Sarah Bernhardts

These are a truly decadent, sensuous treat: macaroons topped with a generous dollop of whipped chocolate ganache, dipped in a shiny dark chocolate glaze and sprinkled oh so elegantly with chopped pistachios. If you bring out a platter of these at a dinner party you are guaranteed lots of oohs and aahs from your guests. They will love these, and you! 

Makes about 24 cookies.

Macaroon cookie: 

1 1/3 cups whole blanched almonds

1 1/2 cups sugar

approximately 6 tbs. egg whites (from about 4 eggs)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. 

In food processor, process sugar and almonds until finely ground. Add egg whites (Note: do this slowly, 1 tbs. at a time. It is important that the batter not be too runny. It should be like thick cake batter) and process to a smooth paste. Put batter in a pastry bag fitted with the large round tip. Pipe 1 1/2’ wide by 1/4” high rounds onto parchment lined baking sheets. Use a dampened finger to gently flatten the tops of the rounds. 

Bake until just beginning to color. Cool on paper on rack. Peel from paper and store in airtight container until you are ready to assemble cookies.

Whipped Ganache:

2 cups whipping cream 

8 oz. good quality semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (or use good chocolate chips - I did! No chopping.)

Bring the cream to a simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in chocolate until it is almost melted. Let sit 10 minutes and stir again until fully melted and smooth. 

Cover the pan with waxed paper and then it’s lid. Refrigerate 4 hours and up to 3 days. 

Beat the cold cream/chocolate mixture until light in color, fluffy and fairly stiff. It needs to be able to hod its shape. Using a pastry bag fitted with the large round tip, pipe a mound of ganache on each macaroon. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Glaze: 

8 oz. good quality semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (or chips!) 

12 oz. unsalted butter 

1 tbs. light corn syrup 

5 tsp water 

Garnish - finely chopped natural pistachios

Heat chocolate, butter and syrup in microwave until almost melted (in my microwave this was for 5 minutes on 50% power). Stir until smooth. Add water and stir again. Strain into a bowl deep enough to dip the top of the cookies into. Let the glaze cool slightly, checking coating action on a spoon. It is ready when it coats the back of the spoon and doesn’t run of quickly. 

Dip each cookie upside down into glaze just to coat to bottom of ganache. Garnish each with a sprinkling of nuts while still wet. Chill until serving.

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