French Macarons

Directions

• Bring the egg whites to room temperature.
• Sift the confectioners’ sugar and almond flour into a bowl.
• Add the room temperature egg whites into a very clean bowl.
• Using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites. Once they begin to foam, add the cream of
  tartar and then SLOWLY add the granulated sugar.
• Add the food coloring (if desired) and almond extract then mix in. Continue to beat until
  stiff peaks form.
• Begin folding in 1/3 of the dry ingredients.
• Be careful to add the remaining dry ingredients and fold gently.
• The final mixture should look like flowing lava and be able to fall into a figure eight
  without breaking. Spoon into a piping bag with a medium round piping tip and you are
  ready to start piping.
• Pipe 1 inch dollops onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (this should be
  glued down with dabs of batter). Tap on the counter several times to release air bubbles.
  Allow it to sit for about 40 minutes.
• Bake at 300°F for 12-15 minutes, rotate tray after 7 minutes. Allow to cool completely
  before removing from baking sheet.
• For the French Buttercream Filling, combine sugar and water in medium saucepan. Heat
  over low heat while stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and
  bring to a boil.
• Put egg yolks in a stand-mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat until thick and
  foamy.
• Cook the sugar and water syrup until it reaches 240°F. Immediately remove from heat.
  With mixer running, SLOWLY drizzle hot syrup into bowl with yolks.
• Continue mixing until the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch and the yolk mixture
  has cooled to room temperature.
• Add in butter one cube at a time, allowing each piece to incorporate before adding the
  next. Add vanilla and salt. Continue mixing until buttercream is smooth and creamy.
  (About 5-6 minutes.) Add food coloring if desired.
• Pipe your filling onto the back of half the shells. Form a sandwich and repeat.