Almond macarons with jam

Ingredients:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 0.5 cups whole blanched almonds, finely ground
• Whites of 2 large eggs, room temperature
• A pinch of coarse salt
• 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 2-4 drops of gel food coloring, optional
• 1/4 cup seedless apricot jam or raspberry jam
• Special equipment: pastry bag

Preparation:

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a small glass or a cookie cutter (3-4 cm in diameter), draw 15 circles on each piece of parchment, spacing them approximately 2 inches apart.
2. Turn the parchment over; the outline will show through, eliminating the need for ink. Fit a piping bag with a round tip approximately 1 cm in diameter.
3. Sift the powdered sugar and ground almonds into a bowl and discard any large pieces. If you have more than 1 tablespoon of large pieces remaining, chop them and then sift them again. Combine the egg whites with salt in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium speed until foamy, 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the granulated sugar, increase the speed to medium-high, and beat until very soft peaks form, 2-3 minutes. Add the almond extract and a few drops of food coloring (if using); you only need a little, so add sparingly. Beat until stiff peaks form, 3-5 minutes.
5. Fold about one-third of the sugar-nut mixture into the egg whites until fully incorporated, then gently fold in the remaining two-thirds. The batter should be slightly runny, but not too runny. It should slide slowly off the spatula and sit on the surface of the batter in the bowl for a moment before fusing. If the batter feels a bit stiff at this point, fold it in 1-2 more times until it loosens, but be careful not to overmix it. This proper batter texture is the key to perfect macarons, and it's better if the batter is thicker than runny.
6. Transfer the dough into the prepared pastry bag. Holding the bag perpendicular to the baking sheet, squeeze until the dough fills the circle drawn on the paper. Release the pressure on the bag and pull it toward you so that no point remains on the dough. Fill the remaining outlines on the paper in the same way. Gently smooth out any dots on the cookies with a fingertip dipped in water.
7. Tap the baking sheet firmly on the counter to release any air bubbles and let stand until the tops of the cookies are slightly dry, 10 to 15 minutes.
8. Bake one baking sheet at a time until the macarons are lightly crisp, about 15 minutes. For even baking, rotate the baking sheet halfway through.
9. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove from the paper and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely. To assemble the cakes, spread a thin layer of jam on the bottom edges of half the cookies, about 1/4 teaspoon each. Top with a second cookie, pressing gently to distribute the jam to the edges.