Ahh macarons. (Not macaroons, mind you. Those are mounds made of shredded coconut.) Have you ever drooled over them in a bakery window? (psht… we don’t know what you’re talking about). Those cute little sandwiches with their complementary feet might seem intimidating (and they sort of are), but that’s okay–we’ve come up with a (nearly) foolproof way of making them.

Recipe (Inspired by Beth):

Notes

• Difficulty: Difficult

• Length: 20 minutes prep + 30 minute waiting + 20 minutes baking

• Keep in mind: Don’t add the sugar until you see soft peaks in the egg whites. Make sure that you keep an eye on your batter while folding; if you underfold the macarons may crack and not form feet, over fold and the macarons will be flat and again not form feet. But don’t be discouraged if you mess up the first time! (or the second…or the third…)

• Why we made it: We thought we couldn’t do it.

• Why you should make it: To feel accomplished. Plus, it’s pretty impressive (and romantic).

Ingredients

• 3 egg whites

• ¼ cup white sugar

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 1 cup almond flour (stay tuned for a recipe!)

• pinch of salt

• ¼ tsp vanilla extract

• ¼ tsp cream of tartar (optional but recommended; helps stabilize egg whites and reach stiff peaks faster)

• your choice of jam or buttercream (for the filling)

Equipment

• Sieve

• electric mixer / standing mixer / hand whisk (will take a long time)

• spatula for folding

• piping bag (or a plastic bag with tip snipped off)

• baking pan with parchment paper

• oven (of course)

We thought we’d try something new…so….BEHOLD, OUR FIRST VIDEO!

Next Up: Chocolate Mousse