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    Home > Cookies

    Published: Nov 16, 2020 · Modified: Apr 3, 2023 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 9 Comments

    Sarah Bernhardts - A Macaroon Like No Other

    Sarah Bernhardt cookies feature a macaron base with a chocolate ganache filling,dipped in chocolate and finished with gold leaf

    While originally referred to as a petit four, Sarah Bernhardts can be a cookie or a dessert, depending upon the size.  I have seen the various things used as fillings, from buttercream to ganache.  I have used the truffle filling I made at the bakery.  Every fall, we would make these melt in your mouth Chocolate Chocolate Truffles with their rich, velvety filling, only to take them off as the weather warmed.

    The History of Sarah Bernhardts

    Named after the premier French actress of the day, Sarah Bernhardt was not only known for her talent, but also her eccentricity.

    Here is an excerpt from the digitized version of A Macaroon Called Sarah Bernhardt from The Times’s print archive, referring to the history of Sarah Bernhardts

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    “At the height of her astounding career, the actress Sarah Bernhardt had received every honor and award possible, including Oscar Wilde's lasting appellation, “the Divine Sarah.” But if legend be believed, one of the most treasured rewards of her eccentric life was a small chocolate macaroon she enjoyed on her first trip to Denmark.

    But her fondest memory of that grand tour was the chocolate macaroon confection she tasted in Copenhagen: a plump, chewy puff of macaroon topped with dark chocolate and hand‐dipped in melted chocolate. So vocal was she in her praise of these traditional petitsfours of Denmark that the people named them in her honor, and they are still called Sarah Bernhardts.”

    The article itself decries the ability of the home baker to make these elegant confections, they are actually very easy. Each step can be completed at different times, making this an easy fit into anyone’s schedule.

    Sarah Bernhardts should be stored in the refrigerator but served at room temperature.  They would make an outstanding presentation to any cookie tray.

    The size can be adjusted up or down, just alter the baking time of the macaroons.  To keep the macaroons sized evenly, make a template by drawing 1 “circles spaced about 1 inch apart on a piece of parchment paper with a sharpie, so the outline is very dark.  They should be 5 across and 7 down on a half sheet of parchment.

    I finished mine with flecks of edible gold leaf that really brings these alive visually. There are various sizes of the sheets as well as how many are in a package.

    Almond MacaroonsMacaroon Ingredients

    ⅔ cup almond flour (100 grams or 3 ½ ounces)*
    ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams or 4 ⅓ ounces)
    2 large egg whites
    ½ teaspoon almond extract

    *Almond flour makes the best macaroons, but almonds can also be used.  If almonds are used, place them in the food processor with the sugar and process until the almonds are powdered.  Sift them through a strainer.  Process any nuts that remain in the strainer.  Repeat as necessary.

    Parchment over Template for Sarah Bernhardts

    Preheat the oven to 300°F.  Place the template in a half sheet pan and cover with a plain piece of parchment paper.  Set aside.

    Dry Ingredients in the processor
    Dry Ingredients processed
    Egg whites added
    Almond paste

    Combine the almond flour and sugar in the bowl of a processor or mixer. Process to combine.  Add the egg whites and almond extract and process or mix until a paste forms.

    Piped macaroons

    Fit a piping bag with a ½” tip.  Fill the bag with the macaroon paste and pipe it just within the edge of the circles on the template.  Flatten the points.  Let stand for 30 minutes.

    Baked macaroon

    Bake for about 20 minutes until they just start to color.  Leave them on the tray and cool completely.  These can be made and stored in a covered tin for a week or so before continuing on.

    Chocolate Truffle Filling for the Sarah Bernhardts

    For How to Pictures go here.

    ½ cup cream
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter (28 grams or 1 ounce)
    2 tablespoons sugar (25 grams)
    5 ounces semisweet chocolate (140 grams)
    1 teaspoon vanilla

    Heat cream, butter and sugar until the butter is melted, and the sugar is dissolved. The mixture should be very hot, but not boiling.  Submerge the chocolate under the cream and let sit for 4 or 5 minutes.  Whisk gently until smooth.  Add vanilla.

