Macarons

This is the calendar at my desk. Why I've been craving macarons the past week needs no explanation.

So I thought, why buy macarons when I could learn how to make them? Great thought - but it turns out macarons are quite high maintenance. This recipe might take me a bit of practice, but I'll share it, via Martha Stewart, in case anyone happens to be a macaron prodigy (and if so, please share your secrets.)

I set aside a Saturday afternoon to make these finicky little cookies. While the final product was not quite ready for a public debut, they were quite tasty and a nice chewy consistency. There's definitely potential - and for a somewhat decadent dessert during Saturday night movie night, they worked just great.

Ingredients for cookies:

• 1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup ground blanched almonds (this sounds fancy, but it just means skin-less)
• 3 egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• food coloring (if desired)

Ingredients for filling:

• 3 large egg whites
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk together the confectioners' sugar and ground almonds (make sure these are really finally ground). Set aside.
3. In the a separate bowl, whip egg whites and salt on medium speed until foamy. Add in your food coloring if you want colored macarons.
4. Increase the speed to high and gradually add in the granulated sugar. Whip until stiff glossy peaks form.
5. Gently fold in the confectioners' sugar/almond mixture.
6. Using either a pastry bag (or a large ziplock bag with a corner cut, which is what I did - no professional baker am I) pipe 1-inch disks of batter onto the baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
7. Let these stand at room temperature until the shiny surface on the macaroons turns dull (about 15 min.) I've also seen recipes that say to let them set an hour, which I'm going to try next time, as mine didn't rise as much as I'd hoped.
8. Bake for 15 minutes with the door slightly open.
9. Remove from oven and let sit on the baking sheet until completely cooled. Gently remove the macarons from the parchment.

Filling:
While the macarons are baking, you can start making the filling. I tried raspberry filling, and it seems like it is pretty easy to adjust for other flavors.

1. Whisk egg whites and sugar in an electric mixer. Set the mixer bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and heat the mixture, whisking opens, until the sugar is dissolved and its warm to the touch.
2. Put the bowl back on the mixer and whip on high speed until the mix is stiff and shiny (3-5 min). Add in butter, one piece at a time, and continue mixing until the butter is thoroughly incorporated. To make raspberry filling, using about half the butter and a spoonful or two of raspberry jam.

Flip half the macarons so the flat side faces up. Pipe in the filling and top with another macaron. Either eat or refrigerate.

Baking with the oven door open - which actually makes them a good winter cookie!

Heating the filling