Peppermint Macarons

INGREDIENTS:

Macaron shells:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1.5 cups powdered sugar
• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• ¼ cup granulated white sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

Peppermint frosting:

• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-3 tablespoons cream or milk
• 4-5 candy canes, crushed
• pink food color [optional]

INSTRUCTIONS:

Macaron shells:

1. In a bowl mix together almond flour and powdered sugar.
2. Sift the mixture 3 times and set aside. This step is important for macarons to have that smooth top.
3. Separate eggs whites [they are best separated when cold] and keep them at room temperature for 2 hours before you start working on them. You can even leave them for 24 hours, this recipe does not work if egg whites are not at room temperature.
4. Beat the egg whites at high speed using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer or using your hand mixer.
5. When it begins to foam, add cream of tartar.
6. Keep beating till it reaches a shaving foam like consistency and then add the granulated sugar. Beat more till the egg whites develop stiff peaks and are shiny.
7. Fold in the almond flour-powdered sugar mixture into the egg whites using a spatula. Don’t add the entire thing in one go, do it in 2-3 parts.
8. As you start mixing, the batter will be tough at first but will loosen up as you proceed. Do not undermix and do not overmix either.
9. The batter should not be runny but should still fall down from the spatula in a blob.
10. Transfer batter to pastry bag fitted with a ½ inch round tip. Add few drops of pink food color (optional) to the batter.
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