Meringue method
This is a traditional recipe, which makes a very light macaroon with a domed sugar crust.
Ingredients
- 4 oz (1 1/8 cup) almonds, ground
- 7 oz (1 1/2 cup) confectioners' sugar
- 1 oz (2 tbs) sugar
- 3 (3/8 cup) egg whites
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Almond paste method
This Americanized recipe makes a smaller, chewy macaroon.
id="Almond-Macaroons_Almond-paste-method_ingredients-2">
Ingredients
- 8 oz almond paste
- 4 oz (1/2 cup) sugar
- 2 (1/4 cup) egg whites
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Steps
- Preheat oven to 325 °F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Sift together ground almonds and confectioners' sugar.
- Beat egg whites until they form soft peaks. While still beating, slowly add the sugar, and continue to beat until it forms stiff peaks. Beat in the extracts.
- Fold the almond mixture into the egg whites.
- Scrape into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch round tip. Pipe 1-tbs amounts 2 inches apart on the parchment. Form perfectly round discs with no tails.
- Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes °F.
- Slide parchment onto a rack to cool. When cookies have fully cooled, peel off paper.