Recipe for French Macarons

Ingredients:
For the Shells

For the Buttercream

Instructions:

  1. Make the macarons: In a sifter, sift the powdered sugar and almond flour onto a large plate. Set aside.
  2. In a separate large bowl, beat the egg whites and the granulated sugar until fully incorporated. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
  3. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.
  4. Add ⅓ of the sifted almond flour mixture at a time to the beaten egg whites, and use a spatula to gently fold until combined. After the last addition of almond flour, continue to fold slowly until the batter falls into smooth ribbons.
  5. Transfer the macaron batter into a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe the macarons onto parchment paper in 1½-inch circles, leaving a reasonable space between each cookie.
  6. Tap the baking sheet on a flat surface 5 times to release any air bubbles. Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until dry to the touch.
  7. Preheat the oven to 300˚F. Bake the macarons for 17 minutes, until the feet are well-risen and the macarons don’t stick to the parchment paper.
  8. Transfer the macarons to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.
  9. Make the buttercream: In a large bowl, add the butter and beat with a mixer for 1 minute until light and fluffy.
  10. Sift in the powdered sugar and beat until fully incorporated.
  11. Add the vanilla and beat to combine. Add the cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat to combine, until desired consistency is reached.
  12. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Add a dollop of buttercream to one macaron shell. Top it with another macaron shell to create a sandwich. Repeat with remaining macaron shells and buttercream.
  13. (Optional) I like to refridgerate the finished macarons for at least a day before eating, because in my opinion, the texture is better when cold, and it makes the macarons chewy.