Macarons – my childhood delight ever since I travelled to France for the first time! Who doesn’t love those airy, crunchy delicacies? I’m not going to lie, nailing these vegan Chocolate Orange Macarons has probably been one of the biggest baking challenge I’ve encountered so far. After 7 relentless tries, I’m finally happy with the recipe for these Chocolate Orange Macarons and can’t wait to share it! 🙂
Now, the biggest question in the vegan macarons making is how to replace the main ingredient: egg whites? Well, let me introduce you to a magic liquid called aquafaba – also known as chickpea water! Yes, you’ve heard that right!
Funnily enough, that water from the canned chickpeas that you thoughtlessly pour down the drain is a magic elixir that turn into an airy foam once beaten. It’s perfect for making mousses, fluffy cakes or, well vegan macarons! There are a few rules to make sure this (or any vegan macaron recipe) succeeds, but once followed it’s relatively simple.
- It’s best to use unsalted chickpea water, otherwise you’ll always have that salty aftertaste
- The aquafaba should be reduced (boiled down) for a thicker texture
- I’ve had best results when cooling the aquafaba overnight, but I’ve also seen recipes that didn’t
- This is not a recipe to wing it, your measurements should be as precise as possible
For the filling I’ve used my favorite vegan chocolate brand iChoc and made a deliciously creamy chocolate orange filling which is just the perfect addition to these macarons!
If you’re not familiar yet with iChoc – oh boy you’re missing out! They’re my FAVORITE vegan chocolate brand out there and I’m obsessed with their large variety of flavors. They make all their chocolates with rice milk and furthermore support organic ingredients, environmentally-friendly packaging and fair wages for suppliers in the production of ethical chocolate that goes beyond just veganism! How awesome is that? By now their chocolates are available throughout most of Europe, Canada, Australia and many more countries, but for the nearest supplier next to you make sure to contact them on Facebook or Instagram!
If you decide to give this Chocolate Orange Macarons a try, let me know! Leave a comment and rate it – it’s so helpful to me and other readers. And don’t forget to take a picture and tag me (@thetastyk) and #thetastyk on Instagram! I love seeing what you come up with. Love and enjoy! ♥
- Macarons:
- aquafaba from one 15oz can of chickpeas, reduced to ⅓ cup
- ⅓ cup cane sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup cacao powder
- 1 cup almond flour
Orange Filling:- 160g iChoc Almond Orange
- ¼ cup almond milk
- Place a sieve over a small pot and drain 1 can of chickpeas. Reserve the chickpeas for another use (hummus) and heat the aquafaba. Reduce to about ⅓ cup over low heat (this take around 8 minutes). The pour the aquafaba in a jar and refrigerate overnight.
- Place the almond flour, powdered sugar and cacao powder into a food processor/blender and pulse a few times until combined. Sift the mixture into a bowl and set aside.
- In a separate glass bowl, add the chilled aquafaba. Use a hand or stand mixer and beat until soft peaks begin to form. Add in the sugar and beat until the mixture is stiff and glossy (around 5 minutes).
- Add the almond flour/sugar/cacao mixture into the whipped aquafaba and gently fold ingredients together (don’t over mix).
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag and pipe into 2 inch rounds directly onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Let the raw macarons rest at room temperature for 1.5-2 hours. You know they’re ready to be baked when the surface does not stick to your fingertips.
- Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C) and bake the macarons for 30 minutes.
- In the meantime prepare your filling. Simply melt the chocolate and add in the milk, whisking everything together. Place into the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a piping bag.
- Let the macarons cool for 10 minutes before removing from the sheet.
- Pipe the chocolate mixture onto the macarons and place in the fridge until ready to serve.
Looks incredible!! Do you know if there is any way to sub refined sugar?
Can’t wait to try this recipe out!!!
Thank you 🙂 I wish there was, making macarons is such a delicate endeavor, it’s hard enough to nail them with sugar 😀