Authentic French Macarons Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 extra large egg whites
• 1.67 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1.33 cups almond flour
• 0.13 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 cup superfine (castor) sugar
• 0.25 cup seedless raspberry jam

Instructions

1. Place the egg whites in a metal mixing bowl and refrigerate overnight to improve their structure. The following day, allow the egg whites to reach room temperature before using.
2. Preheat your oven to 280 degrees F (138 degrees C). Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
3. In a mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the confectioners' sugar and almond flour to ensure a smooth, consistent mixture.
4. Using an electric mixer set to medium speed, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a metal bowl until they become foamy, approximately 1 minute. Increase the mixer speed to high and gradually add the superfine sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, continuing to beat until the egg whites form glossy, stiff peaks, which should take about 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Gently fold the almond flour mixture into the whipped egg whites until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch tip. Pipe 1-inch disks of meringue onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each macaron to allow for spreading. The batter will naturally spread out slightly.
6. Lift each baking sheet a few inches above your work surface and gently tap it several times to release any trapped air bubbles from the macarons. Allow the piped macarons to stand at room temperature until their shiny surfaces become dull and a thin skin forms, which typically takes around 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake until the surfaces of the macarons are completely dry to the touch, approximately 19 to 20 minutes. Allow the baked macarons to cool completely on the baking sheets before carefully peeling off the parchment paper.
8. Spread half of the cooled macaron cookies with your preferred filling, such as buttercream, ganache, or jam. Top each filled cookie with another macaron to create sandwich cookies. Refrigerate the assembled macarons for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow them to soften and the flavors to meld together beautifully.

Nutrition

• Calories: 73 kcal
• Fat Content: 3 g
• Fiber Content: 1 g
• Sodium Content: 8 mg
• Protein Content: 1 g
• Carbohydrate Content: 12 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 0 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g