FRENCH MACARONS HOW TO MAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. Lightly grease two baking sheets with cooking spray and line with parchment.
• Make macarons: Set a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl and sift 1 ¾ cup powdered sugar with almond flour. Use a rubber spatula to help push larger pieces through. Keep pressing until less than 2 tablespoons of solids remain. Discard solids.
• In a mixer, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt until frothy. Increase speed to medium-high and slowly add superfine sugar. Continue to beat on medium-high until egg whites are stiff and glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Beat in food coloring until combined, about 30 seconds more. Fold dry ingredients into beaten egg whites with a spatula until it flows like thick lava, about 2 minutes. 
• Fit a pastry bag with a a 1/4-inch round tip and transfer batter into bag. Dab some remaining batter in bowl onto the corners of two baking sheets and line sheets with parchment. Pipe batter into 1-inch circles, spacing each circle about 1 inch apart. Tap baking sheet against counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Let piped batter to sit out for 45 minutes before baking.
• Bake one sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until risen and just set, 13 to 14. 
• Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before gently peeling parchment away to transfer to a rack to cool completely. 
• Using a mixer, beat butter with remaining ¾ cup powdered sugar and vanilla until fluffy and smooth. Pipe or spread filling on flat sides of half of cookies; top with remaining half. 
• Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in lower third. Place almonds in a food processor; process until as fine as possible, about 1 minute. Add confectioners' sugar; process until combined, about 1 minute.
• Pass almond mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Transfer solids in sieve to food processor; grind and sift again, pressing down on clumps. Repeat until less than 2 tablespoons of solids remains in sieve.
• Whisk egg whites and granulated sugar by hand to combine. Beat on medium speed (4 on a KitchenAid) 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high (6) and beat 2 minutes. Then beat on high (8) 2 minutes more.
• The beaten egg whites will hold stiff, glossy peaks when you lift the whisk out of the bowl. Add flavoring and food coloring, if desired, and beat on highest speed 30 seconds.
• Add dry ingredients all at once. Fold with a spatula from bottom of bowl upward, then press flat side of spatula firmly through middle of mixture. Repeat just until batter flows like lava, 35 to 40 complete strokes.
• Rest a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch round tip (Ateco #804) inside a glass. Transfer batter to bag; secure top. Dab some batter remaining in bowl onto corners of 2 heavy baking sheets; line with parchment.
• With piping tip 1/2 inch above sheet, pipe batter into a 3/4-inch round, then swirl tip off to one side. Repeat, spacing rounds 1 inch apart. Tap sheets firmly against counter 2 or 3 times to release air bubbles.
• Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until risen and just set, 13 minutes. Let cool. Pipe or spread filling on flat sides of half of cookies; top with remaining half. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate.