Recipes from ATELIER CRENN: Metamorphosis of Taste by Dominique Crenn. Copyright © 2015 by

Dominique Crenn. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights

reserved.

Many people don’t realize that most of the flavor in macarons originates with the filling component,

rather than the cookie shell. If you were to taste the shells right out of the oven, they might seem

overbaked and underflavored, but because we press the shells together with the ganache and allow them

to mature in the refrigerator, they soften and acquire the flavor of the filling. The amount of time needed

to mature will depend, in part, on the fat content of the filling: We need forty-eight hours to mature the

ganache-filled macarons in this recipe, but when we make our raspberry-rose or blackberry-jasmine

macarons, they are ready in just six hours, because the moisture of fruit fillings acts more rapidly to soften

and infuse the shells with flavor. | Makes 100

Cedar Macarons I N G R E D I E N T S

225 grams (2⅓ cups) almond flour

225 grams (1¾ cups) confectioners’ sugar

1½ whole vanilla beans

6 large eggs

225 grams (1 cup plus 2¾ tablespoons) granulated sugar

7 drops green food coloring

135 grams (4.75 ounces) unsweetened white chocolate

110 grams (½ cup) heavy cream

7 drops cedar essence

Kosher salt

3 (6-inch) fresh green cedar branches EQUIPMENT

Sifter

Stand mixer with whisk attachment

Cooking thermometer

Rubber spatula

2 pastry bags

Teflon or silicone mat

Immersion blender

Pestle

At least 2 days before serving:

• In a large bowl, sift together the almond flour and confectioners’ sugar. Split the vanilla beans

lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the almond-sugar mixture. Discard the scraped pods or reserve for

another use.

• Separate the eggs, reserving the yolks for another use. (At Atelier Crenn, we freeze our egg whites for 3

days to break down the albumen, then thaw and skim the egg whites so that they are completely liquid

and easier to work with.)

• Add 80 grams (2.8 ounces) of the egg whites to the almond sugar mixture and mix together with a

spoon. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

• In a medium pot with a cooking thermometer attached, combine the granulated sugar with 55 grams

(scant ¼ cup) water. Over low heat, slowly raise the temperature to 118°C/245°F. While the sugar water

is heating, add the food coloring to the almond sugar mixture and mix together until thoroughly

combined. When the sugar water reaches 115°C/239°F, whip the egg whites in the stand mixer on the

highest speed until the meringue holds soft peaks. Once the temperature of the sugar water reaches

118°C/245°F, add the sugar water to the egg white mixture, while continuing to whip for 2 to 3 minutes.

• Turn off the mixer and check the temperature with the cooking thermometer. When the temperature

drops to 40°C/105°F, pour the meringue into the almond mixture in three batches, using a rubber spatula

to fold just until the batter slowly drips off the spatula and back into the mass like lava, about 5 turns for

the first and second batches and 15 gentler turns for the third batch.

Do not overmix. Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag.

• Preheat the oven to 165°C/325°F.

• Line a baking sheet or sheet tray with a Teflon or silicone mat.

• Pipe 1-inch rounds of the almond flour mixture onto the

Teflon or silicone and let sit, uncovered, at room temperature until a soft skin forms, 25 to 30 minutes.

(To test the skin, gently touch the surface with your finger to see if it leaves an impression. The skin will

take longer to form in humid or rainy weather.)

• Bake for 12 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing from the Teflon or silicone mat.

• WHILE THE MACARONS ARE BAKING, MAKE THE GANACHE:

Fill a small pot halfway with water and heat over low heat. When the water begins to steam, fit a large

bowl on top, such that the bowl does not touch the water. Add the white chocolate to the bowl and melt

over low heat. In another small pot, scald the cream over medium-high heat. Remove both from the heat

and pour the cream into the bowl of melted white chocolate. Use an immersion blender to emulsify until

you see a light sheen, about 2 minutes. Season with the cedar essence and a pinch of kosher salt and mix

well. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the ganache and let the bowl sit at room temperature

until the mixture changes from the consistency of pudding to the consistency of frosting, 45 minutes to 2

hours. (Test the ganache periodically with a spoon; the process will take longer in humid or rainy

weather.)

• Transfer the ganache to a pastry bag.

• Match pairs of macarons by size and pipe 1 teaspoon of ganache onto the flat side of 1 macaron and

press with the flat side of its match.

• Bruise the cedar branches with a pestle to release their oils. Line a sheet pan or baking sheet with

parchment paper and lay the cedar branches on it. Arrange the macarons between the branches so that

they don’t touch anything other than parchment paper. Tightly wrap the sheet pan or baking sheet with

plastic wrap across the top of the branches, without touching the macarons, and refrigerate to mature for

at least 48 hours.