Directions

1. Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F.

2. Beat egg whites until foamy, then add salt, cream of tartar and white sugar for 8-10 mins. Whip until they form stiff peaks that stands upright.

3. Add the food colouring. Colour does fade as it cooks, ensure you go a shade or two darker than you want them to be.

4. Sift almond flour, and powdered sugar. Discard remains of larger lumps of almond pieces,

5. Fold flour/sugar mixture into the egg white mixture. Be careful here. Under mix and your macarons will be lumpy and cracked when baked with no feet, over mix and your macarons will be flat. The final mixture should look like flowing lava, and be able to fall into a figure eight. Google a video if your stuck

6. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a medium round piping nozzle and you’re ready.

7. Pipe out 2.5cm/1 inch rounds on a tray lined with baking paper.

8. Tap on counter several times to release air bubbles. This will prevent the tops of your macarons from cracking. 

9. Let them sit out for 20-30 mins, or up to an hour if you want. This allows the surface time to dry out before baking. They should not stick to your fingertips. This is another important step to assuring your macarons develop feet! When they dry, it prevents spreading in the oven, and are forced to rise up. 

10. Bake for 20 mins. DO NOT UNDER BAKE, even if they look done! Otherwise they will stick to your tray.

Make the Buttercream

1. In the bowl of a stand/hand mixer, whip butter until pale and fluffy. Slowly add sugar, vanilla then cream and whip until combined. Transfer to a pastry bag, fitted with a small tip.

2. Gather the cookie shells and place upside down. Pipe a small mound of filling on one of them. Top with the other shell and gently press. 

3. Eat immediatly or keep refrigerated.