Vanilla Bean Macarons with Dulce de Leche Buttercream

For the macarons: In a large bowl sift together almond meal and confectioners’ sugar to remove any lumps. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixing stand, whisk egg whites until frothy. Add vanilla bean seeds and slowly add granulated sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks are formed. Carefully begin incorporating dry mixture into the meringue—gently folding until all items have been integrated. This should take no more than 50 strokes.

Using a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, pipe small rounds of the mixture onto Silpat lined baking sheets. Rounds should be about 1½ inches in diameter. Once baking sheets are filled, tap the sheet carefully but firmly on the counter to remove any possible air pockets. Let baking sheets sit on the counter for 45 minutes to harden the outer shell before baking.

Bake at 280 degrees F for 16-18 minutes. Transfer the pans to cooling rack and cool completely before removing shells from mats.

While shells are cooling, prepare the buttercream. In a large mixer bowl, whip the butter for several minutes until very light and fluffy. Slowly add the confectioners sugar until the butter becomes thicker and stiff. Add the dulce de leche and whip until combined. If needed, add a few more spoons of confectioners sugar until desired consistency is reached.

Transfer buttercream to a piping bag. Pipe some buttercream * onto the bottom of a macaron shell and sandwich with another shell. Macarons can be stored in airtight containers for 3 to 4 days.

* Note: The buttercream is on the sweeter side so I would suggest filling with only a minimal amount.