French Macarons

Recipe View Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (5 minutes)

Recipe View In a clean, dry glass, metal, or ceramic bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy (about 30 seconds). Gradually add granulated sugar and continue to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form that hold their shape when the bowl is turned upside down (about 5 minutes).

Recipe View Sift together confectioners' sugar, almond flour, and salt twice to ensure a smooth texture. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the meringue until the batter is smooth and flows slowly off a spatula in a thick ribbon (about 50 turns with a spatula).

Recipe View Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe batter onto the prepared baking sheet in 1-inch circles, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Tap the baking sheet firmly against the counter about 10 times to release any trapped air bubbles. (15 minutes)

Recipe View Bake in the preheated oven for 9 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet and continue baking until the macarons have developed 'feet' (ruffles around the edge) and are shiny on top (about 9 minutes more). Let cool completely on the parchment paper before removing (about 30 minutes).

Recipe View While the macarons are cooling, prepare the filling. In a bowl, beat softened butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until light and creamy (about 10 minutes). Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a round tip.

Recipe View Once the macarons are completely cool, pipe a small amount of filling onto the flat side of one macaron. Top with another macaron, pressing gently to create a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining macarons and filling. (20 minutes)