French Macarons

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5 from 2 votes

French macarons—those pretty, light, airy, meringue-based, melt-in-your-mouth confection is everyone’s favorite.

Prep Time30

Cook Time2

Total Time2 30

Course: Baking Recipes

Cuisine: cookies

Keyword: French Macarons

Servings: people

Calories: 82kcal

Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

2/3 cup sliced blanched almonds 70 g (2⅖ oz)
1 cup confectioners' sugar 117 g (4⅛ oz)
2 large egg whites room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar 53 g (1⅞ oz)
filling

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) with rack in lower third. Place almonds in a food processor; process until as fine as possible, about 1 minute. Add confectioners' sugar; process until combined, about 1 minute.
Pass almond mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Transfer solids in sieve to food processor; grind and sift again, pressing down on clumps. Repeat until less than 2 tablespoons of solids remains in sieve.
Whisk egg whites and granulated sugar by hand to combine. Beat on medium speed (4 on a KitchenAid) 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high (6) and beat 2 minutes. Then beat on high (8) 2 minutes more.
The beaten egg whites will hold stiff, glossy peaks when you lift the whisk out of the bowl. Add flavoring and food coloring, if desired, and beat on highest speed 30 seconds.
Add dry ingredients all at once. Fold with a spatula from bottom of bowl upward, then press flat side of spatula firmly through middle of mixture. Repeat just until batter flows like lava, 35 to 40 complete strokes.
Rest a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch (0.95cm) round tip inside a glass. Transfer batter to bag; secure top. Dab some batter remaining in bowl onto corners of 2 heavy baking sheets; line with parchment.
With piping tip 1/2 inch (1cm) above the sheet, pipe batter into a 3/4-inch (1.9cm) round, then swirl the tip off to one side. Repeat, spacing rounds 1 inch apart. Tap sheets firmly against counter 2 or 3 times to release air bubbles.
Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until risen and just set, 13 minutes. Let cool. Pipe or spread filling on flat sides of half of cookies; top with remaining half. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate.

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