French Macarons

Ingredients

• 100g fine almond flour
• 100g powdered sugar
• 2 egg whites, aged at room temperature for 24 hours
• 100g granulated sugar
• Food coloring, optional
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

Before you cook

• Set the egg whites out, loosely covered, at room temperature for 24 hours before baking.
• Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together twice into a bowl, discarding any large lumps that won't pass through.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
• Fit a piping bag with a round tip.

Steps

1. Whip the aged egg whites on medium speed until foamy and soft peaks form.
2. Add the granulated sugar in three additions, whipping well between each.
3. Continue whipping until the meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks.
4. Add food coloring if using and whip briefly to combine.
5. Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar mixture over the meringue.
6. Fold the dry ingredients into the meringue with a spatula, pressing and turning the bowl, until the batter falls off the spatula in a slow, thick ribbon that melts back into itself within 15 to 20 seconds.
7. Transfer the batter to the piping bag.
8. Pipe uniform 1.5-inch rounds onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them apart.
9. Rap each baking sheet firmly against the counter several times to release trapped air bubbles.
10. Let the piped rounds rest uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes, until a dry skin forms and they no longer feel tacky when lightly touched.
11. Preheat the oven to 300°F while the shells rest.
12. Bake one sheet at a time for 14 to 16 minutes, until the shells lift cleanly off the parchment.
13. Cool the shells completely on the baking sheet before removing them.
14. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just simmers.
15. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth.
16. Let the ganache cool and thicken slightly at room temperature.
17. Match the cooled shells into pairs of similar size.
18. Pipe or spoon a small amount of ganache onto one shell of each pair and sandwich with the other.
19. Refrigerate the filled macarons for 24 hours before serving, so the filling softens the shells to the right chewy texture.