/2-inch-wide mounds of batter about 1 inch apart, stopping pressure and flicking tip sideways to avoid peaks (tamp down any peaks with a wet finger).
• Refill pastry bag and repeat.
• Let macarons stand, uncovered, at room temperature until a light crust forms, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.
• Bake macarons, switching position of sheets halfway through, until crisp and interior does not give easily when gently pressed, 22 to 28 minutes total.
• Cool completely on baking sheets (to harden bottoms) on racks, about 30 minutes.
• Loosen macarons from parchment with offset spatula (they will be fragile).
• Assemble cookies:
• Sandwich flat sides of macarons together with a thin layer of jelly.
• Layer macarons between sheets of parchment in an airtight container and let stand at room temperature at least 2 hours to soften before eating.
• Cooks' note: Filled macarons (of any flavor) can be kept in an airtight container wrapped in plastic wrap, chilled 2 days or frozen 1 month.
• Bring to room temperature in wrapped container (to avoid condensation), about 1 hour if chilled or 2 hours if frozen.
• Variations:
• Chocolate earl grey macarons:
• •Add 3 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder (preferably Valrhona) to almond flour or almonds when grinding.
• •Omit instant-espresso powder and vanilla.
• •
• Grind 1 teaspoon Earl Grey tea (from 1 tea bag) to a fine powder in an electric coffee/spice grinder.
• Sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon (reserve remainder) on macarons before baking.
• •
• Fill with chocolate Earl Grey ganache:
• Bring 1/2 cup cream and remaining 3/4 teaspoon tea powder to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan.
• Remove from heat and stir in 3 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate (60% to 64% cacao if marked) and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter until smooth.
• Chill, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Transfer to a sealable bag.
• Snip off a corner and pipe to fill macarons. (There will be ganache left over.)
• Grapefruit macarons:
• Add 2 teaspoons grated grapefruit zest to almond flour or almonds when grinding.
• Omit instant-espresso powder and vanilla.
• Beat 6 drops red food coloring into meringue.
• Fill with grapefruit marmalade.
• Coconut passion-fruit macarons::
• Add 1 cup unsweetened grated dried coconut (3 ounces) to almond flour or almonds when grinding.
• Omit instant-espresso powder and vanilla.
• Beat 6 drops yellow food coloring into meringue.
• Fill with passion-fruit curd: Whisk together 1/3 cup thawed passion-fruit purée, 1/3 cup sugar, 3 large egg yolks, and a pinch of salt in a small heavy saucepan.
• Add 1/2 stick butter (cut into pieces).
• Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, whisking, then simmer, whisking constantly, until curd is thick, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Cool completely.
• Transfer to a sealable bag. Snip off a corner and pipe to fill macarons. (There will be curd left over.)
• Pistachio-cardamom macarons:
• Substitute 1/3 cup unsalted shelled pistachios plus 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom for half of the almond flour or almonds when grinding.
• Omit instant-espresso powder and vanilla.
• Beat 4 drops green and 3 drops yellow food coloring into meringue.
• Fill with apricot jam.