Let's celebrate National Pink Day!

Pink Macarons

Ingredients

• 130g superfine almond flour

• 130g powdered sugar

• 90-100g egg whites, room temperature

• pinch of cream of tartar - optional

• pinch of salt

• 90g granulated sugar

• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

• gel color, (for this recipe I used 3 shades of pink)

Instructions

1. Sift almond flour and powdered sugar onto parchment paper and set aside.

2. Pour room temperature egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk and mix on a low/medium speed until the surface of the egg whites is covered in small bubbles. Add in a pinch of cream of tartar and salt, continue to mix until it reaches the soft peak stage.

3. Slowly add granulated sugar into the eggs and mix on a medium speed for 30 seconds. If desired, add in extract at this point, then increase the mixing speed to a medium-high speed. Keep mixing until stiff, glossy peaks form.

4. Fold the dry ingredients into the meringue in two additions using a circular motion. When batter is just combined, divide into 3 bowls. Mix one with your lightest pink food gel until a thick ribbon of batter runs off the spatula when it is lifted. Be careful not to over-mix the batter! It will take time and experience to get this just right. Repeat with medium and darker pink gel colors.

5. Pour each batter into separate piping bags fitted with 1/2 inch piping tip. Pipe onto the prepared baking sheets. I use silicon mats, placed on upside down baking sheets. Space them about 1-inch apart.

6. Bang the pans firmly on the counter a few times to release air bubbles. Pop any remaining air bubbles that come to the surface with a toothpick.

7. Let the macarons rest for 20-60 minutes to develop a skin. The macarons should look matte once the skin has formed.

8. As the macarons rest, preheat your oven to 300 F. Every oven is different and you may need to set your temp higher or lower.

9. Bake one tray of macarons at a time on the middle rack of your oven for 16-18 minutes, until the macarons do not wiggle when you test them.

10. Remove from the oven and let the macarons cool on the pan for about 15 minutes. Gently peel them off of the silicon mat and set aside.

Strawberry Buttercream

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp pulverized dehydrated strawberries

• 1/4 cup butter, room temp

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar

• 1-2 tbsp milk, for desired consistency

Instructions

1. Cream butter for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.

2. Add powdered sugar, dehydrated strawberries and salt, mix until combined.

3. Add milk to reach desired consistency.