CHOCOLATE MACAROONS

- For the cookies
- 1 cup (100 g) powdered sugar
- ½ cup almond flour (about 2 ounces/55 g sliced blanched almonds, pulverized; see Note)
- 3 tablespoons (25 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 5 tablespoons (65 g) granulated sugar
- For the chocolate filling
- ½ cup (125 ml) heavy cream 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
- 4 ounces (120 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) salted or unsalted butter, cut into small pieces.
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have ready a pastry bag with a plain tip (about ½ inch/2 cm).
- To make the cookies, grind together the powdered sugar, almond powder or sliced almonds, and cocoa in a blender or food  processor until there are no lumps and all the dry ingredients are fine and powdery.
-  In the bowl of a standing electric mixer or by hand, beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.
- Carefully fold the dry ingredients into the beaten egg whites in 2 or 3 batches 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.
- Pipe the batter onto the baking sheets in 1- inch (3-cm) circles (about 1 tablespoon of batter each), evenly spaced 1 inch (3 cm) apart. Rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the countertop to flatten the cookies a bit, then bake them for 15 to 18 minutes, until
- they feel slightly firm. Let cool completely.
- To make the chocolate filling, heat the cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan. When the cream just begins to boil at the edges, remove from heat and add the chocolate. Let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Stir in the butter. Let cool to room temperature before using.
- To assemble the macaroons, spread a bit of chocolate filling on the inside (the flat side) of one cookie, then sandwich it together with another one. I tend to overfill mine, but you might not be so generous, so you may not use all the filling.
- SERVING: Let the macaroons stand at least one day, in an airtight container at room temperature, before serving to meld the flavors.