French Macaroons
- 1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 cup almond flour
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup superfine sugar
- 2 to 3 drops gel food coloring (see below)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, almond or mint extract
- Assorted fillings (see below)
- Oven with convection setting
- 4 baking sheets
- 3 silicone baking mats
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Pastry bag with 1/4-inch round tip
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F using the convection setting.
- Line 3 baking sheets with silicone mats.
- Measure the confectioners' sugar and almond flour by spooning them into measuring cups and leveling with a knife.
- Transfer to a bowl; whisk to combine.
- Sift the sugar-almond flour mixture, a little at a time, through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pressing with a rubber spatula to pass through as much as possible.
- It will take a while, and up to 2 tablespoons of coarse almond flour may be left; just toss it.
- Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt with a mixer on medium speed until frothy.
- Increase the speed to medium high; gradually add the superfine sugar and beat until stiff and shiny, about 5 more minutes.
- Transfer the beaten egg whites to the bowl with the almond flour mixture.
- Draw a rubber spatula halfway through the mixture and fold until incorporated, giving the bowl a quarter turn with each fold.
- Add the food coloring and extract (see below).
- Continue folding and turning, scraping down the bowl, until the batter is smooth and falls off the spatula in a thin flat ribbon, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip.
- Holding the bag vertically and close to the baking sheet, pipe 1 1/4-inch circles (24 per sheet).
- Firmly tap the baking sheets twice against the counter to release any air bubbles.
- Let the cookies sit at room temperature until the tops are no longer sticky to the touch, 15 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the humidity.
- Slip another baking sheet under the first batch (a double baking sheet protects the cookies from the heat).
- Bake the first batch until the cookies are shiny and rise 1/8 inch to form a "foot," about 20 minutes.
- Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Repeat, using a double sheet for each batch.
- Peel the cookies off the mats and sandwich with a thin layer of filling (see below).
- Almond-Raspberry:
- Tint the batter with 2 drops neon pink gel food coloring; flavor with almond extract.
- Fill with seedless raspberry jam (you'll need about 3/4 cup).
- Mint-White Chocolate:
- Tint the batter with 2 drops mint green gel food coloring; flavor with mint extract.
- For the filling, microwave 3 ounces chopped white chocolate, 2 tablespoons heavy cream and 1 tablespoon butter in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth.
- Stir in 1/4 teaspoon mint extract and 1 drop mint green gel food coloring.
- Blueberry Cheesecake:
- Tint the batter with 3 drops royal blue gel food coloring; flavor with vanilla extract.
- For the filling, mix 4 ounces softened cream cheese and 3 tablespoons blueberry jam.
- Lavendar-Honey:
- Tint the batter with 2 drops violet gel food coloring; flavor with almond or vanilla extract.
- For the filling, mix 3/4 cup mascarpone cheese, 2 tablespoons honey and 1 teaspoon ground dried lavender.
- Pineapple:
- Tint the batter with 2 drops lemon yellow gel food coloring; flavor with vanilla extract.
- For the filling, press 3/4 cup pineapple jam through a sieve, discarding any large pieces.
- Photograph by Levi Brown
sugar, almond flour, egg whites, cream of tartar, salt, sugar, coloring, vanilla, convection setting, baking sheets, silicone baking, pastry
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/french-macaroons.html (may not work)