Marie Antoinette Macaron Cake

1. Wipe down the mixing bowl and whisk attachment with vinegar to remove any built up residue. This will ensure that the egg whites whisk up properly.
2. Prep and measure all of the ingredients using a kitchen scale.
3. Prep a piping bag with a round tip. I use Wilton tip 12.
4. Line 2 baking sheets with silpat.
5. Combine measured almond meal & powdered sugar together in a bowl. Sift one time to remove any lumps, discarding of them, then mix together to break up clumps.
6. Make a well in the center of the dry mix and pour the 41 grams of measured egg whites into the center of the dry mixture. Fold together until blended then add a dash of pink gel food coloring and mix well until fully incorporated. The finished mix will be paste-like. Set aside.
7. For the sugar syrup:
8. To make the sugar syrup, heat granulated sugar and water in a pot on medium heat with a candy thermometer attached to the side. **Be careful to make sure the thermometer is not touching the bottom of the pot**.
9. Once the thermometer’s temperature reaches approximately 200 degrees F, place the 45 grams of measured egg whites in the stand mixer and whisk on medium speed, to soft peaks.
10. Add a drop of lemon juice or dash of cream of tartar to stabilize, THEN continue whisking.
11. If the egg whites are at soft peaks before the syrup reaches 248 F, turn the mixer down to low speed to keep the egg whites moving.
12. Watch the sugar syrup closely!
13. As soon as the sugar syrup reaches 248 degrees F, remove from heat.
14. Quickly increase mixer speed to medium and begin slowly pouring the sugar syrup down the side of your mixing bowl into the meringue until thoroughly combined.
15. THEN increase the mixing speed to high and whisk sugar and meringue together until glossy and stiff peaks form and the meringue has cooled. (The meringue should keep its form.)
16. Gently transfer finished meringue into the almond/powdered sugar mixture in thirds, making sure that it’s fully incorporated before adding the additional 3rd of meringue.
17. Continue to fold the batter in a circular motion, going around the edges of the bowl, then once through the center. Repeat these steps until smooth and thick ribbons of batter run off the spatula.
18. **Be careful not to over-mix**
19. You want the batter to be slightly thick, but not so thin that it does not hold the ribbon shape. Err on the side of caution.
20. Transfer batter to the prepped piping bag(s).
21. Pipe 4 4″ inch rounds about 4 inches apart on the silpat lined baking sheet (s).
22. Be sure to hold the piping bag about 1/2 inch directly above the baking sheet when piping the rounds. For this size of macaron. You can either use a 4 inch circle template to pipe the rounds of batter, or the count method. Counting to about 15 seconds for each 4″ round.
23. Reserve the second baking sheet for smaller macarons to use the leftover batter.
24. *Tap the macarons on the counter three times to release air bubbles.
25. *Pop any air bubbles that might’ve come to the surface, using a scribe or even a toothpick!
26. Before placing the macs in the oven, allow them to rest until a proper skin has formed on the outside of the shell. This can take anywhere from 20-30 minutes. For the large shells I recommend 25-30 minutes total, depending on humidity. Test by touching the center of the piped macs with a clean finger. They should be dry to touch with no batter coming off on fingers.
27. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
28. Once dry to touch, place the macarons in the middle rack of the oven.
29. Feet will form halfway through the baking process.
30. Bake for 15-18 minutes.
31. You can open the oven after the first 15 minutes to test the shells. Wiggle gently from side to side to see if they need more time. A fully baked macaron should be sturdy when tested.
32. Once fully baked, remove from oven and allow 20 minutes to cool before attempting to remove the shells from the silpat.
33. Once macarons are completely cool, gently remove from parchment paper/silpat.
34. Repeat same steps to bake the remaining macaron batter. You can fill up the second baking sheet with smaller macaron shells or make extra 4″ shells for a second cake.
35. Once completely cooled, they’re ready to assemble

Raspberry Rose Frosting:

1. Wash the mixing bowl, then mix shortening/butter, powdered sugar, fresh berries, rose water, salt and vanilla in a stand mixer until incorporated.
2. Transfer filling to piping bag with round of choice set aside until ready to decorate.

Royal Icing (optional)

1. Combine water and meringue powder in the bowl of a stand mixer.
2. Beat on high for about 3-4 minutes.
3. The meringue mixture will be light and fluffy.
4. Switch to paddle attachment and mix in powdered sugar.
5. The icing will be very thick. Add a dash of pink gel coloring to the mixture, then a few drops of warm water at time for until outline consistency (toothpaste like) is achieved.
6. Transfer to tipless piping bag and seal.

Macaron Cake Assembly:

1. Place the bottom shell on a cake stand or cake plate, then pipe the top of the first shell with a layer of the raspberry frosting.
2. Top with 3-4 fresh raspberries, followed by another thin layer of frosting.
3. Top with second shell and repeat steps for remaining macarons until the 4 layer cake is formed.
4. Decorate the top of the macaron cake with 1″ macarons and fresh raspberries and edible glitter.

Marie Antoinette icing/frosting decorations:

1. Using a 32 size star tip, pipe a shell design along the outside of the entire bottom macaron cake.
2. Then using a tipless piping bag, pipe the icing/frosting in a U shape starting on the top macaron shell, down to the bottom macaron shell then back up.
3. Continue this design all the way around the macaron cake, leaving a small space in-between each “U” for the shell shaped piping.
4. Next pipe the 2nd U shape 1/2″ above the first U shape.
5. Continue this design around the entire macaron cake.
6. Finish the 3 tier U design with the 3rd and smallest U shape 1/2″ above the 2nd U.
7. Next, pipe the shell design in the open spaces between the U’s, all around the macaron cake.
8. Then top with silver dragees.
9. Pipe additional shell designs in the open spaces on the 2nd macaron shell from bottom going around the macaron cake. Then add additional dragees. 
10. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours for maturation
11. Carefully slice with a sharp knife while still chilled and serve on small dessert or canapé plates.