Gluten free 
Market Produce
Cherries (Cerises)
Welcome to the month of June, when the birds start tweeting that it’s cherry time! So to celebrate cherry season in Paris, let me share a quick and easy chocolate cherry ganache recipe to fill your macarons.
I’ve also taken the opportunity to explain why we don’t eat macarons straight away and why it’s so important to leave your macarons to settle for at least 24 hours before eating them.
Roasting Cherries vs Pan-Fried
I love making this ganache, as it’s so simple. By frying the cherries in butter and splashing with Kirsch, it’s almost a cheat’s way of speeding up the process of roasting them. I find that the cherry flavour is intensified both ways. However, please go ahead and roast them in butter and Kirsch if you prefer. Roasting cherries takes about 20-25 minutes.
It’s Not Cherry Season – Can I Still Make a Chocolate Cherry Ganache?
Even if it’s not cherry season and you don’t have fresh cherries, you can still make this chocolate cherry ganache using chopped tinned cherries. However, PLEASE PLEASE use only good quality ingredients. I use excellent tinned cherries from Apt, Provence (the world capital of candied fruits) which are in Amaretto. Otherwise use French Griottine® cherries that are jarred and soaked in Kirsch.
How Long Should You Wait Before Eating Macarons?
I know. It’s upsetting, isn’t it? You make a batch of macarons at home and instead of eating them straight away, we pack them in an airtight box in the fridge. What? Why can’t we eat the macarons straight away? The answer is simple but it’s a very important tip when making macarons. Eat them straight away and I guarantee you will be disappointed: the macarons will be too dry and crispy and the filling will not be given its full potential.
Many people who try macarons that are too dry, eating too quickly after making them, believe that’s what macarons taste like. Wrong! That’s what gives macarons a bad image. Please, please. Have patience and leave the filling to work its magic.
The ideal time to wait before eating macarons – especially macarons with a chocolate ganache – is after at least 24 hours. Ideally wait a couple of days before eating chocolate macarons. The result will be perfect: with a slightly crispy outside and a delicious fondant centre, with the chocolate permeated into the macaron shell as a whole. The result is divine.
Mad About Macarons Recipe
The recipe below is for the macaron ganache filling only. For copyright reasons with my publisher, Waverley Books, I can’t post my basic macaron shell recipe here on le blog but you’ll find my step by step macaron recipes, chapter after chapter, plus tips and troubleshooting macarons in my first book, Mad About Macarons! There’s also a chapter on macarons with more recipes in my latest book, Teatime in Paris.
More Recipes with Cherries
- Enjoy the French classic family favourite, Cherry Clafoutis.
- Looking for a Gluten-free Clafoutis French baked custard made with almond flour? I have you covered with this most versatile version for cherries, strawberries, blueberries, mirabelle plums etc. – and it’s also on Video: How to Make French Clafoutis.
- French Chocolate Mousse Without Cream – why not add a tablespoon of Kirsch and serve with fresh, plump cherries or with Griottines® (jarred cherries soaked in Kirsch)
- German Chocolate Creams with Amaretto Cherries
Chocolate Cherry Ganache (Macaron Filling)
Servings : 30 macarons (approx.)
Description
Quick and easy recipe for filling your macaron shells
Ingredients
- 100 g (3.5oz) organic black (griotte or burlat) cherries (about 12-14 cherries); washed, pitted & halved
- 25 g (1oz) butter, unsalted
- 1 tbsp Kirsch liqueur (or Amaretto)
- 120 g (4oz) Dark (bittersweet) chocolate (at least 64% cacao)
- 85 g (3oz) Whipping cream (30% fat)
- 2-3 drops Almond extract
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan and sauté the cherries over high heat for 5 minutes. Splash in the Kirsch and leave the cherries to soften over a gentle heat, uncovered, for 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat then blitz to a purée in a food processor.
- Break the chocolate into pieces in a heatproof bowl and melt together with the cream over a pan of simmering water (bain marie). Ensure the bowl does not touch the water.
- Once melted, stir in the cherry purée and add the almond extract. Leave to cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes (be careful not to wait too long as the chocolate hardens quite quickly after that).
- Transfer to a piping bag and pipe the ganache onto your macaron shells and sandwich the shells together. Best eaten next day and the next and the next!
Notes
Like all macarons, store in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 24 hours. Macarons should not be eaten straight after making them, as it doesn't give the filling enough time (especially chocolate) to work its magic into the shells, making the inside fondant and outside slightly crispy, as a macaron should be. Chocolate Macaron Tip: take out of the fridge 30 minutes before eating to enjoy them at their best.
The basic macaron shell recipe and instructions are in both my books, along with many flavour fillings plus all my tips.
Reviews (29)
Great success – merci!
So happy you like this, Charlotte. Thanks for popping in!
Hi Jill, This is exactly the filling I’m looking for! Only … it’s Fall and I don’t have fresh cherries. Is there a decent substitute I might find in the store? Thanks so much!
Hi Catherine, in that case, I’d use good quality tinned (Amareno) cherries or the chic, jarred French ‘Griottines’ cherries that are steeped in liqueur. In that case, use the same weight of cream as chocolate and add the butter once they’ve melted together. Forget the first step and finely chop in the cherries with 1 tbsp of the juice at the end. Hope that makes sense. I will be updating this page beginning May 2021 to update the recipe and give many more ideas for you! So watch this space.
Thanks for the quick answer! I’ll see how it goes! Thanks so much for the recipe!
It’s a pleasure
Try using frozen cherries. I use frozen cherries to make a similar product which I use in making handmade filled chocolates. Rather than cooking the cherries, macerate them in cherry brandy for a week, drain but reserve the brandy, then blitz in food processor before adding to the chocolate and cream mixture. The addition of alcohol acts as a preservative and these will easily keep for 7-10 days, longer if stored in refrigerator
Thanks Danny. Your chocolates sound divine and wonderful you make your cherries from scratch!
However, I prefer not to use frozen cherries for macaron ganache fillings, simply as I like to be able to freeze macarons. Another possibility (showing my lazy side!) is to use French Griottines, which are jarred cherries steeped in Kirsch. I love using them during the holiday season when fresh cherries are not available.
Can you translate measurements into ounces and cups?
Thanks,
Jeff
Hi Jeff, I’ve updated the recipe to include ounces. I’m afraid I don’t measure in cups: I have a post here to explain why it’s better to measure ingredients out in weight rather than volume – especially in precise French baking. Hope this helps!
This is an older recipe on le blog but as you can see from all the latest recipes, I include ounces as well as grams.
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