
Photo: Natalie Levin
I love macarons, and even though it’s a little overrated, it’s definitely one of the best-looking cookies there is.
Macaron cakes are always a great idea for a gluten free dessert. It’s made of 2 giant macarons and filled with all kinds of creams and toppings.
This macaron cake is dedicated to all of you coffee lovers; it’s made of coffee macaron shells, filled with hazelnut cream, white chocolate Chantilly cream and dark chocolate decoration.

Photo: Natalie Levin
Coffee Macaron Cake with Hazelnut Cream and White Chocolate
Servings 22 cm round macaron cake
Ingredients
For coffee macaron cake base:
- 200 grams sugar powder
- 130 grams almond meal
- 2 tsp. instant coffee powder
- 100 grams egg whites
- Pinch of salt
- 40 grams sugar
For hazelnut cream:
- 250 ml. milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 40 grams sugar
- 20 grams cornstarch
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 125 grams butter
- 125 grams praline paste
White chocolate Chantilly:
- 100 grams white chocolate
- 250 ml. heavy cream
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp. cream stabilizer or instant vanilla pudding mix
Decoration:
- Dark chocolate shavings
- Finely chopped hazelnut bits
- Roasted halved hazelnuts
Instructions
Macaron cake layers:
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Blend icing sugar, almond meal, and instant coffee together.
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Sift the mixture into a large bowl. It is important to sift carefully and not to leave large blocks of the mixture. If little chunks of almonds remain - do not put them into the mix.
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Put egg whites and salt in the bowl of a mixer with a whipping-hook and blend at high speed until the mixture foams and white meringue begins to form.
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Add sugar and continue beating until a glossy and thick meringue forms.
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Add ground powders to the bowl of meringue and begin to "knock down" the mixture by folding in with a spatula. In the first moments stir slightly aggressively, and then go into a gentle fold until the mixture is uniform and stable, but not liquefied.
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Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with a round piping tip and pipe out two 24 cm diameter circles on a baking sheet or silicon mat. The circles should be more or less identical in size.
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Leave the macarons for an hour at room temperature (before baking) in order to dry a little and create a thin layer.
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Preheat oven to 150c degrees.
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Bake macarons for 15-20 minutes, until golden and risen.
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Cool completely before touching the macarons. It can be separated from the sheet once completely cooled.
Hazelnut cream:
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Heat milk in a pot until a simmer.
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In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla.
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Add about 1/3 of the amount of boiling milk over the egg yolk mixture while whisking until mixture is smooth.
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Add the remaining milk mixture into the bowl and beat well.
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Return the mixture into the pot and cook while constantly whisking on a medium-high heat until you get a thick pastry cream.
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Cool the cream in the refrigerator until completely cooled.
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Transfer the cold cream into a bowl and beat using a whipping-hook.
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In a separate bowl, beat the butter with a paddle attachment until it softens slightly. Add praline paste and blend well until the mixture is smooth.
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Add the whipped pastry and mix just until creamy smooth.
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Transfer the cream into a piping bag with a round 2 cm piping tip.
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Flip one of the macarons over so that its bottom is facing upwards. Pipe crowded mounds of hazelnut cream on the outline of the macaroon.
White chocolate Chantilly:
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Chop the chocolate and put in a bowl.
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Heat heavy cream and salt in a pot and bring to a simmer.
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Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, wait a minute, and beat well until a thin and uniform ganache is formed.
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Cool the ganache for 3-4 hours at least until it is completely cooled.
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Transfer the cooled ganache to the bowl of a mixer with a whipping-hook, add cream stabilizer whip at high speed, until you get a stable cream.
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Transfer the cream into a piping bag with a jagged 1 cm piping tip and pipe onto the center of the macaron.
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Close off with the top macaron base.
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Pipe the remaining creams to decorate and garnish with roasted and halved hazelnuts, finely chopped hazelnut bits, and dark chocolate shavings.
Recipe Notes
- Keep the macaron cake in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- Decorations should be added when serving.

Photo: Natalie Levin