Place
almond meal, sugar, sifted cocoa powder, essence and egg whites in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
Roll
level tablespoons of mixture into balls. Place about 5cm apart on prepared
trays.
Cook in a
moderate oven (180°C) for 15 minutes. Remove and cool completely on
tray.
To
decorate macaroons, place chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Sit bowl over a
saucepan
of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Remove. Spoon the chocolate into a snap-lock
bag, squeeze into one corner, twist bag, then snip tip.
Drizzle melted chocolate over macaroons in a
zigzag pattern. Refrigerate until set.