Name: Lemon-Almond Macaroons
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 3 cups blanched slivered almonds (12 ounces/340 grams), measured without packing or shaking the cup; 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar; 1/3 cup large egg white , plus 1 tablespoon, from about 3 large eggs; 1 teaspoon almond extract; 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest

Why This Recipe Works

We wanted to develop a great macaroon recipe so we could reproduce this classic French cookie at home. We found the task surprisingly simple: To make the cookies, we ground the almonds and sugar in a food processor, added egg whites and a little almond extract, and processed until the mixture became a stiff but cohesive dough. Next we dropped or piped the paste onto a parchment-lined sheet and baked. The result was a macaroon recipe for cookies that were moist and soft on the inside and crunchy-chewy on the outside.

Before You Begin

Macaroons must be baked on parchment paper. They will stick to an ungreased sheet and spread on a greased one. You need a slightly less stiff dough if piping the macaroons, so add water, as needed, to make a pipeable paste.

Instructions

Set racks in upper-middle and lower-middle levels of oven and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Turn almonds into food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade; process 1 minute. Add sugar; process 15 seconds longer. Add whites and extract; process until the paste wads around blade. Add lemon zest and process 10 seconds longer. Scrape sides and corners of workbowl with spatula; process until stiff but cohesive, malleable paste (similar in consistency to marzipan or pasta dough) forms, about 5 seconds longer.

Allowing scant 2 tablespoons of paste for each macaroon, form a dozen cookies upon each paper-lined sheet, spacing the cookies 1 1/2 inches apart. You can drop the paste from a spoon or for a neater look, roll it into 1-inch balls between your palms . (Rinse and dry your hands if they become too sticky.) To make fancy macaroons, pipe the paste using a large pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch open star tip.

Bake macaroons, switching cookie sheet positions midway through baking, until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. If overbaked, macaroons will dry out rather quickly when stored. Leave macaroons on papers until completely cooled or else they may tear. (Can be stored in an airtight container for at least 4 days or frozen up to 1 month.)