Ah, elusive macaron... And, yes, its macarons, not macaroons (macaroons are the spiky ones with shredded coconut) - as if I care. There is this mystic aura around them and for a good reason! It's not just about how enchanting they are. Quite frankly, sometimes I think it's not that at all! It's the making process, the nearly alchemical precision in every step: the ingredients, the mixing and whipping and folding and squeezing and drying... you name it!
Well... I tried it three times, didn't get the perfect result yet. I could say that there were extenuating circumstances, (the humidity, the ingredients and finally the fact that I burned the mixer half way through the third attempt... ) but, generally speaking, I'm not a macaron type of baker. I like to improvise, be messy and not very particular about the recipe. So, while I continue to admire the perfect pastel-colored cookie, and probably attempt to bake it every now and then, I usually turn to it's much more forgiving cousin: Amaretti.
It's a tiny, adorable and delicious cookie, perhaps not so elegant, but full of rustic charm. And so much easier to make! The concept is still te same: meringue base, almond meal, sugar; but you don't need to be Pierre Herme to get it right!
170 g ground almonds
150 g powdered sugar
2 eggwhites
15 ml amaretto (if you want to be extra fancy)
Mix almonds and sugar - I recommend pulsing it in your food processor
Whip the egg whites until stiff and fold in the almonds. If you are using amaretto - fold it in last.
You can use baking paper, baking mat or buttered cookie tray. Squeeze small cookies with confectionary sleeve or scoop with a spoon. They will grow a lot, so leave enough space in between.
Bake - now there is and either or to this step. If you want crispy, dry cookies, bake at 160 C for about 15 minutes (or a little longer), if you like more chewy and soft cookies, try 170 for 10 minutes
The truth is you just have to keep and eye on them. But they are delicious either way!
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