Poppy and raspberry macaron recipe

WATCH: Faubourg Paris is making macarons for a good cause

Ricardo Rosas, head pastry chef for Faubourg Paris, demonstrates his recipe for poppy and raspberry macarons, exclusively available at Faubourg this month. The Parisian-style gourmet retailer is donating 10 per cent of proceeds generated from the macarons (not to be confused with macaroons) to the Royal Canadian Legion in honour of Remembrance Day.

Macaron Shell Recipe Directions

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C.

Place egg whites and sugar in a bowl and mix with electric mixer until stiff enough to turn the bowl upside down without it falling out, continue to whip for 1-2 more minutes. How long this takes will depend on you mixer. Add gel or powdered food colouring and continue to mix for an additional 20 seconds.

Sift the almond meal and icing sugar and salt, discarding any almond lumps that are too big to pass through the sieve. Fold into the egg white mixture. It should take roughly 30 to 50 folds using a rubber spatula. The mixture should be smooth and very viscous, not runny. Overmix and your macarons will be flat, undermix and they will not be smooth on top.

Pipe the mixture onto trays lined with baking (parchment) paper or a silicone baking mat, tap trays on the bench firmly to prevent cracking and then bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Check if one comes off the tray fairly cleanly. If not, bake for a a few more minutes (make sure you are using non-stick baking paper).

Dark Chocolate Ganache Ingredients

700 g cream
50 g honey
650 g dark chocolate (semi-sweet)
75 g butter

French Macaron Shell Recipe Ingredients

• 120g almond meal
• 230g pure icing sugar
• 2g salt (tiny pinch)
• 140g egg whites (about 4 large or 5 small eggs) 70g granulated sugar gel or powder food colouring (optional)

Ganache Recipe Instructions

Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth.