chocolate orange macarons.

'Tis the season for chocolate oranges! And what better recipe than to sandwich indulgent Terry's chocolate orange infused buttercream between light and crisp chocolate macaron shells. A perfect sweet treat or homemade gift idea for the festive season. Although they're not Terry's... they're mine.

Shopping list.

(Make 12 medium or 24 mini macarons)
♥ Two egg whites, at room temperature
♥ 75g caster sugar
♥ 80g icing sugar, sieved
♥ 10g good quality cocoa powder
♥ 75g almonds, sieved until fine with lumps discarded

For the chocolate orange buttercream
♥ 50g unsalted butter
♥ 200g icing sugar

♥ 50g melted dark chocolate
♥ Six segments of chocolate orange, melted
♥ The zest of half an orange and a little squeeze of juice if needed

Step one. Make your macarons using my simple macaron guide below. The difference here is that the cocoa powder is added to the sieved icing sugar mix.

Step two. Create your buttercream by combining the butter, sugar and melted chocolate. Add the orange zest and juice, if the mixture needs loosening up a little. Set aside until your macarons are cooled.

Step three. When the macarons are baked and cooled, pipe on one side of the shell.

Step four. Twist each side together to make a full macaron.

Have you ever made homemade macarons? Or baked with chocolate orange? I'd love to hear your recipes!