Chilli Chocolate Macaroons

I can't say I was too thrilled with how the last batch of chocolate macaroons turned out - the batter was just too thick and they didn't rise particularly effectively. So I decided to try another recipe - one my mother had cut out of an old magazine (I can't find the reference unfortunately!). The batter looked like it would be way too thick and gloopy to rise at all - in fact, it looked like dogs doings on the baking parchment - but it actually rose! The tops cracked a bit, so the side didn't 'pop' like the professional ones do - but it kinda worked!

Instead of doing a plain old ganache, I decided to mix things up a little by putting a cocoa SMBC to work - and, since it's winter, warming things up a little with some chilli. NOTE: do NOT overdo the chilli powder - it will turn things from delicious to deadly if you're not careful! The filling was absolutely awesome - my boy ended up eating it out of the bowl.

Will definitely be using this recipe for all future chocolate macaroons. And FYI- the water trick is brilliant. I've always ended up with half the macaroons losing their middles to the baking paper - this trick really works.

Chilli Chocolate Macaroons
For the macaroons:
250 g icing sugar
140 g almond meal
25 g cocoa powder
100 g egg whites

For the filling:
2 egg whites
1/2 C sugar
125 g butter
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder (hot)

For the macaroons:

1. Preheat the oven to 220 C.
   
2. Sift the sugar, almond meal and cocoa powder into a bowl. (The original recipe says to use a food processor to combine and get out the lumps but I don't have one!)
3. Whip the egg whites until just firm but still glossy - to the soft peak stage.
4. Fold the egg whites, 1/3 at a time, into the dry mixture. It will seem really stiff - but don't worry, it rises well!
5. Pipe the mix into 2.5 cm diameter circles onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.
6. Put the macaroons in the oven and immediately turn down to 180 C.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
8. When the macaroons are done, lift up the baking paper and pour a little water (about 1/4 C) under the paper and tilt the tray to distribute. If you wait 20 seconds, the macaroons will lift off easily!
9. Place macaroons on a wire rack to cool.

For the filling:

1. Heat egg whites and sugar in a heat proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, whisking all the while. Allow the temperature to reach 76 C.
   
2. Once the mix is frothy and is at 76 C, remove from heat. Using an electric mixer, beat until firm peaks form.
3. Cut the butter up into 9 or so pieces. One piece at a time, beat in the butter (if it goes runny, just keep beating - it will eventually get to the consistancy of well whipped cream).
4. Once the mixture is firm, beat in the cocoa powder and half the chilli powder.
5. Taste - if you think it needs more chilli, add the rest - but it's supposed to be a tiny warming kick at the end - and some people are more sensitive than others!