French Macarons

Ingredients For The Macarons

• • - 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • - 3/4 cup almond flour
  • - 2 large egg whites, room temperature
  • - Pinch of cream of tartar
  • - 1/4 cup superfine sugar

• Suggested Fillings For Macarons

  
  
  • Chocolate: Chocolate Ganache
  • Coconut: 1 cup Swiss Meringue Buttercream, mixed with 1/3 cup 
  • angel-flake coconut.
  • Peanut: Chocolate Ganache, or store-bought dulce de leche, jam, 
  • or peanut butter.
  • Pistachio: 1 cup Swiss Meringue Buttercream, mixed with 1/3 cup 
  • finely chopped pistachios.
  • Raspberry: 3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
  • Swiss Meringue Buttercream
  • 
    

Directions

1. Pulse confectioners' sugar and almond flour in a food processor 
   until combined. Sift mixture 2 times.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk whites with a mixer on 
   medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and whisk until
   soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low, then add superfine sugar.
   Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 8 
   minutes. Sift flour mixture over whites, and fold until mixture is 
   smooth and shiny.
3. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round 
   tip, and pipe 3/4-inch rounds 1 inch apart on parchment-lined 
   baking sheets, dragging pastry tip to the side of rounds rather than 
   forming peaks. Tap bottom of each sheet on work surface to
   release trapped air. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
   Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 1 sheet at a time, 
   rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 
   10 minutes. After each batch, increase oven temperature to 375 
   degrees, heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees.
4. Let macarons cool on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a 
   wire rack. (If macarons stick, spray water underneath parchment
    on hot sheet. The steam will help release macarons.)
5. Sandwich 2 same-size macarons with 1 teaspoon filling. Serve 
   immediately, or stack between layers of parchment, wrap in 
   plastic, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Cook's Note

Piping the perfect macaroon takes a little practice. Treat it as you 

would a rosette, bringing the pastry tip to the side of the circle,

 rather than forming a peak, to finish.

Variations

Chocolate: Substitute 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process 

cocoa powder for 1/4 cup of the almond flour.

Source: marthastewart.com