Marina District Macarons

These delicate and colorful macarons are a classic French pastry, sandwiched together with your choice of flavorful filling.

Ingredients - Serves 24

Preheat the oven to 300°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a food processor, combine the almond flour and powdered sugar and process until fine.
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Gradually add the granulated sugar and beat until the mixture holds stiff peaks.
Add the food coloring and beat until well combined.
Gradually add the almond flour mixture to the egg whites and fold until the mixture is smooth and shiny.
Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch round tip and pipe 1 inch rounds onto the prepared baking sheets.
Let the rounds sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until they are no longer sticky to the touch.
Bake for 20 minutes, until the macarons are crisp and firm. Let the macarons cool on the baking sheets for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once the macarons are completely cool, spread a layer of your chosen filling onto one macaron and sandwich it with another macaron. Repeat with the remaining macarons and filling.