Frankestein Macarons

Directions

1. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a mixing bowl and sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together. Use a spoon to press any clumps through. Sift once, or twice if you want an extra fine mixture.
2. In a separate mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form.
3. Gradually add the superfine granulated sugar and vanilla extract, then continue beating until stiff peaks form. To test, turn the bowl upside down; if the mixture stays put, it's ready. Be careful not to overbeat.
4. Gently fold the dry almond flour mixture into the stiff egg whites, and add a few drops of green gel food coloring.
5. Keep folding until the batter is evenly green and all ingredients are fully combined.
6. Transfer the batter to a large pastry bag fitted with a round tip.
7. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat, Macaron Silpat, or parchment paper. (A Silpat is recommended for best results.)
8. Pipe the batter into circles about 1½ inches in diameter, spacing them about 2 inches apart on the lined sheet.
9. Firmly tap the baking sheet against the counter about 10 times to release any air bubbles.
10. Let the piped cookies rest on the counter for at least 30 minutes, ideally 45 minutes to 1 hour. This step is crucial—skipping it will cause the cookies to lose their perfect round shape.
11. After the resting time, preheat your oven to 300°F.
12. Bake for 15 minutes. The cookies should rise and develop a small foot at the bottom. Since ovens vary, start checking at 10 minutes and continue until done.
13. Use the oven light to check on the cookies without opening the door.
14. Once baked, remove the sheet from the oven and let the cookies sit for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before adding any filling or decoration.
15. Repeat the piping, resting, and baking process with any remaining batter until all cookies are made.
16. Prepare a batch of buttercream frosting, using the same green food coloring as the cookies. (Refer to your favorite buttercream recipe.)
17. Pipe a dollop of buttercream onto the flat side of one cookie, then sandwich it with another cookie.
18. To turn these macarons into Frankensteins, you'll need sprinkle eyes, a piping bag, and melted chocolate chips.
19. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl for about 40 seconds. Let it cool for a minute, then transfer to a piping bag.
20. Snip a very tiny hole in the tip of the bag. Carefully pipe Frankenstein hair on top, a dot of chocolate on the back of each sprinkle eye to attach them, then pipe eyebrows, a scar, and a mouth.