*For in-depth tutorial and tips, see blog post step-by-step tutorial. Prep all equipment needs (see post) and measure out all ingredients by gram with a scale. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk up the egg whites until foaming. Add in granulated sugar and whip up again until soft peaks form.
When soft peaks form, add in the vanilla and food coloring. Whip up again until stiff peaks form.
In a separate bowl, sift and whisk together the powdered sugar and almond flour. Add in the meringue and slowly stir/macaronage until fully incorporated and the batter ribbons off the spatula into a full figure 8.
Add macaron batter to a piping bag fitted with a circle tip. Pipe the macarons on the parchment paper on a baking sheet. Slam sheet on the counter to get out any air bubbles, then use a toothpick to pick out any remaining air bubbles.
Preheat oven to 290 degrees F, convention bake. Let the macarons set for 20-40 minutes, depending on your climate, until a skin forms.
Bake macarons for 9-11 minutes, or until they are baked through and the feet have formed. Let cool completely, then carefully remove the macarons from the parchment.
Store shells in an airtight container until you're ready to fill them. When filling, pair the shells that match together and fill them with buttercream/ganache/filling. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
