Recipe of Today: French Macarons

Ingredients:

For the Cookie:

• 100g egg whites (3 eggs)
• 1 ½ cups almond flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar

For the Buttercream:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 5 egg yolks
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions:

For the Cookie:

• Sift the confectioners sugar and almond flour into a bowl for future use. Add room temperature egg whites to a very clean bowl. Beat egg whites with your Kitchenin KM50 Stand Mixer. Once they start to bubble, add the cream of tartar, and then SLOWLY add the granulated sugar. Add food coloring (if desired) and vanilla extract then mix. Continue to stir until stiff peaks form.

• Begin to fold in ⅓ of the dry ingredients. Add remaining dry ingredients carefully and fold in gently. The final mixture should look like flowing lava and be able to turn into a figure-eight shape without breaking. 

• Spoon into a piping bag with a medium round piping tip and you are ready to start piping. Pipe one-inch clumps on a parchment lined baking sheet (this should stick with a small amount of batter). Tap a few times on the counter to release air bubbles. Let stand for about 40 minutes before placing in the oven.

• Bake at 300°F for about 12 to 15 minutes, then rotate the tray after 7 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from the pan.

For the Buttercream:

• Add egg yolks into  KM50 Stand Mixer and beat with the whisk attachment until thick and frothy. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and water. Heat over low heat while stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Cook the sugar and water syrup to 240°F. Turn off the flame immediately. With the mixer running, SLOWLY pour the hot syrup into the bowl with the egg yolks. Continue whisking until the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch and the egg yolk mixture cools to room temperature.

• Add the butter cubes one at a time, allowing each piece to mix before adding the next one. Add vanilla extract and salt. Continue to blend until the cream is smooth and creamy. If desired, add food coloring.

• Pipe your filling on the backside of half the shells. Form into one sandwich and repeat. Macarons should age in the fridge for 1 to 3 days for best results. This allows the filling to soften the shells inside. Serve and enjoy!