Classic French Macarons in 10 steps

This was our first attempt at French Macarons and we LOVED them! These taste so much better when they are fresh!

This makes about 2 dozen Macarons

Dry Ingredients

1.5 cup confectioners' sugar

3/4 cup super fine almond flour

Sift together your confectioners' sugar and almond flour

Wet - Meringue Ingredients

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

5 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Few drops of pink gel food coloring (optional)

Preheat oven to 280 degrees

Step 1. Beat your egg whites to form stiff peaks

Step 2. Gradually add in your sugar  and vanilla

Step 3. If you decide to color your macarons now's the time to incorporate a few drops of your food coloring to the meringue by gently folding it into your mixture

Step 4. Once you've tinted your meringue gently fold in your almond flour mixture half batch at a time

Step 5. Transfer your batter to a pastry bag and pipe onto a pre-lined baking sheet (we used a silicone liner and parchment paper both worked well but the silicone seemed to work better) 

Step 6. Pipe 1 inch circles onto the baking sheets, space these out by about an inch and a half 

Step 7. Before you place your baking sheets in the oven allow them to set on the counter for about 20-30 minutes. They're ready when you touch them and no batter comes off on your fingers

Step 8. Place in oven for about 18 minutes, turning your baking sheets halfway through

Step 9. Let cool completely, first in the pan and then on a cooling rack

Step 10. Prepare your filling, and pipe onto the flat side of one of your cookies and top with an equal shaped cookie and voila you've got yourself a cookie sandwich!