Dulce de Leche Macarons

Dulce de Leche Macarons

3 large egg whites 

1/4 cup white sugar, fine berry sugar

1 cup almond flour

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1 tbsp cocoa powder 

Filling

1/2 cup dulce de Leche, homemade or store bought

Separate egg whites, best done when cold a minimum of 1 hour before working with them, egg whites must be at room temperature. 

In a small bowl mix together almond flour, powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Sift the mixture 3 times and set aside. 

Beat egg whites at high speed using the wire whisk attachment on your stand mixer. When it begins to foam, add cream of tartar, approximately 1 minute.  

Keep beating until it reaches a shaving foam consistency and then add the granulated sugar, approximately 2 - 2 1/2 minutes. Continue beating until egg whites develop stiff peaks and are shiny, approximately 3 - 4 minutes. 

Fold the almond flour/sugar mixture into the egg whites using a spatula, adding one third at a time. Once all added, as you start mixing the batter, it will be tough at first but will loosen up as you continue to mix. Do not over mix, it is time to stop when the batter is glossy and has a thick flowing consistency. The batter should not be runny but still should spread a bit. 

Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" round tip. Pipe the batter onto a parchment paper  lined baking sheet or macaron mat fitted onto a baking sheet. 

Once you have piped all batter onto the parchment paper or mat, bang the tray against the counter a few times to release air bubbles that are in the batter. Allow to stand at room temperature a minimum of 1 hour. 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees and bake 16 to 20 minutes, turn the baking sheet at 8 - 10 minutes.  When baked, the Macarons will have a deeper colour and formed feet. Remove from oven and allow the Macarons to cool completely before removing them from the pan. 

Place the dulce de Leche in a piping bag and pipe on top of half of the Macarons, top with another macaron and serve. 

Keep in the fridge up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 1 month.