I found this recipe on a food blog and instantly fell in love with it. The chocolate buttercream is incredibly easy to make and absolutely delicious. I'm still experimenting with the base — if you want something a bit more refined, you can also use a macaron-style base for an extra light and delicate version.
Ingredients:
For the nut base:
- 2 eggs
- 250 g powdered sugar
- 300 g ground nuts (almond meal, ground walnuts, or ground hazelnuts)
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 250 g butter, at room temperature
- 150 g powdered sugar
For the chocolate glaze:
- 50 g coconut butter (or coconut oil)
- 200 g dark chocolate
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Make the nut base:
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy. Gently fold in the ground nuts until combined.
Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe 1½-inch (4 cm) rounds onto the prepared baking sheets. You should have about 40–50 rounds.
Bake for 15–20 minutes, until lightly golden. Let cool completely.
Make the chocolate buttercream:
In a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water (double boiler), whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg, cocoa powder, and sugar. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens slightly and is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add the cooled cocoa mixture, beating until smooth and creamy.
Pipe or spread the chocolate buttercream onto the cooled nut bases. Let them set in the refrigerator until firm.
Make the glaze
Melt the dark chocolate and coconut butter together over a water bath or gently in the microwave.
Dip the tops of the chilled cookies into the melted chocolate glaze. Let them set on parchment paper until the chocolate hardens.