Dainty French pastry makes its way across the Atlantic

In patisseries across France, delicate sandwich cookies in every color of the rainbow take their place beside elegant eclairs, tarts and other works of pastry art. French macarons - not to be confused with chewy coconut macaroons - are tiny dome-shaped pastry shells filled with ganache, buttercream or fruit mixtures. They're gently crunchy on the outside, light as air and chewy inside.

But these days, there's no need to hop a plane to enjoy them. You can find the dainty treats in various pastry shops and in the freezer case at Trader Joe's. They've even been spotted at Starbucks. In short, Parisian-style macarons seem to be everywhere.

Legend has it that macarons originated in Italy, but when Catherine de Medici moved to France in the mid-1500s, her pastry chefs took them along. Ever since, stylish Paris shops have featured an astounding selection of the jewel-hued treasures. People line up at Pierre Herme for classic flavors, as well as such creative combinations as olive oil and vanilla, or chocolate and foie gras - an acquired taste, to be sure. The petite treats can cost a pretty euro, though.

Fortunately, you can make macarons at home, and it's not nearly as intimidating as it sounds, especially if you take a class from a master or browse a cookbook, such as I Love Macarons (Chronicle Books) by Japanese pastry chef Hisako Ogita. (The book, published in November, is so popular it's already on back-order.)

Mana Lewis had such fond recollections of the macarons her Paris landlady made for her years ago, she says she resolved, "One day, I have to learn how to make them myself."

Last summer, the Los Altos Hills, Calif., resident fulfilled that dream. She took a macaron workshop at the renowned Ecole Ritz Escoffier Paris.

Among the lessons Lewis learned from chef Didier Steudler: Macaron batter requires only three ingredients - almond flour, sugar and egg whites - so choose them with care.

Steudler recommends storing almond flour in the freezer and drying it on a cookie sheet for 24 hours before using it. Try to find confectioner's sugar without cornstarch added, he says. (Ogita suggests using organic powdered sugar instead.) Make sure the whites are at room temperature, and don't overwhip them.

And finally, before you start, check the weather forecast. Humidity is not your friend.

Macarons can be made with French or Italian meringue. The Ritz recipes feature Italian meringue, in which a hot sugar syrup is added to egg whites that have been whipped until firm. Beginners - and anyone who doesn't own a candy thermometer - might want to start with French meringue.

And then there are the little tricks: A well-made macaron features a crinkly "foot" on the bottom of each shell. Let the piped batter rest for 30 minutes, then rap the sheets on a tabletop to help them set properly. And stack your baking sheets together, so the delicate cookies are sitting atop a double- or even triple-thick baking pan.

C'est bon!

Makes about 24

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2/3 cup ground almonds

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

5 tablespoons granulated ugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw 1-inch circles on the paper, 1/2 inch apart.

2. In a food processor, grind the almonds and powdered sugar to a fine powder. Sift the mixture through a medium-mesh sieve twice. Set aside.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites on high until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar to the egg whites. Add vanilla and continue whipping until the meringue is stiff and glossy.

4. Fold in half the flour mixture, mixing until incorporated. Fold in remaining flour gently. Spread batter against the bowl's sides, then scoop the batter from the bottom and turn it upside down. Repeat this process - called macronnage - 15 times, until nicely firm, so the batter drips slowly as you scoop.

5. Using a pastry bag, pipe the batter to form circles on the baking sheet. (The batter tends to spread a little.) Rap the baking sheet firmly against the counter. Then let sit, uncovered, at room temperature, for 30 minutes. A slight crust will form on top of the macarons.

6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake the macarons for 15 minutes. If the insides are still soft, lower oven temperature to 300 degrees, cover the tray with aluminum foil, and bake for 2-3 minutes. Let cool, then fill with Salted Butter Caramel, jam, ganache or any creamy filling.

Per macaron: 62 calories, 1 gram protein, 11 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams sugar, 2 grams fat, no cholesterol, 7 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber.EndText