Macarons

Steps

1. Prep the baking sheets by lining them with silicone baking mats, ideally the ones with the macaron templates on them. If you don’t have the template mats, use the provided template placed under the silicone mats.

2. Bring one inch of water to a simmer in a small pot.

3. Wipe the bowl of a stand mixer clean with white vinegar and add the egg whites and granulated sugar. Whisk to combine. Place the bowl over the simmering water being sure the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is frothy, about 2-3 minutes.

4. Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on high speed until glossy, stiff peaks form and the bowl is cooled to room temperature.

5. While the egg whites whip, sift the almond flour and powdered sugar twice through a fine mesh sieve.

6. Add the almond flour mixture to the whipped egg whites and fold, pressing against the side of the bowl as you go. The batter should flow like lava off the spatula in a steady line without breaks and should be able to make a figure 8 without any breaks. The batter should melt back into itself after 10-15 seconds. If it does not and instead just sits on top of the batter beneath it, fold a few more times and try the figure 8 again.

7. Add the batter to a piping bag, taking care to not overfill the bag. Half to two-thirds full is plenty. Snip off the end of the bag, leaving about a quarter inch hole. Pipe the macarons at a 90 degree angle, making a slight swirl motion after you stop piping to prevent dimples.

8. Tap the pan firmly on the counter 3-4 times to help remove any air bubbles. You can use a toothpick to pop bubbles that come to the surface but do not pop on their own.

9. Let the macarons rest for 30-60 minutes, until a skin forms on the outside and they do not stick when you lightly touch them.

10. While the macarons rest, preheat the oven to 300 degrees fahrenheit. When the macarons are ready, bake for 15-18 minutes.

11. To test if the macarons are ready, touch the top of one. It should not jiggle or move around at all, and the top should feel firm. You can gently peel it off the parchment or silicone mat. A macaron that is done will peel off with an in-tact bottom whereas a macaron that needs more time will stick and leave the bottom behind.

12. Once done baking, remove the macarons from the oven and let them cool on the tray. Once cooled, pipe your chosen filling in the center of one shell and gently top with a second shell.

13. If you would like the macarons to develop deeper flavor, fill them and store them in an airtight container in the fridge overnight. This process is called maturing and will allow the shells to absorb the flavor of the filling and the shells to soften slightly.