1 1/4 cup blanched almonds
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup granulated sugar, caster sugar or powdered sugar
2 large eggs whites. Old eggs or eggs whites left for several days, covered, in the fridge are supposed to promote cohesive cookies. I don't know why.
1/4 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
3/4 tsp almond extract. This amount depends on your taste and the strength of the extract. Or several drops bitter almond oil extract* in addition or as a substitution to the almond extract.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat.

Toss almonds with cornstarch and run through a coffee grinder in two batches till very fine in texture. Run the granulated sugar through the coffee grinder. The texture should still be a little gritty and not as fine as powdered sugar. Whisk to combine.

Separate eggs and beat with hand mixer or mixer till frothy. Add salt, almond extract, and 1/4 of the sugar and continue beating. Little by little, in a continuous stream, add the rest of the sugar and mix until the sugar is incorporated. Keep beating till the eggs are thickened, glossy and stand in stiff peaks that fold over.

Gently fold almond flour and sugar into the egg mixture in two batches, till the batter is just incorporated but there are no streaks.The texture should be a little bit like meatloaf. With a tablespoon, shape the dough into balls and use another spoon to drop a rounded 1 1/2 mound onto the sheet 3 inches apart. Likewise, use a piping bag with to create the rounds. Rest for 30 minutes.

Bang the baking sheet on the counter twice. Bake until the cookies begin to crack, about 15-20 minutes. Turn the sheet and bake at 200 for another 30 minutes or until the shell is crisp. Use a wooden spoon to keep the oven door ajar very slightly. To check if the cookie is done, turn one over and poke the bottom. The center should smooth and dry, rather than moist moist or crumbly. The tips should be slightly golden, with a thin crackly shell and chewy paste inside.

Beware the amount of egg white. Too much and the cookie will be flat.

Recipe Planet on Italian Macarons
Dessert First on French Macarons