French Macarons

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   1. Place the almond flour, salt and powdered sugar in the food processor and pulse until mixed.

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   2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites and powder until soft peak stage.

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   3. Slowly add the vanilla sugar and continue beating until just before stiff peak stage [once sugar is added you can't over beat the eggs really, but still stop at stiff peaks].

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   4. Add food coloring now and beat until blended.

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   5. Fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites in three stages. Sifting 1/3 dry ingredients into the egg whites, then fold 3 times. Don't cut through that often, mostly just fold from under. Continue to fold until a ribbon forms. Its important to get a good ribbon here since too much air makes these too puffy and too little air makes them too flat.

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   6. Pipe onto parchment paper [hold pipette right above and from small circles, they will spread out only slightly]. Let set for 60 minutes.

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   7. Preheat oven to 350. Place the cookies in the oven and lower the temperature to 300. Bake for 20 minutes.

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   8. Remove cookies and let cool for at least 10 minutes before removing.

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   9. Fill cookies with coffee chocolate ganache, buttercream, or salted caramel. Make sure these are hard enough or they will just seep out.

No additional tips available.