Macaron Shells

RECIPE PREP: Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set them aside. On stovetop, bring a small pot of water to a simmer.

1. Place metal bowl of a stand mixer (or a heat-safe bowl) over the simmering water. It’s important the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Add egg whites and granulated sugar to the bowl. Whisk constantly for 2 to 3 minutes until sugar is fully dissolved and the egg whites look foamy. 
2. Connect metal bowl to stand mixer with whisk attachment. (If no stand mixer, transfer mixture to a large bowl. During the transfer, be extra careful not to get any condensation from the bottom of the warm bowl into the egg whites. Pull out an electric hand mixer.) 
3. Add cream of tartar to the bowl. Beat the egg whites on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. Add 1 to 2 drops pink gel food coloring. Slowly and gently fold it in with a rubber spatula OR mix briefly on low-speed until just combined, about 30 seconds max! It’s okay if at this point the gel coloring is not  fully incorporated. It’s more important not to over-mix as macaron batter deflates easily. 
4. Add the powdered sugar, almond flour, and vanilla bean powder to a fine-mesh strainer (sieve). Sift them over the pink mixture. With a spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites, being very careful not to deflate the egg whites.
5. Once the dry ingredients are incorporated, we’ll be doing a crucial step! It’s very important not to over-mix during this process. Gently smush meringue against the side of the bowl then fold it back together. Smush and fold another 4 times. Check to see if meringue has reached the “lava stage.” Lift the spatula straight up. With a slow continuous stream, draw a figure 8. Meringue should flow like lava without breaking AND should sink back into the mixture in about 10 seconds. If it takes less time, the batter is too thin because of over-mixing. If it takes longer, slowly smush and fold, then test it again.
6. Adjust oven rack to the center position. Preheat oven to EXACTLY 325°F. Spoon meringue into a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip. Pipe 1-inch rounds of batter on the prepared tray, spacing raspberry macarons 2 inches apart. On a firm surface, tap baking tray hard 4 to 5 times to release air bubbles. This helps avoid cracks on the top of the macarons.
7. Set tray of macarons aside. Let them dry for 30 to 60 minutes. We need to give them enough time to develop a skin so they’re no longer tacky on top. Test them by lightly tapping them with your finger to make sure the meringue doesn’t stick to it. 
8. Double check that your oven temperature is a true 325°F. BAKE MACARONS on the middle rack, one tray at a time, for 12 to 13 minutes. If your oven bakes unevenly, rotate the tray halfway through baking. Let the macarons cool on the tray before lifting and removing. 

Raspberry Filling

1. Fit the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Add butter and seedless raspberry jam to the bowl. Beat on medium speed until fully combined. Reduce speed to low.
2. Slowly add powdered sugar to the bowl. Once the sugar has been fully incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat raspberry buttercream on medium-high speed (about 45 seconds) until it’s light and fluffy. 
3. Transfer filling to a piping bag fitted with a metal tip of your choice. 

Assemble Raspberry Macarons

1. Transfer the macaron wafers from the baking tray to a large piece of parchment paper. Pair up similar-sized macarons. Flip over one cookie from each pair so the flat side faces up.
2. Pipe a dollop of buttercream on each upward-facing half. Place the other wafers on top and gently press them together to form sandwich cookies. 
3. Place raspberry macarons in an air-tight container lined with parchment paper. Age the cookies in the fridge for 24 hours so the filling has a chance to soften the interior of the shells.