Macarons

These delicate sandwich cookies test precision and technique. Success requires weighing ingredients, proper macaronage, and understanding your oven.

Basic Macaron Technique

Yield: 24 sandwich cookies Prep time: 45 minutes Bake time: 14-16 minutes

#### Ingredients

For Shells: - 110g almond flour, super fine - 200g powdered sugar - 75g egg whites (aged 24 hours at room temperature) - 50g granulated sugar - Food coloring (optional)

Basic Buttercream Filling: - 115g unsalted butter, room temperature - 150g powdered sugar - 1 tsp vanilla extract - 2-3 tbsp heavy cream

#### Instructions

1. Prepare: Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Draw 3.5cm circles as guides, spacing 3cm apart. Flip paper/mat over.

2. Sift dry ingredients: Sift almond flour and powdered sugar together three times. Critical for smooth shells.

3. Make meringue: Whisk egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add granulated sugar, whisk to stiff, glossy peaks. Add coloring if using.

4. Macaronage: Add dry ingredients to meringue in three additions. Fold with spatula, pressing against bowl sides. Critical stage: mixture should flow like "molten lava" - ribbon falling from spatula should disappear into mixture within 10 seconds.

5. Pipe: Transfer to piping bag with round tip. Pipe perpendicular to surface, filling circles. Tap sheets firmly to release air bubbles.

6. Rest: Let sit 30-60 minutes until surface feels dry and not tacky. This forms the skin necessary for feet development.

7. Bake: Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Bake 14-16 minutes, rotating halfway. Shells should not move when gently nudged.

8. Cool and fill: Cool completely on sheets. Match shells by size. Pipe filling on flat side of one shell, sandwich with another.

9. Mature: Store filled macarons in airtight container. Refrigerate 24 hours before serving for best texture.

Troubleshooting Guide

No Feet: Overmixed batter, inadequate rest, oven too hot Cracked Tops: Undermixed batter, too much air, oven too hot Lopsided: Uneven piping, slanted baking sheets Hollow: Incorrect meringue, wrong temperature

Flavor Variations

- Chocolate: Replace 20g almond flour with cocoa powder - Pistachio: Use pistachio flour, add green coloring - Raspberry: Add freeze-dried raspberry powder to shells - Lemon: Add zest to shells, lemon curd filling - Matcha: Add 2 tsp matcha powder to dry ingredients

---