Almond Macaroons

By John, 24 December, 2012
Description
Almon MacaroonsThis recipe is a real crowd pleaser. It's very easy, but it requires almond paste, which is not always readily available. I usually buy it by the pound at Maria's Bakery in the North End, but you can find it at bakeries closer to home.
Yield
36 Servings
Preparation time
45 minutes
Ingredients
1⁄2 lb Almond Paste
1 c Granulated Sugar
3 Egg Whites
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325.
  2. Cut the almond paste into thin slices and toss it with the sugar in a bowl until well coated.
  3. Mix by in a food processor until the mixture has a sandy texture.
  4. Add the egg whites, one at a time. After the second, add the last in parts. The mixture should be sticky, not too soft.
  5. Squeeze through a pastry bag onto parchment paper.
  6. Bake for 25 minutes, until light brown around the edges.
  7. Let cool on the parchment paper on a rack, then peel the parchment paper away from the finished macaroons. Be careful not to pull the insides away on the paper.  
Notes

The parchment paper is essential. The bottoms will stick to even a well-greased pan and pull out the insides of the macaroons when you try to remove them.

It's important to mix the almond paste and the sugar completely before adding the egg whites, or it gets lumpy. In that case, whip it up in a food processor.

Source
from The Joy of Cooking