macaron sandwich cake
Fancy little French macarons and big fat fudgy brownies don’t seem like they would have anything in common, but they have a similar satisfying texture: a delicate crisp and shiny top that adorns a meltingly soft, squidgy center. In this cake, rather than having to pipe dozens of individual shells to be assembled, two large sugary almond macaron shells are sandwiched together with a smooth and dense sour cream ganache. It’s the perfect filling to brighten up the flavor and prevent the cake from being cloying, something that both macarons and brownies tend to be.
For an added textural element, a good handful of chopped toasted hazelnuts can be thrown into the filling and scattered across the top of the cookie before baking.
INGREDIENTS:
For the macaron cookie
60g egg whites (about 2, but it will probably be more than that, so put the extra into the yolks)
144g powdered sugar (1 1/4 cup)
84g almond flour (or ground pumpkin seeds for a nut free version) (7/8 cup)
20g cocoa powder (about 1/4 cup)
1g Salt (1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/8 teaspoon table salt)
For the ganache
100g dark chocolate, 72 % cocoa (if you don’t have a scale, count how many squares your chocolate bar has to determine the weight)
200g sour cream (about 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons)
40g butter (about 3 tablespoons)
1g Salt (1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/8 teaspoon table salt)
To make the macaron cookies, sift together the powdered sugar, ground almonds, and cocoa powder
DIRECTIONS
Make the macaron cookie
Start whisking the egg whites with the salt, preferably with an electric whisk or stand mixer (it is possible to do it by hand, but it will take longer. Continue whisking until firm, shiny peaks form. You’ll know you got there when you get pointy “bird beaks” when you lift the whisk.
Drop the sifted powders into the bowl and fold them in with a spatula. Continue mixing until you have a smooth, shiny mixture that forms a thick ribbon as it falls from the spatula.
Spead the batter evenly on two sheet pans lined with parchment paper (aluminum works too). Alternatively, you can make one big cookie that you will cut in half when it is cooked. that’s what I did for the cake in the picture above. the cake ends up as a half moon!)
Bake at 325F for about 15 minutes, or until firm and shiny on top. Let cool completely.
To make the ganache, start by melting the chocolate, the easiest way to do this is to put in a bowl placed right on top of another bowl filled with hot water (from the tap or a recently boiled kettle).The bowl should be touching the water, but don’t put too much or it will overflow. No need to worry about a double boiler. You can encourage the chocolate to melt by gently pressing on it from time to time, to get it closer to the warm bowl. When it’s completely melted, mix with the sour cream. You will notice it will thicken in front of your very eyes, but don’t be alarmed. You can add a little more cream if it seems too thick to you.
To assemble the cake, flip one of the cookies upside down. Spread the ganache thickly and evenly over the whole surface with a spatula or large knife. Top with the other cookie, pressing gently and wiggling slightly to make sure it adheres to the filling.
Unfortunately, this is one of those “you have to wait” cakes. It truly is better after an overnight, or at least several hours long beauty rest. The ganache will have time to fully set and bond with the cookie portions, softening them just enough to form a perfect crispy-soft alchemy. It’s nothing short of magical.