    To use at once, pour it into a rimmed baking sheet, cover the top with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature until it sets up.  If it is too soft to pipe and hold a shape, refrigerate briefly until it can be piped.

    If making up to a week ahead, pour into a container, cover the surface with film and chill store in the refrigerator.  Bring to room temperature to pipe.  Follow the instructions above if it gets too soft.

    Piped and unpiped macaroons for Sarah Bernhardts
    Filling piped onto macaroon

    Fit a pastry bag with a ⅝ inch tip.  Fill the bag of the truffle mixture. Pipe a kiss shaped mound in the center on top of each macaroon about 1” high and within about ¼" from the edge. Gently push the tip of the kiss down slightly.

    Place in the freezer to harden.  If not finishing within a day or so, place these in a covered container and keep them frozen for a month or so until time to finish.  

    Finishing the Sarah Bernhardts

    4 ounces semisweet chocolate (114 grams)
    1 tablespoon shortening* or cocoa butter
    Gold Leaf, optional

    *Crisco or other white plastic shortening.  Do not use butter because the coating will stay soft.

    Combine the chocolate and shortening in a short, wide mouth glass or other small container and microwave at 50% power for 1 minute.  Stir to mix. If the chocolate isn’t completely smooth, microwave for 10 seconds at a time.  Do not let it get too hot.

    Chocolate in a small, wide glass

    The short, wide glass  makes it easier to dip the Sarah Bernhardts in this small amount of chocolate.

    Dipped Tray of Sarah Bernhardts

    Remove the Sarah Bernhardts from the freezer.  Dip the macaroons upside down to cover the kisses, just short of their bottoms.  Hold the macaroon over the chocolate and let the excess chocolate drip off.  The chocolate finish should cover the kiss but not touch the macaroon.  The fact they are frozen will stop the chocolate from running.  If the kisses start to warm, pop them back into the freezer.

    Applying Gold Leaf to Sarah Bernhardts

    Allow the chocolate finish to harden and the kisses to defrost inside. Using tweezers, take a small piece of gold leaf and lay it on the chocolate.  If the gold leaf sticks to the tweezer, use a tooth pick or cake tester to lower it gently onto the chocolate.

    These should be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week or ten days.  Serve at room temperature.  They can stay at room temperature for 6 hours or so.

    Yield:  35 Sarah Bernhardts

    Other Cookies To Consider:

    Langue de Chat

    Tropical Shortbread Cookies

    French Macarons with Chocolate Raspberry Filling

    Levain Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Pam says

      November 17, 2020 at 6:28 am

      They do sound delicious and will make them this weekend. One thing though, Sarah Bernhardt was an actress, not an opera singer.

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        November 17, 2020 at 1:36 pm

        Hi Pam - thanks for bringing this to my attention. In the excerpt I quoted it clearly says actress. Not sure why I turned her into an opera singer - maybe because I love opera. I have corrected the blog.

        Reply
    2. sallybr says

      November 16, 2020 at 8:45 am

      I am making these. It is decided. I have seen recipes but none with the level of detail of yours (I am not surprised) - it is just a matter of when. I think this weekend is looking might good! ;-)

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        November 16, 2020 at 9:09 am

        Thanks Sally - These are amazing. I couldn't have eaten the whole batch but it didn't seem prudent.

        Reply
        • hfletcher says

          November 16, 2020 at 9:31 am

          Sally - should have "could have eaten the whole batch"

          Reply
        • sallybr says

          November 27, 2020 at 5:02 pm

          could not make it last weekend because I realized no one would be around in the department this week for TXG break... Making them today and tomorrow, and sharing on Monday..... can hardly wait!

          Reply
    3. Eileen Murphy says

      November 16, 2020 at 6:33 am

      Hi Helen, I cannot wait to try these. I need to send a batch to my youngest sister. She was given the nickname Sarah Bernhardt as a child for her histrionics.

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        November 16, 2020 at 9:05 am

        I could eat a batch of these by myself. After I made them I gave half of them away so we would eat them all.

        Reply
      • hfletcher says

        November 16, 2020 at 9:08 am

        That's too funny! She will enjoy them for sure.

        Reply

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