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1
Preheat oven to 175 C and lightly butter or oil a cookie or baking sheet.
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2
Using a food processor, process the almonds and sugar until finely ground.
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3
Add the egg white, almond extract (or vanilla) and salt.
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4
Continue to process until you have a thick paste.
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5
(Note: if the paste seems too liquid, add more almonds) Transfer the paste to a bowl.
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6
Wet your hands and, using your palms, make small balls about 3 cms in diameter and arrange them about 5 cms apart on the baking sheet.
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7
If the batter starts to stick your hands, wet them.
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8
Press each macaron lightly with a wet finger to flatten a little.
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9
Bake the macarons in middle of oven 15/20 minutes.
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10
(Depending on your oven, 15 minutes gives you a chewy texture and 20 minutes a crunchier texture.)
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11
Remove and let cool slightly.
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12
Then transfer to a rack and cool completely.
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13
The macarons will keep 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
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14
For the ganache filling: Melt the chocolate slowly in a pan or in the microwave.
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15
Heat the cream (do not boil).
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16
Mix the cream and the butter into the chocolate.
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17
Cover with transparent film and leave to cool until stiff enough to use to fill the macarons.
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18
The macarons will keep 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
