Valentine’s Heart Macarons Delightful Treat for Love

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1.75 cups powdered sugar
• 3 large egg whites
• 0.25 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.5 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 pinch red gel food coloring
• 0.5 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tbsp raspberry puree
• 1 pinch sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar thoroughly.
3. In a clean mixing bowl, whip the aged egg whites using an electric mixer until frothy, then add cream of tartar.
4. Once soft peaks form, slowly add the granulated sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Add in vanilla extract and red gel food coloring.
5. Gently fold the almond flour mixture into the whipped egg whites using a spatula.
6. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe onto the prepared baking sheets.
7. Allow the piped macarons to sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, rotating halfway through.
9. Remove from the oven and allow the macarons to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
10. In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy, then add the confectioners' sugar, raspberry puree, and sea salt.
11. Once the macarons have cooled, pipe a dollop of raspberry buttercream onto one macaron shell and top with another shell.
12. For best results, let the assembled macarons chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.