Flawless Christmas Macarons Cranberry White Chocolate Italian Meringue

Instructions:

1. Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together thoroughly into a large bowl (TPT). Repeat twice if necessary.
2. Pour 60g of room temperature aged egg whites and the gel food colouring into the TPT mixture. Mix just until a thick, uniform paste forms (the pâte d'amande). Set aside.
3. Combine 125g granulated sugar and water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves.
4. While the syrup heats, begin whipping the remaining 60g of aged egg whites in the stand mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.
5. Bring the sugar syrup mixture to a boil until it reaches exactly 115°C (240°F) on the candy thermometer. Remove immediately from heat.
6. With the mixer running on medium-high speed, carefully pour the hot syrup in a thin, steady stream down the side of the bowl (avoiding the whisk).
7. Continue whipping the meringue until it is very glossy, thick, holds stiff peaks, and the mixing bowl is cool to the touch.
8. Gently fold one-third of the meringue into the pâte d'amande (almond paste) mixture to lighten it.
9. Gently fold in the remaining meringue in two additions, using a sweeping, scraping, and pressing motion (the 'J-stroke'). Stop folding when the batter flows slowly and continuously off the spatula (the 'ribbon stage').
10. Transfer the batter to the piping bag. Pipe uniform circles onto prepared baking sheets lined with silicone mats, following the template.
11. Firmly tap the baking sheets 5-6 times against the counter to release air bubbles. Pop any remaining visible bubbles with a toothpick. Let the shells rest (dry) in a draft-free environment until a non-sticky 'skin' forms (2 hours minimum).
12. Preheat the oven to 140°C (285°F). Bake one tray at a time for 15–18 minutes, or until the 'feet' are well-formed and the shells do not wobble.
13. Allow the shells to cool completely on the mat before attempting to peel them off.
14. For the filling: Simmer the cranberries, 50g sugar, and cinnamon with 2 tbsp of water until the berries burst and the mixture thickens slightly. Strain through a sieve, extracting all liquid, and cool the reduction completely.
15. Heat the heavy cream until steaming. Pour over the chopped white chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth.
16. Whisk the cooled cranberry reduction into the white chocolate ganache. Cover and chill until firm but spreadable (about 1 hour).
17. Assemble the macarons: Match shells by size. Pipe a ring of ganache around the perimeter of one shell, then pipe a small dollop of the cranberry centre inside the ring. Sandwich gently with a second shell.