Teddy Bear Chocolate Macarons ♥

I had wanted to make these cute little bear macarons, finally got some chance to make them now :) French Meringue method really helps piping the tiny ears out easily. I definitely will try make some other shapes/animals next time :-D

Little Bear Chocolate Macarons

Ingredients

For the macaron shells 

(makes around 40-44 macaron shells, 20 sandwiched macarons for each flavour)
90g grounded almond
120g icing sugar
a pinch of salt
75g aged egg whites
1/2 teaspoon egg white powder
75g sugar
Few drops of food coloring gel (colours of your choice, I used brown here)

For the chocolate ganache

125g best-quality milk/dark chocolate
90g whipping cream

For decoration

20g melted dark chocolate
20g royal icing/melted white chocolate

Methods

To make macaron shells

1. Put the grounded almond, icing sugar and salt in a food processor, pulse several times for a few seconds each to combine them. Sift them into a large bowl and set aside.
2. Whisk together the egg white and egg white powder on medium speed until soft peak.
3. Add the sugar gradually and keep whisking until the meringue is glossy and stiff. Add in the food colouring.
4. Fold the dry ingredients quickly into the meringue with a spatula, try to fold as less strokes as possible and avoid over-fold the mixture.

5. Spoon the 95% of the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 2cm plain nozzle and pipe the faces onto parchment paper. You can print out this bear macarons piping template onto a A4 paper for your guide.
6. Put the remaining 5% of the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a small 0.5cm plain nozzle and pipe the ears touching the edge on the faces onto parchment paper.
7. Set aside for about 30 minutes or until a skin forms that does not stick onto your finger.
8. Bake the macarons in preheated oven between 160 degree for 15 mintues, rotate the tray 180 degree half-way during baking.
9. Remove the macaron shells from the oven and tray, place the parchment onto the work surface and let cool completely before removing the shells.

To make the chocolate ganache 

1. Break the chocolate into pieces and put into a bowl. Send to the microwave to melt for 60 seconds and stir until the chocolate completely melted.
2. Boil the cream and pour about a third at a time onto the melted chocolate, keep mixing and add in the extract until well combined.
3. Allow the ganache mixture to cool. Press clingfilm onto the surface of the ganache and refrigerate until thick enough to pipe.

To assemble the macarons

1. Spoon the ganache into a pastry bag fitted with a 1cm plain tip. Pipe a generous round onto a shell, then top with another shell, twisting lightly so that the filling spreads and bulges enticingly.
2. Gently pipe some royal icing or melted chocolate for the bears' eyes and mouths.
3. Store the macarons covered in the fridge for at least 24 hours to allow the inside of the macaron shells to soften.
4. Bring back to room temperature before eating.