Makes 24 macarons
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
Stand mixer (or hand mixer)
Kitchen scale
Parchment paper or transparent, nonstick, silicone baking mat
Spatula
Fine mesh sieve
Pastry bag with a round tip (You can purchase these at Michael’s or Jo-Ann Stores and Crafts.)
Macaron template (Search online for “macaron template” and print.)
MACARON SHELLS
138 grams almond flour
125 grams powdered sugar
105 grams egg whites (or whites from about 3 eggs)
105 grams granulated sugar
Mix almond flour and powdered sugar together. Sift them together to ensure smooth shells.
With stand mixer, whisk egg whites on medium-low until frothy. Slowly pour in granulated sugar while whisking egg whites. Gradually increase speed until stiff peaks form. The meringue should be shiny.
Pour in half of almond flour-powdered sugar mixture and fold into meringue with spatula. Repeat. Continue folding batter until it’s smooth and falls off spatula in thin, flat ribbon. Transfer batter to a pastry bag with round tip.
Lay parchment paper or baking mat over macaron template on cookie sheet. Holding bag vertically and close to mat, pipe macaron batter straight down over mat until it fills circles of template showing through underneath. Once you’re done piping cookies, carefully slip template out from under mat/parchment and tap bottom of tray to get rid of any air bubbles.
Allow macarons to rest 15 to 30 minutes. As they rest, preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Macarons are ready for oven when they don’t stick to fingers when you lightly touch their tops.
Bake macarons one tray at a time for 15 to 18 minutes each on middle rack. Let cool.
BUTTERCREAM
1 stick room-temperature salted butter
½ packet Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte mix
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
With paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-low in stand mixer. Add pumpkin spice latte mix. Mix in sifted powdered sugar. Transfer to pastry bag and cut about ½ inch off rounded tip.
Once macarons are completely cool, they should peel off mat easily. Pair macaron tops and bottoms, add buttercream to bottoms, then place top cookies.
Store macarons in airtight container in refrigerator (for up to a week) or in the freezer (for up to a month). Allow 10 to 15 minutes to thaw, and enjoy!