Ingredients:
FOR THE WALNUT MACARONS:
- 260 g California walnuts
- 260 g sugar, powdered
- 170 g egg whites, divided
- 250 g sugar, granulated
- 1/4 cup water, filtered
FOR THE WALNUT PRALINE PASTE:
- 230 g sugar, granulated
- 1/4 cup water, filtered
- 250 g California walnuts
- 20 g butter, unsalted
FOR THE WALNUT GANACHE:
- 2 tablespoons sugar, inverted*
- 2/3 cup milk, whole
- 370 g 46% milk chocolate
- 1/4 cup Walnut Praline Paste
- 1/4 cup walnut liqueur
*Inverted sugar is sweeter and helps products retain moisture and be less prone to crystallization. Inverted sugar may be made by mixing two parts granulated sucrose and one part water, and simmering for 5 to 7 minutes.
Preparation:
FOR THE WALNUT MACARONS:
- Preheat the oven at 180°C. Grind walnuts in food processor into fine powder. Sift the powdered sugar and walnut powder. Add 85 g of egg whites into flour mixture and beat until incorporated.
- Combine granulated sugar and water in a pot over medium-high heat to make a sugar syrup. In a standing mixer on high speed, whip 85 g of egg whites to stiff peaks. When sugar syrup mixture reaches 120°C, slowly pour it to the beaten egg whites. Reduce speed to medium after 1 to 2 minutes until the meringue is cooled.
- Fold the meringue into the flour mixture. Scoop the mixture into a pastry bag and pipe the batter in 1.5-inch circles onto a silicone baking mat. Leave them to dry at room temperature for 15 minutes, then move them into the oven and bake for 12 minutes.
FOR THE WALNUT PRALINE PASTE:
- Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and heat to 120°C. Add walnuts and cook, stirring continuously, until sugar begins to turn a light brown caramel colour.
- Remove from heat and add butter. Spread the mixture on a sheet tray to cool to room temperature.
- Place cooled walnuts in a food processor and process until they form a paste consistency. Use ¼ cup of this paste in the Walnut Ganache.
FOR THE WALNUT GANACHE:
- In a medium saucepan, heat milk and inverted sugar to 60°C.
- In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate. Add the milk mixture and blend until smooth with an immersion blender.
- Add Walnut Praline Paste and walnut liqueur. Stir to combine and cook until mixture reaches 35°C. Remove from heat and let cool.
- To assemble, sandwich ganache between 2 macarons.