Let's celebrate National Cherry Day!

One of my favorite pairings is cherry and chocolate. So, to celebrate National Cherry Day, here is my recipe for Chocolate Cherry Macarons!

Chocolate Cherry Macarons

Ingredients

• 130g superfine almond flour

• 130g powdered sugar

• 2 tbsp cocoa powder

• 90-100g egg whites, room temperature

• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar - optional

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

• 90g granulated sugar

Instructions

1. Sift almond flour, powdered sugar and cocoa powder onto parchment paper and set aside.

2. Pour room temperature egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk and mix on a low/medium speed until the surface of the egg whites is covered in small bubbles. Add cream of tartar and salt, continue to mix until it reaches a frothy stage.

3. Slowly add granulated sugar into the eggs and mix on a medium speed in 2 tbsp increments.

4. Keep mixing until white and glossy. Add extract at this point.

5. Increase the mixing speed to a medium-high speed, until stiff, glossy peaks form.

6. Fold the dry ingredients into the meringue in two additions using a circular motion until a thick ribbon of batter runs off the spatula when it is lifted. Be careful not to over-mix the batter! It will take time and experience to get this just right.

7. Pour the batter into a large piping bag fitted with 1/2 inch piping tip onto the prepared baking sheets. I use silicon mats, placed on upside down baking sheets. Space them about 1-inch apart.

8. Bang the pans firmly on the counter a few times to release air bubbles. Pop any remaining air bubbles that come to the surface with a toothpick.

9. Let the macarons rest for 20-60 minutes to develop a skin. The macarons should look matte once the skin has formed.

10. As the macarons rest, preheat your oven to 300 F. Every oven is different and you may need to set your temp higher or lower.

11. Bake one tray of macarons at a time on the middle rack of your oven for 16-18 minutes, until the macarons do not wiggle when you test them.

12. Remove from the oven and let the macarons cool on the pan for about 15 minutes. Gently peel them off of the silicon mat and set aside.

Chocolate Cherry Buttercream

Ingredients

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, room temp

• 1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar

• 1/4 cup cocoa

• 1/2 tsp cherry extract

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1-2 tbsp milk

• 1/4 cup chopped Maraschino cherries

Instructions

1. Cream butter until light and fluffy.

2. Add powdered sugar, cocoa, cherry extract and salt, combine completely.

3. Add milk, if needed, to reach desired consistency.

4. Pipe ring of buttercream around 1/2 your shells.

5. Fill hole with chopped maraschino cherries.