french macaroons

macaroons are one of those delicate french pastries that make a beautiful display at a fancy patisserie but something i never thought of tackling at home. remember when i mentioned that we are going through years of old magazines and ripping out recipes and inspiration? well, leave it to martha stewart to have a great french macaroon recipe. you can read her recipe here which is basically what i used but with a few variations for flavors and fillings. they turned out beautifully and it was such a fun adventure! piping perfect circles took a little practice and unless you are a naturally patient person, make sure you attempt this recipe on a day when you feel especially patient. even if they don't turn out perfectly round and pretty, they'll still taste wonderful! i used the basic recipe to make three different flavors - pistachio with chocolate ganache, chocolate with lingonberry jam & espresso with caramel - check out martha's recipe for even more variations.

Pistachio Macaroons

makes about 35

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup finely ground unsalted pistachios

1/4 cup finely ground slivered almonds

2 large egg whites, room temperature

1/4 cup superfine sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 1/2 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped

pulse confectioner's sugar, pistachio flour and almond flour in a food processor until combined. sift mixture and if not fine enough to go through, grind again in food processor or spice grinder. whisk whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy. increase speed to high and whisk until soft peaks form. reduce speed and add sugar. whisk until stiff peaks form and then fold in flour mixture. preheat oven to 300 degrees F. spoon batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip. pipe 3/4-inch rounds about 1-inch apart on parchment lined baking sheets. let macaroons stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or until a light crust forms. bake on upper and lower third racks until crisp, rotating halfway through, about 22-26 minutes. cool completely on baking sheets to harden bottoms and remove carefully with a spatula.

meanwhile, bring cream to a boil over medium high heat. pour over chocolate in a heatproof bowl and let sit 2 minutes, covered with a small sheet pan. remove cover and whisk until smooth. let cool and slightly harden before assembling cookies.

sandwich two same size macaroons with 1 tsp chocolate ganache and serve immediately. can be stacked between layers of parchment, wrapped in plastic and frozen for up to three months.