Prep

1. Wipe all equipment with vinegar to remove any oil residue.
2. Preheat oven to 310°F (155°C).
3. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats.
4. Weigh and set aside all ingredients using a food scale. Having your ingredients ready to go will help ensure success.

Make the Almond Paste

1. Sift almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Discard any remaining large bits. Lumps will make the surface of the macarons rough instead of shiny.
2. Add in your first measurement of egg white [## grams of egg whites] and mix into the dry ingredients until you get a thick paste. [See Step 1 photo of almond paste]
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent drying.

Make the Italian Meringue 

1. Add 75g egg whites (second measurement) and cream of tartar to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
2. In your mixer, whip the egg whites on medium-high speed (Kitchen Aid speed 5) until they are soft and foamy. (about 2-3 mins). [ See Step 2 photo of soft and foamy egg whites]
3. Turn  the mixer to the lowest spped and let it run while you make the syrup.
4. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water.
5. Heat over medium-high until boiling without stirring. 
6. Immediately after the syrup reaches 245°F (about 4-5 mins), slowly stream it into the whipping egg whites on medium speed (Kitchen Aid speed 5), avoiding the whisk. Don’t let the syrup sit, or it will begin to harden. [ See Step 3 photo of how to add the syrup ]
7. If you are adding food coloring, add it to the mixture now. 
8. Increase to medium-high speed (Kitchen Aid speed 7) and whip for 3-5 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form. Peaks should stand with a slight bend. Over-mixing your meringue can ruin your macrons, so be careful. [ See Step 4 photo of stiff peak meringue]

Macaronage 

1. Add 1/3 of the meringue and fold gently until fully incorporated and no dry bits of almond remain on the bottom of the bowl, turning the bowl frequenly until the batter loosens.  
2. Add the remaining meringue and continue folding the batter until it flows like lava. Do not over-macaronage (it’s better to under Macaronage vs over)  [ See Step 5 photo for lava-like consistency]

Step 5: Pipe Macron Shells

1. Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a #12 round tip (or similar).
2. Pipe straight down, about ½” above the mat, until the batter slightly exceeds the printed inner circle.
3. Stop and flick the tip in a small “C” motion to finish.
4. Tap the tray firmly on the counter 4–5 times to release air bubbles. If you don’t, your macarons may crack.
5. Pop any visible bubbles with a toothpick.

Rest the Batter

1. Let piped shells sit ~15 minutes to form a dry skin. (Touch lightly — batter should not stick.) Do not over-rest or they may not rise properly.

Bake

1. Bake 15–16 minutes, or until shells don’t wiggle when touched.
2. Slide the silicone mat (with shells) onto a wire rack to cool.
3. Do not remove shells until completely cooled.

Assemble

1. Pair similar-sized shells.
2. Pipe filling onto one shell, leaving about ⅛” space from the edge.
3. Gently place a matching shell on top and press lightly.
4. Refrigerate filled macarons 24 hours to mature and soften perfectly.
5. Store in the refrigerator up to 1 week or freeze up to 2 months.