Ingredients

140 grams egg whites (about 4 eggs) room temperature

80 grams vanilla sugar (2/3 cup)

240 grams powdered sugar (2 cups)

3 grams egg white powder (1/2 tsp) meringue stabilizer

180 grams almond flour (scant 2 cups) [Use either bleached and/or a good fine almond flour that is more fine, its for color and texture]

2 grams salt (a pinch)

Preparation

  1. Place the almond flour, salt and powdered sugar in the food processor and pulse until mixed.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites and powder until soft peak stage.
  3. Slowly add the vanilla sugar and continue beating until just before stiff peak stage [once sugar is added you can’t over beat the eggs really, but still stop at stiff peaks].
  4. Add food coloring now and beat until blended.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites in three stages. Sifting 1/3 dry ingredients into the egg whites, then fold 3 times. Don’t cut through that often, mostly just fold from under. Continue to fold until a ribbon forms. Its important to get a good ribbon here since too much air makes these too puffy and too little air makes them too flat.
  6. Pipe onto parchment paper [hold pipette right above and from small circles, they will spread out only slightly]. Let set for 60 minutes.
  7. Preheat oven to 350. Place the cookies in the oven and lower the temperature to 300. Bake for 20 minutes.
  8. Remove cookies and let cool for at least 10 minutes before removing.
  9. Fill cookies with coffee chocolate ganache, buttercream, or salted caramel. Make sure these are hard enough or they will just seep out.