Add all of the filling ingredients to a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the cranberries begin to split open.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
Remove the cinnamon stick, then transfer to a bowl and chill until ready to use. Make sure the filling is completely chilled before assembling the macarons.
Cranberry Curd
Add the cranberries and orange juice to a medium saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until the cranberries split open, about 10 minutes.
Strain through a fine mesh sieve and discard the skins and seeds. The cranberries don't pass through easily, so you need to press it through with a spoon or spatula (you can also pulse a few times in a blender or food processor to make it a little easier to strain). You should end up with about ½ cup of thick cranberry puree.
Create a double boiler by bringing 1-2 inches of water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Place a heatproof glass bowl on top and make sure it's not touching the water.
In the glass bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Then add in the cranberry puree and vanilla. Continue to whisk the curd over the double boiler for 10-15 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. (If the curd isn't thickening, turn up the heat and constantly whisk).
Once thickened, remove the glass bowl from the heat. Cut the butter into chunks and whisk into the cranberry curd until fully combined and smooth.
Pass through fine mesh strainer and then pour into a jar to chill. Chill in the fridge until ready to use.
Macarons
Sift together almond flour and powdered sugar into a large bowl and set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until they become foamy, then add in the cream of tartar.
Turn the mixer up to medium-high and gradually add in the granulated sugar (make sure to add the sugar in very slowly so that the meringue doesn’t deflate).
Once all the sugar is added, turn the mixer to the highest setting and whisk on high until soft peaks form.
Add in the pink gel food coloring and continue to beat on high until stiff peaks form.
Using a spatula, gently fold in half of the dry ingredient mixture until fully combined. Then gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients. Continue to gently fold the batter until it reaches a “flowing lava” consistency. You should be able to make a “figure 8” with the batter before it breaks. As soon as you reach this consistency, stop mixing! If you over-mix the batter, the macarons won’t rise properly in the oven.
Line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Scoop batter into a large piping bag fitted with a round tip. Hold the piping bag perpendicular to the silicone mat and pipe 1 inch rounds.
Pick up the baking sheet and drop it onto the counter 3-4 times to help bring any air bubbles to the surface of the macarons. Then use a toothpick to pop any visible air bubbles to make a smooth surface.
Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30-40 minutes or until a skin forms on the surface. You should be able to lightly touch the surface without any batter being disturbed.
While the macarons are resting, preheat the oven to 300°F.
Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 15 minutes or when they do not move on their “feet” when touched.
Let the macarons cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them. They should easily peel off when fully cooled.
Match up your shells before filling, and then turn one side over. On the other side, drizzle a small amount of white chocolate over the top.
White Chocolate Buttercream
Melt the white chocolate and let cool almost to room temperature. It should be melted but cool to the touch. I prefer to melt the chocolate in the microwave in intervals of 20 seconds, stirring each time.
In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, cream the butter and powdered sugar together until smooth.
Set the mixer to low speed and slowly drizzle in the melted white chocolate until it's fully incorporated into the buttercream. Then beat on high speed for 3-4 minutes or until the buttercream is super light and fluffy.
Once the macaron shells are cooled and decorated, pipe a circle of white chocolate buttercream around the edges and fill the center with either cranberry sauce or cranberry curd. Then top with the other shell.
Put the assembled cranberry white chocolate macarons in an airtight container, then place them in the fridge to mature for 12-24 hours. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, for the best taste/texture, let them come up to room temperature for about an hour before eating! [Directly out of the fridge they can sometimes be super hard but at room temperature they're perfectly soft and tender!]
Notes
You can choose which filling you prefer!Cranberry sauce - Lighter, tangier, and much quicker/easier to make!Cranberry curd - Richer, smoother, sweeter, but a bit more annoying to make. (So worth it though!!!) I also think it goes better with the white chocolate buttercream!Tip: Clean mixing bowl and whisk attachment of your stand mixer with white vinegar to make sure there are no trace fats on either (if you skip this step, your meringue may not form).