Almond Macaroons
These chewy cookies have a rich almond flavor and can be dipped in chocolate.
Ingredients
whole almonds (blanched)
10 ounces (about 2 full cups)
sugar
3 cups
large egg whites
6
pure almond extract
½ teaspoon
fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (chopped, optional)
6 ounces
Instructions
1
PREHEAT
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 1 or 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2
COMBINE
Combine the almonds and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a food processor and pulse until the almonds are finely ground. Add the egg whites and almond extract and pulse until combined. Add the remaining 1 cup of sugar and pulse for about 15 seconds or until completely combined; the dough will be a thick paste.
3
DROP
Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to gently brush the tops and sides of the almond macaroons, lightly pressing to form smooth rounds about 1/2 inch thick and 1 3/4 inches in diameter.
4
BAKE
Bake for about 15 minutes, until the macaroons are pale gold. They should feel crisp on the outside and still soft inside. (If using 2 baking sheets, rotate them top to bottom and front to back midway through baking. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and slide the parchment paper onto racks.) Cool for about 5 minutes, then use a thin metal spatula to remove the macaroons from the paper. Transfer to racks to cool completely.
5
FOR CHOCOLATE-DIPPED MACAROONS
Place the chocolate in a metal or glass bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water and melt, stirring often, until completely melted. Alternatively, place it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on medium power for 20 to 30 seconds, stirring thoroughly between intervals. Pour the chocolate into a glass measuring cup or coffee mug. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Dip each macaroon into the melted chocolate, covering half of the cookie like a half-moon. Let the excess chocolate drip off, or gently scrape off the excess on the rim of the cup. Place the macaroons on the wax paper and let sit until the chocolate is completely set. Gently peel the cookies off the paper.
