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1
Weigh the egg whites.
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2
The weight of the other macaron ingredients will be calculated based on that.
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3
Measure carefully.
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4
Beat the egg whites with a handheld mixer to turn it into meringue.
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5
Add the granulated sugar to it in 2 batches as you whip it.
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6
Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together twice.
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7
Add the meringue to this in 3 batches, folding it in.
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8
Use a cut and fold motion, stirring up from the bottom.
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9
Don't crush the air bubbles or beat the mixture too much.
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10
It's similar to when you stir up freshly cooked rice.
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11
When everything is mixed, add the vanilla essence.
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12
Then perform the macaronage (a procedure used to make macarons): Lift the mixture up from the bottom of the bowl with your spatula, and then stroke the surface.
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13
Repeat several times.
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14
When the batter forms a thick ribbon that falls slowly from the spatula, it's done.
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15
It can be a bit puffy still.
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16
Make a piping bag ready by folding back the edge and standing it up in a cup.
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17
Transfer the macaron batter to the piping bag.
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18
Pipe the batter out onto a kitchen parchment paper lined baking sheet.
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19
Aim to make each round 3 cm in diameter.
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20
Gently put the dragees on top of the macarons, then push them in very lightly with the blunt end of a toothpick.
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21
Leave the macarons until the surface has dried completely.
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22
This will take 1 to 5 hours, depending on the humidity.
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23
Bake in a 180C oven for 3 to 5 minutes.
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24
The pieds (the 'feet' of a macaron, or the frilly parts around the perimeter) will start to form.
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25
Take the macarons out, set the oven to 120 to 130C, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.
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26
If it looks like the macarons are turning brown, turn the temperature down.
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27
Let the macarons cool down completely.
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28
Cut the kitchen parchment paper apart with the macarons are still stuck to it, so that each macaron is separate.
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29
Put the macarons carefully into a plastic bag, and refrigerator for a day.
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30
Make the buttercream: Have the butter at room temperature.
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31
Beat the egg white.
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32
Add the granulated sugar to it in 2 batches as you beat it.
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33
When the meringue is done, add the powdered sugar to it in 3 batches while beating at low speed.
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34
Add the butter in 3 batches while beating at low speed.
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35
Add the vanilla essence and food coloring, and keep beating at low speed.
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36
To finish: Gently peel the paper off the macarons.
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37
If they are uneven in size, line them in order from large to small, and pair up the ones that are of similar size.
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38
Fit a round tip on a piping bag, fill the bag with buttercream and pie the filling between the macarons.
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39
Put the macarons back in the plastic bag.
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40
Rest in the refrigerator overnight and they're done.
