French Macaroons

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 320 degrees F (160 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
• Whisk egg whites in a clean metal mixing bowl until thick, about 5 minutes. Whisk superfine sugar into egg whites until thick, glossy, and stiff peaks form, 5 to 8 more minutes.
• Sift almond meal and confectioners' sugar over beaten egg whites; gently fold in, retaining as much air as possible.
• Divide meringue into separate bowls to flavor and color, if desired.
• Spoon meringue into a piping bag fitted with a 3/8-inch tip. Pipe 1-inch disks of meringue onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.
• Let cookies stand at room temperature to form a thin skin, about 15 minutes.
• Lift the baking sheets; let drop from several inches above the work surface to adhere cookies to the baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops are dry, about 15 minutes; let cool completely on the baking sheets before peeling off the parchment paper, about 45 minutes.