With their sweet flavor and beautiful pastel colors, French Macarons (English spelling “Macaroons”) have become a staple with the style set. These tiny, delicate pastries are actually much easier to make than you might think. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, we thought it was the perfect time to give a homemade version a try with this easy recipe from Magimix by Robot-Coupe (who better to ask than the Paris based brand and original inventor of the first food processor for home cooks). The only ingredients you’ll need are almonds, sugar, eggs, salt and food coloring. For the filling, any delicious jam of your choice will do or for an extra special version we like the idea of mixing the macarons with your favorite ice cream.

Magimix by Robot-Coupe’s Recipe for French Macarons

Ingredients
This recipe makes 30-40 cookies
~ 150 grams slivered almonds
~ 200 grams powdered sugar
~ 115 grams egg whites at room temperature
~ Pinch of salt
~ 25 grams granulated sugar
~ Food coloring optional

Filling
~ Select a delicious jam of your choice that matches the color of the macarons, or simply mix and match. We also love the idea of a simple icing or buttercream frosting filling. If you want to make this an extra special treat you can also fill the macarons with your favorite ice cream.

Preheat the oven to 280 degrees Farenheit.

Using your Magimix by Robot-Coupe Food Processor, process the almonds in the Mini Bowl for approximately one minute, or until reduced to a powder. Be careful not to over-process as this will bring up oil from the almonds.

In the Large Bowl, using the master metal blade, add the powdered sugar and almond powder and process until thoroughly blended but not over-processed. The mixture should remain cool. Remove the Large Bowl and pass combined powdered sugar and almond powder through a sieve. Set aside.

Wipe the Large Bowl with a clean cloth and insert the Egg Whisk; remove the small pusher from the feed tube to allow for aeration of the mixture while you process (this is very important as it will determine the volume and lightness of your Macarons). Add in the egg whites and the pinch of salt. Turn on the Magimix by Robot-Coupe Food Processor and slowly add in the granulated sugar through the feed tube. Continue whipping until egg whites begin to stiffen. Be careful not to over process.

Transfer the egg whites into a large mixing bowl and delicately fold in the combined powdered sugar and almond powder*. Optional: Insert a few drops of food coloring and delicately fold in the color.

Using a pastry bag, pipe out the Macarons on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper, making round dots the diameter of a quarter. Leave room between these dots as they will expand during baking. Spray with a light mist of water; this will add a beautiful shine to the finished crust. Bake at 280 degrees Farenheit for twenty minutes. Let cool to room temperature**. Once cooled, spread the filling between two cookies and sandwich them together.

Et voilà, c’est prêt !
Ready to serve!

EXTRA TIPS
* Pour the almond powder and powdered sugar mixture into the egg whites in three separate batches. Fold each batch in delicately and wait until completely mixed before pouring in the next batch.

** To easily remove the cookies from the wax paper, first slide the wax paper with the macarons off of the baking sheet and onto the countertop. Next, lightly spray the baking sheet with water. Slide the wax paper with cookies back onto the baking sheet. Wait a few moments for the wax paper to become slightly humid. The macarons will then be easy to remove!