Blueberry Macarons

These take patience and sometimes it may take a second try, but when you get it right...they melt in your mouth!

Utensils:

Piping bag with 1/4" round tip

Mixer with whisk attachment to beat egg whites.

Medium bowl

Fine Sieve

Measuring cups and spoons

Rubber Spatula

White parchment paper

Ink pen

Quarter

Makes 38 whole cookies (76 cookie halves)

3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp powdered sugar

1/2 cup finely ground almond flour

2 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

Pinch of salt

1/8 cup (2 Tbsp) granulated sugar

5 or 6...or more drops blue food coloring

1/4 tsp vanilla

Measure out the powdered sugar and almond flour using a spoon to fill measuring cup then leveling off with the back of a knife. Whisk together in medium bowl then sift the mixture through a fine sieve. 

Using mixer, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until frothy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and beat until stiff and shiny. 

Pour beaten egg whites to the bowl with almond flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the ingredients together until completely incorporated. 

Add the food coloring and Vanilla. Fold mixture until the color is completely dispersed. Keep folding until batter is smooth and shiny. It should drip off the spatula in a thin ribbon. 

Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip. Holding the bag vertically, pipe into the 1 1/4" circles (or just slightly bigger than a quarter). I take white parchment paper and trace around a quarter - using an ink pen - spaced apart about 1". Make even rows that will properly fit your sheet pan. Turn parchment over and place on sheet pan. You should be able to see the circles you traced.  Pipe directly in the middle of the circle and do not fill the circle completely, leave a slight ring to allow macaron to spread. Allow the macarons to rest for an hour or until the tops are no longer sticky.

Preheat oven to 200.

Bake 11-12 minutes. 

Cool completely then carefully peel up each cookie half. 

For filling, take blueberry jam and puree until smooth. Use same piping bag & tip, pipe out filling on halfof the cookies. Do not fill to the edge, leave a slight ring to allow filling to spread. Top with remaining cookie.

Enjoy!