Espresso Chocolate Macarons Draft

How I make it

Cocoa shells

1. Sift the powdered sugar, almond flour and cocoa together into a large bowl. Sift well, and leave out any bits of almond that won't pass through the sieve.

2. Put the egg whites and salt in a stand mixer bowl with the whisk and beat on high until they start to foam and turn white.

3. Add the sugar and keep beating until the meringue is firm and glossy.

4. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the meringue and fold with a spatula. Mix a little roughly at first, then switch to gentle folding until the batter is uniform and holds together but isn't runny, and can still be piped.

5. Transfer to a piping bag with a plain tip and pipe even rounds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or a silicone mat), leaving space between them.

6. Let the macarons sit at room temperature for about 1 hour, until a thin skin forms. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).

7. Bake for 10-13 minutes, until they have risen and formed their ruffled "feet".

8. Let cool completely before touching them, then peel them off the paper. Match the shells into pairs.

Chocolate espresso filling

1. Bring the cream and espresso just to a simmer in a small saucepan.

2. Pour over the chocolate, wait about a minute, then stir until the ganache is smooth and glossy.

3. Cool the ganache to room temperature, not in the fridge.

4. Transfer to a piping bag with a plain tip and pipe onto half of the shells. Sandwich with the other halves and serve.

What I've learned

• The rounds spread a little in the oven, so I leave space and keep them as even in size as I can.