Indulge In {Nutella Macaroons}

Happy Thursday! We've almost made it to the weekend and it's time to indulge in a little special treat in celebration. For about a year now, I've been admiring the amazing petite deliciousness of the Macaroon. This French delicacy, full of favor, is the perfect size for a little indulging here and there. Not only is this treat tasty, but it's beauty has had me in awe of all those who could create them. I've been dreaming of trying to do it myself for a while now but for fear of messing it all up, I have just been admiring them from afar. That was until Easter weekend. While enjoying a glass of wine with a friend, she began to pull out all the necessary ingredients to prep the bite size treat for brunch the next day. With eagerness and a helping hand, I immediately jumped out of seat anxious to learn how to make them for my self. I watched her do the first batch and decided to try for my self the next go around.

Surprisingly, it wasn't as hard as I believed it to be. With a little patience and careful measuring, we were ready to enjoy the treats in no time. Here's the recipe adapted from Martha Stewart...

:: Ingredients ::

• 1 1/4 cups plus 1 teaspoon confectioners sugar
• 1 cup (4 ounces) finely ground sliced, blanched almonds (I used the almond flour shown above)
• 6 tablespoons fresh egg whites (from about 3 extra-large eggs)
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
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• :: Directions ::
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  1. To make the macarons: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar and ground almonds. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip egg whites with salt on medium speed until foamy. Increase speed to high and gradually add granulated sugar. Continue to whip until stiff glossy peaks form. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the confectioners' sugar mixture until completely incorporated.
  2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Fit a pastry bag with a 3/8-inch #4 round tip, and fill with batter. Pipe 1-inch disks onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies. The batter will spread a little. Let stand at room temperature until dry, and a soft skin forms on the tops of the macarons and the shiny surface turns dull, about 15 minutes.
  3. Bake, with the door of the oven slightly ajar, until the surface of the macarons is completely dry, about 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet to a wire rack and let the macaroons cool completely on the baking sheet. Gently peel off the parchment. Their tops are easily crushed, so take care when removing the macarons from the parchment. Use immediately or store in an airtight container, refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
  4. To fill, follow Martha's recipe for filling or fill with Nutella.

Bon Appetit! 

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