Chocolate Macaron

Two days in advance, boil whole almonds for 2 minutes, drain, peel, and dry for 48 hours on absorbent paper.

Blend the peeled almonds with a little powdered sugar. Add remaining powdered sugar.

Add 70g fresh egg whites, apricot pulp, cocoa powder diluted in water with food coloring.

Whip 110g fresh egg whites until slightly frothy and fold into the batter.

Pipe 3.5 cm rounds onto parchment-lined baking trays, spaced 2 cm apart.

Let shells dry at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven with fan to 150°C (300°F).

Bake for 15 minutes, opening oven door briefly twice during baking to release moisture.

After baking, slide parchment with shells onto the work surface.

Melt chopped chocolate at 45–50°C (113–122°F).

Boil the milk and add to the chocolate in three parts, mixing from center outward each time.

Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.

Add butter in pieces and blend again until smooth.

Cover ganache with cling film and refrigerate 2 hours until creamy.

Flip half of the macaron shells.

Pipe ganache onto flipped shells and top with remaining shells.

Refrigerate assembled macarons for 24 hours.

Bring macarons to room temperature 2 hours before serving.