Instructions

Make The Base Mix

1. Pulse the almond flour, granulated sugar and confectioner's sugar in a food processor to combine. Move the mixture to a sieve and sift into a bowl. Whisk the ingredients after sifting to be sure they are well combined. Divide the base - setting aside 12 oz (340g) for the macaron shells and the remaining for the buttercream filling.

Make the Macaron Shells

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F convection or 325°F regular. Use a biscuit cutter to draw 24 2" circles on a 1/2 sheet of parchment paper. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and put the paper with the circles underneath the parchment on one of the pans.
2. Whip the egg whites to soft peak. With the mixer running add the 1.5 oz of confectioner's sugar and whip to full peak. Reduce the speed to medium low and add the lemon extract. Add the yellow food coloring, 1 drop at a time, until you have a color that you like.
3. Gently fold the 12 oz of macaron base mix into the whites in two batches. Continue folding until it becomes soft and shiny, but not thin and runny. Scoop the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a round tip (or cut the tip of a disposable bag). Pipe the discs until they're 1/4" from the edges of the circles you've drawn. Sprinkle with blue non-pariels or sprinkles. Set the pan aside to allow the cookies to dry for 30-60 minutes.
4. Touch the top of a cookie to make sure it's dry to the touch, it can be a bit tacky but shouldn't completely stick to your finger. Bake for 7-8 minutes then rotate the trays. Bake for another 5-6 minutes until the shells are dry and the centers are soft (see note).
5. Allow the shells to cool completely. You can use a small offset spatula to release the shells from the parchment. Be careful handling the shells, it's very easy to crack the smooth surface.

Make the Buttercream Filling

1. Combine the softened butter with the remaining base mix and flavorings. Whip on medium-high speed until the buttercream lightens in color and becomes aerated.
2. Scoop the buttercream into a clean pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip or cut the tip of a disposable bag. Pour the blueberry preserves into a clean pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip or cut the tip of a disposable bag.
3. Pair up the cooled shells by size. Flip over one shell per pair. Pipe a ring of buttercream around the edge of each flipped shell. Pipe a dollop of blueberry preserves into the middle of the buttercream rings. Sandwich the cookies gently, handling the cookies by the edges and not the tops.
4. The finished cookies should be refrigerated in a covered container for a couple of hours or overnight before serving. The cookies can also be frozen for several weeks.