Gerbet Macarons

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Confectioner’s Sugar
• ¾ cup Almond Flour
• 2 Large Egg Whites (room temperature)
• Pinch of Cream of Tartar
• ¼ cup Superfine Sugar
• (Seedless Raspberry Jam, Ganache or Buttercream for filling options)

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper – set aside.
Preheat Oven to 325 degrees F.
Pulse confectioner’s sugar and almond flour in a food processor until combined. Process for about 1 minute until very fine.
To make the meringue, whisk whites with a mixer on low speed to aerate. Add the cream of tartar and whisk until foamy. Reduce speed to low, then add the superfine sugar. Increase the speed to high and whisk until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. (Don’t overwhip the meringue or you will have difficulty mixing in the dry ingredients).
Using a rubber spatula, fold the almond mixture into the meringue until well blended.
OPTIONAL: Color your macaron batter to your liking with a drop or two of gel food coloring. A little goes a long way! And remember the color does not change much after baking.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #802 tip. Carefully pipe 1 inch rounds of batter onto your parchment lined sheet. Set them aside for about 1 hour or until a skin forms on the surface of the macarons. (This is extremely important, as the skin helps them hold their shape during baking).
Bake the macarons for about 10 minutes, or until they are firm and just beginning to brown around the edges. They should not brown a lot during baking, and should appear smooth, round and with no cracks. They should be crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle.
Let the macarons cool on wire racks.

To assemble: Add a thin layer of jam, buttercream or ganache to the flat bottom of the macaroon with a pastry bag and place the other macaroon on top, pressing gently. Macarons can be stored air-tight, at room temperature for a few days.