Jerome Chang's Recipe for French Macaroons

Oct. 5, 2012— -- Jerome Chang, known for introducing high-end desserts to New York City's food truck fare, did not start out in the kitchen.

The chef now famous for his delectable delicacies was a corporate attorney, but after practicing law for one year, Chang quit his job and went to pastry school.

"My life has been different ever since," he told "Nightline."

Chang went on to work in some of the best restaurants in New York, including the prestigious French restaurant Le Cirque. In 2007, he co-founded the Dessert Truck, which became a smashing success. Chang has since parleyed his food truck into a pastry shop on Manhattan's Lower East Side.

In our "Nightline" Platelist interview, Chang shared his recipe for a lemon-basil-lavender granita with a honey rosemary ice cream macaroon sandwich.

French Macaroons

Yield: approx. 30 two-inch diam. macaroon halves

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Preparing the dry ingredients: In a food processor, blend the almond flour and confectioner's sugar until well-mixed and no lumps remain, about 20 seconds.

Making the meringue: In a large mixing bowl over a simmering water bath, constantly whisk together 50 g of egg whites and the granulated sugar until the whites form a stiff meringue.

Finishing the macaroon mixture: With a rubber spatula, mix in the remainder of the 50 g of egg whites into the almond flour mix. Now fold the meringue into the almond flour mix until all of it is incorporated into the meringue. Be sure to regularly run the spatula along the very bottom of thebowl. The final mix should be homogenous and have a thick viscosity: imagine the mixture is like cooling lava, gradually inching over a cold surface and flattening ever so slightly as it comes to rest. If the mixture is too stiff, fold in 1 tbsp of egg white at a time until you reach the proper consistency.

Piping the macaroons: Transfer the macaroon mixture into a piping bagfitted with a straight tip, size #805. On a full-sized non-stick sheet pan (18" x13") or one lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, pipe silver dollar-sized discs. Keep the piping tip about 1 1/4" away from the surface of the sheet pan to ensure rounded tops to the macaroon discs. Set the sheet pan aside and allow the surface of the macaroons to dry, anywhere from a half-hour to 2 hours, depending on humidity.

Baking the macaroons: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Bake the macaroons for approximately 15 minutes, turning the pan halfway through. The macaroons are finished when the tops are firm and dry, and the "foamy" base is dry as well. Let cool.

Assembly: Gently run an offset spatula underneath each macaroon to release it from the sheet pan. Pair macaroons by size, lining them up next to each other, with one of the pair sitting with the interior (what was the bottom) facing up. Pipe your honey-rosemary ice cream onto that macaroon and sandwich it with the other half of the macaroon pair. Enjoy right away or store in a freezer.

Tie it all together! Get Jerome Chang's recipes for honey-rosemary ice cream HERE and lemon-basil-lavender granita HERE