chocolate banana macarons

we had a bunch of bananas that were ripening so i decided to make something with them besides the typical banana bread. of course i barely used a whole banana but at least it used part or some of it! plus, the overall result was quite pleasing and very satisfying to my tastebuds (and many others). i actually made something that's not quite ordinary. i mean, how often do you have banana buttercream?

so what goes with banana? how about some chocolate! i say the pairing goes very well together. who doesn't love chocolate? and that banana sweetness is just perfect with the chocolate, especially if you give it the appropriate time for the cookie to age. it's really that good. both flavors really enhances each other.

below's the recipe should you be interested. feel free to let me know how yours turn out. happy baking (and eating)! :)


wait a day until all the flavors are melded and oh my -- they are so good! it's like biting into a little bit of that banana chocolatey heaven goodness. yum!

chocolate macarons with banana buttercream

ingredients:

macaron batter:
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup almond meal
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar

banana buttercream filling:
1/2 of a medium size ripped banana
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar

directions:

to make the macaron batter/shells:

1. line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2-inch, 2 cm) ready.
2. sift together the powdered sugar, almond meal and 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder so there are no lumps. set aside.
3. in the bowl of a standing electric mixer (or if you prefer, you can use a bowl and hand mixer), beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. while whipping, beat in the granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.
4. carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. when the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you’re alone).
5. pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1.35-inch circles evenly spaced one-inch apart.
6. rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons. then let it sit for at least 30-60 minutes depending on humidity before baking them in the oven. about 10-15 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. bake for 15 minutes.
7. once macaron shells are out of the oven, let them sit for 30-60 seconds before removing the hot baking sheet underneath. let the macarons cool completely before removing them from the parchment paper.

for the banana buttercream filling:

1. beat the banana and butter in a medium size bowl using a hand mixer until combined.
2. then add in the powdered sugar and keep beating/mixing until fully incorporated and at the right consistency. if it's too thin, add in a little more powdered sugar. otherwise, if it's too stiff, thin it a tad with a little bit of milk, a teaspoon at a time.

to assemble the macaron cookies:

1. before assembling these cookies, make sure to pair up all the cookie shells so they are as close as possible in size.
2. using a knife, spread a good amount of the banana buttercream on the inside of the macarons then sandwich them together.
3. let them stand at least one day (keep them refrigerated) before serving (serve at room temperature), to meld the flavors.

store in airtight container for up to 5 days. makes 20-24 macarons. happy eating! :)