Basic Macarons

Best thing when making Macarons is to have all of your equipment and ingredients together before you start mixing your batter. Save your alcohol consumption till your done, cuz you will need it then!

Check list time!

Equipment:
Parchment Paper
Cookie Sheets
Pastry bags/ or if you are cheap like me, large zip-lock bags
A mixer, stand or hand held
Spatula
Flour Sift
Mixing Bowl

Ingredients:
2/3 cup ground almonds (I make mine from blanched almonds, but you can always buy almond meal)
1 ½ cup powdered sugar
3 egg whites at room temperature
5 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract



To make a basic Macaron you will need to follow these steps closely, because if the cookies you make don't have feet, they are not a Macaron.

1.Set up your cookie sheets by covering them with parchment paper. You will want to draw out 1-inch circles on the paper. If you plan to add macaroons to your baking repertoire you will want to draw out your circles on a separate piece of paper that you can place under the parchment paper. This way you can use it over and over again.
2.If you are grinding your own almonds you will want to use a food processor. A nut grinder is going to take too long and make more dishes. You will need the food processor to mix the ground almonds with the powdered sugar. After you have done that you will need to sift the almond and powdered sugar mixture. You can discard the large chunks that won't break down after you have shifted the mixture twice. You will want to set this mixture in the refrigerator while you are doing the next step.
3.Angry? Good…you get to beat some eggs! You can stop when the egg whites are foamy.
4.Now a tablespoons at a time add in your granulated sugar and continue to beat the whites until the white become a meringue. Your meringue will be stiff, firm and glossy (sorry that sounds dirty.)
5.If you are adding in a liquid flavor this would be the time to add it in.
6.Now add in half of the almond and powdered sugar mixture to the meringue. Also if you are using dry flavoring this is the time to add it in. Use your spatula to bring the meringue up from the bottom of the bowl. Once the is combined you will add in the rest of the almond and powdered sugar mixture. This is macaronnage. (see Macaronnage and Macaronner post for technique)
7.Place your batter into a pastry bag or a large zip lock bag. Following your drawn out circles, pipe out your batter. (If you suck at piping and your cookies have bumps you can always get your finger slightly wet and dab the bumps down... but I would suggest that you just learn how to pipe better. Dear readers I am sorry for my feistines of this post... all I can say is I just burnt a cookie sheet of macarons and I am taking it out in this post. For better piping instructions I would have to suggest checking out Martha Stewart. This is the only time I suggest referencing her for macaroons.)
8.You will want to gently (something I can't do right now) tap the cookie sheet against the counter top. I am under the assumption that this will help your macaroons get there pied.
9.Here is where you will learn patience. You will have to let your batter dry. You will want them to be still moist with a thin crust. They can be touched without coming off on your finger.
10.Bake your cookies in a 375ºF oven for 15 minutes.
11.Remove from oven when they are slightly crisp and let them cool on a wire rack.
12.Thank me if they have turned out correctly, if they didn't, go to your favorite book seller and pick up a copy of Hisako Ogita's I ♥ Macarons.