Macaroon

The main thing is to use good ingredients.  It really makes a difference.

• 6 Egg whites
• 1 C sugar
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp salt
  • Next ingredients for Step One
• 1/2 C Powdered sugar
• 1/2 C Almond meal – ground very fine (Bob’s Red Mill) about like flour or corn starch

Step by Step

1. Sift together powdered sugar and almond meal – set aside
2. Whip egg whites for three minutes
3. Add sugar and cream of tartar
4. Continue to whip until soft peaks form
5. Add vanilla and (optional) food coloring and mix to incorporate.
6. Fold in almond mixture
7. Fold in 1/3 of your egg whites
   1. Mix to incorprate and then repeat Step 7 twice more
8. Consistency should be like a thick pancake batter (or thin cookie dough)
9. Prepare a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet – you can draw circles on the BACK of the parchment paper to help with your layout.
10. Put mixture into a piping bag and pipe as closely to the same size as possible
11. Drop pan on the counter a few times to remove air bubbles
12. Caramel will cook at 325º for 15 minutes
13. Chocolate will cook at 350º for 15 minutes
    Texture of the inside should be soft, not hard

OPTIONAL MODIFICATIONS

1. Caramel – filled with buttercreme
2. Chocolate – filled with chocolate ganache
   Heavy cream over chocolate chips
3. Raspberry – filled with jam
4. Lemon – filled with lemon curd
5. Lime – filled with lime curd
6. Mint Chocolate Chip – mint butter cream
7. Strawberry – strawberry butter cream
8. Pistchio – pistachio butter cream
9. Espresso – butter cream
10. Coconut
11. Orange
12. Rum and raisin
13. Banana and chocolate 
14. Mix vodka and food coloring and wipe on cookies
    Sprinkle with Turbinado sugar
15. Assemble with jam in between two cookies