Easy French Macarons

Ingredients:

• Silicone baking mat
• Stand mixer with whisk attachment
• Pastry bag with a round tip
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup finely ground almonds
• Jam or frosting
• Food coloring (optional)

Preparation:

1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
2. Beat egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until whites are foamy; beat in white sugar and continue beating until egg whites are glossy, fluffy and hold soft peaks. Sift confectioners' sugar and ground almonds in a separate bowl. Quickly fold the almond mixture into the egg whites.
3. When batter is mixed enough to flatten immediately into an even disk, spoon into a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip. Pipe the batter onto the baking sheet in rounds, leaving space between the disks.
4. Let the piped cookies stand out at room temperature until they form a hard skin on top, about 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
6. Bake cookies until set but not browned, about 10 minutes; let cookies cool completely before filling with frosting or jam.