• In a food processor, pulse together almond flour and powder sugar making sure all the big chucks are broken down. Add to a large bowl.
• Add the first 110g of eggs whites to the almond and powder sugar mixture. Mix until it forms a paste.
• Add the second 110g of egg whites to a mixer. Run at low speed. While the sugar mixture is heating.
• Heat sugar and water together. Using a candy thermometer once the sugar mixture hits 240° remove from heat.
• While the egg whites are running at a medium speed, once it starts to look frothy slowly stream in the sugar to make an Italian meringue. Add the red food color gel to the mix. It took 6-7 drops to get a dark red. The Italian meringue should have glossy peaks.
• Fold in sections the Italian meringue to the paste. Folding it gently around the edges through the center. The batter will look runny with a ribbon consistency.
• Spoon the macaron batter into a piping bag with a round piping tip. I used Wilton 1A.
• On prepared baking sheets, Pipe batter in 1½in rounds with 1inch apart from one another. Bang the pan couple of times to get any air bubbles out. Also, use a toothpick to get any remaining bubbles.
• Let the macarons sit out until they are dry. This could take as little as 30 minutes or up to an hour.
• Before baking, sprinkle sugar on top of the shells after they've dried. If you do this step too soon the sugar will melt into the shell.
• Preheat oven to 325°F
• Bake one tray at time, bake at 5-6 minutes, rotate bake for another 5-6 minutes. It is super important to rotate halfway through. This allows both sides to cook evenly.
• Remove from the oven, let macaron cool completely before filling it with the cranberry sauce.

Cranberry filling

• Place all ingredients in a small saucepan, cook over medium to low heat. This should take about 10 minutes.
• You want the sauce to be thick, If its dry add more water or a little orange juice.
• Once the sauce has reached a thick consistency remove from heat, transfer to a small bowl let it chill in the fridge while preparing the buttercream.

Orange Buttercream

• Cream softened butter in an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
• Add the powder sugar, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Beat until it becomes fluffy, add a touch of milk if the buttercream is too stiff.
• Add the buttercream to a piping bag.

Assembling the Macarons.

• Pipe the buttercream around the edges of the bottom shell macarons.
• Spoon a little of the cranberry sauce in the center.
• Place another shell on top

Storage Notes.

• Macarons will store nicely in fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for a month.