So while the fad of the charcoal is still high in the food and baking culture, i’m going to jump on it and try it out as well! Yes you read that correctly, charcoal, to eat, in like food and stuff.. 😀 And don’t worry, it’s ‘really’ a thing! Ive used ‘Activated Coconut Charcoal’ and decided to create something I know i’m super duper great at – macarons! And of course the filling, is chocolate ganache cream but with charcoal! Literally a midnights dream! So for all of those that love the colour black – well wait no more, because here is your new favourite black coloured dessert!

Its takes a little patience, as its macaron baking, but its worth it!

Here’s how you bake it!

INGREDIENTS: 

The Charcoal Macaron Shell –

• 150g Almond Flour
• 150g Icing Sugar
• 2x55g Egg White (can be the egg white of 2 or 3 eggs depending on how small or large they are)
• 50g Water
• 150g Granulated Sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp Activated Coconut Charcoal

The Dark Charcoal Chocolate Ganache Frosting –  

• 12 oz dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp Activated Coconut Charcoal – here is a link to where I purchased mine – click

METHOD –

The Charcoal Macaron Shell – 

1.  Sieve the almond flour and icing sugar twice until only the fine flour remains without any lumps. Mix together in a bowl.
2. Add 55g of egg white to the flour mix. Mix until the dry ingredients become a paste like texture.
3. On medium to low heat boil the granulated sugar with water together. Do not stir, just let it bubble until it reaches 118 °C .
4. In a separate bowl whip the remaining 55g egg white until frothy and once the water/sugar mixture reaches the correct temperature pour into the frothy egg white slowly and from an edge of the bowl. This is to make sure that the water/sugar does not splash around or outside of the bowl. Mix while pouring at a high speed. Once the mixture starts becoming a thick merengue add in the charcoal. And mix at low speed until the colour is evenly distributed.
5. Pour in all the merengue mixture into the almond paste and mix with a spatula. This is a vital point in the baking – as you Must mix around the bowl and then cut through the dough making sure that there is air coming into the merengue and almond paste mixture. Don’t be too rough with the mixing. And mix only until the mixture falls off the spatula in a ribbon like manor.
6. At this point heat up your oven to 100 °C .
7. Pour the mixture into a piping bag and using a round plain nib make small disks about a 1/2 inch diameter on your baking sheet. You can always buy silicon sheets which are reusable and have the circle marking for you to pipe onto for ease. The silicone mats work just as well as regular baking paper. You should end up with around 30 macaron disks on one baking tray and this batch should make two trays.
8. Once all your Macarons are piped, tap your pan twice to release any air bubbles you may see. Sometimes it takes more taps – just make sure no bubbles appear and the disks look smooth. Leave for 20 min outside to rest. (I dusted some extra charcoal over mine for an extra touch, but you really don’t have to do that – plus it makes a mess!)This period of resting helps the macaron create its ‘shell’ so once it starts baking that’s when the shell rises and you see the ‘foot’ which is a skirt like formation being created on the bottom of the macaron. *NOTE* You can start your Ganache at this point – because it will need time to set and rest. Look below for the method.
9. Once the 20 min are done turn your heat up to 150 °C and pop in one tray. (From my experience one tray at a time works best) leave to bake for 8 min, then open the oven for 10 sec exactly, close and bake for another 8 min.
10. Take out your Macaron shells and let cool on a cooling wrack.

The Dark Chocolate Ganache Frosting – 

1. In a medium sized bowl, add in the chocolate and sea salt. And put aside.
2. In a small saucepan, pour the cream, butter and charcoal. Mix over medium heat until the cream starts to bubble and boil. Watch this carefully so the cream doesn’t overspill. Once it starts bubbling, pour immediately over the chocolate. And leave it for 10 min. Do NOT mix! .. not yet.
3. After 10 min have past, take a whisk, and whisk the mixture until it all comes together into a shiny, glossy cream like texture. Then place into the fridge for 40 min.
4. Once hardened in the fridge, take out and using an elective hand held whisk, whisk the ganache until it becomes a thick frosting-like texture.
5. And voila! Your midnight black charcoal frosting is ready!

Assembly –  

Place one macaron shell with the flat side up, pipe roughly 1 tbsp of dark charcoal frosting in the centre. Then place another macaron shell on top with flat side down (toward the ganache/frosting).

Repeat this method with all, and there you have it! Your’e very own darkest of dark, midnight macarons are ready to be eaten and enjoyed!

Enjoy!