French Macaron

French Macaron

• 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 egg whites, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or your choice
• Colored food gel
• Gallon sized Ziploc bag or large piping bag
• Blender or food processor
• Parchment paper
• Fine mesh strainer

Place the egg whites in a stand mixer or use a hand mixer to beat the egg whites until they are frothy. Sprinkle in the sugar a little bit at a time as you are beating and continue until stiff peaks form. You will know that your egg whites are beaten enough if you can lift up the pole and tippet upside down and nothing falls. Set aside.

To prepare the dry ingredients: place the almond flour and powdered sugar in a blender or food processor and pulse until it is very fine. Transfer the dry ingredients into the fine mash sister and sift into a bowl. Add salt and stir.

Add 1 teaspoon flavoring to your egg white mixture along with any coloring at this time. Make sure and beat it in well so it continues to be very stiff. Fold in the dry ingredients into the egg whites and continue stirring until the batter can form a figure 8 in the bowl. Once the batter can do that place the batter into a Ziploc bag or a large piping bag. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat liner and squeeze quarter sized rounds (at least 2 inches apart) onto the prepared baking sheet.

. ***VERY IMPORTANT***
1. Bang the baking sheet on the counter at least five times to release any air bubbles in your batter.
2. Allow the Macarons to sit on the counter uncovered for at least 30 minutes or up until they form a shell on top of that you can brush your fingers across and they do not stick.

To Bake: why the macaroons are sitting on the counter preheat your oven to 300°. Bake the macaroons in the center of the oven for 17 minutes or until they have lifted and no longer look soft. Remove from the oven and allow the macaroons to cool in the pan on the countertop for 30 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack for them to dry/cool completely.

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