Chocolate macarons

Those are the famous french macarons. If you visit France you definitely have to try them at la durée or Dalloyau, they come in heaps of colors and flavors and they're so popular in here. Macarons are smooth, airy light and so flavorful. The chocolate ones is what I consider to be the best. I was wondering if trying them at home will be really difficult but I think getting the proportions exactly correct is the key to perfect macarons. Here is my first trial for chocolate macarons filled with a chocolate ganache. They were perfect and I was so proud of myself. Next time, I will try a different flavor for sure!

Ingredients (for 36 macarons): 1 2/3 cups confectioner's sugar - 3/4 cup ground almond - 1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa - 1/8 cup granulated sugar - 3 egg whites
Ganache filling: 4 oz dark chocolate, chopped - 2 tbsp unsalted butter - 1/2 cup heavy cream

Prepare the ganache: In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium heat. Once cream is hot but not yet boiling, remove and pour over chocolate. Stir until chocolate has melted. Stir in butter. Chill for 15 to 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Start with lining a baking sheet with silicone baking parchment
Blitz the ground almonds, icing sugar and cocoa in a food processor until very finely ground. Sieve this mixture.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites, until they ‘peak’ then add the granulated sugar a little at the time until the meringue is thick and glossy.
Fold the dry ingredients into the beaten egg whites a little at a time until just combined and no white shows.
Use a piping bag with a plain nozzle and pipe small circles about an inch across onto the silicone paper leaving a space in between. Make them all the same size as they will be paired up later.
Leave the macarons to settle for half an hour or so on their trays, then bake for about twelve minutes. Let them cool completely. 
To fill the macarons, spread each bottom with 1 teaspoon of chilled ganache filling and cover with tops.

Macarons au chocolat

Ingrédients (36 macarons): 200 g sucre glace - 125 g poudre d'amandes - 15 g cacao amer - 30 g sucre en poudre - 3 blancs d'œufs

Ganache: 120 g de chocolat noir - 30 g de beurre doux - 120 ml crème épaisse

Préparez la ganache: Dans une casserole, faites chauffez la crème à feu moyen. Une fois chaude mais pas bouillante, retirez du feu et versez le chocolat dessus. Mélangez puis ajoutez le beurre. Laissez refroidir 15 à 20 mn.

Préchauffez le four à 180ºC. Préparez une feuille de silicone sur une plaque à pâtisserie.

Dans un robot, mixer le sucre glace, la poudre d'amandes et le cacoa. Puis tamisez ce mélange.

Montez les blancs en neige très fermes, en ajoutant petit à petit le sucre.
Saupoudrez peu à peu la poudre bien tamisée dans les blancs, et mélangez à la spatule. Le mélange doit être brillant et lisse.
Dressez avec une poche et une douille de petites boules de 3 cm sur la feuille silicone en les espaçant.
Laissez reposer 30 minutes et cuire 12 minutes.
A la sortie du four, laissez refroidir, puis décollez les macarons.

Garnissez-les d'une càc de ganache, et couvrez avec le 2ème macaron.