Ingredients:
- 100g almond flour, finely ground
- 100g powdered sugar, sifted
- 50g egg whites, aged 2-3 days
- 50g granulated sugar
- Pink gel food coloring, a few drops
- 113g unsalted butter, softened
- 225g powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon raspberry jam
- 1/2 teaspoon rosewater
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
- Pulse almond flour and powdered sugar. Sift to eliminate lumps.
- Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Add pink food coloring.
- Gently fold the almond flour mixture into the meringue in three additions. Fold until the batter flows slowly from your spatula in a ribbon.
- Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe even circles onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Tap the baking sheets firmly to release air bubbles. Let the macarons rest for 30-60 minutes, until a skin forms.
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Bake one sheet at a time for 15-20 minutes, until the 'feet' are well-developed and the shells are firm.
- Let the macarons cool completely on the baking sheets before removing them.
- Beat softened butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, alternating with heavy cream. Stir in raspberry jam, rosewater, and salt.
- Pipe raspberry rose buttercream onto one macaron shell. Top with another shell, gently pressing down.
- Chill the assembled macarons for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve valentines desserts with coffee.