Preheat oven to 300°F. Line two baking sheets with Silpat macaron sheets or parchment paper. Set aside. Have ready a large pastry bag fitted with a large open piping tip.

Over a large bowl, sift together almond flour and powdered sugar. If large pieces do not go through sifter, grind the bits more finely in a food processor then sift again until all the almond pieces are very fine and incorporated into sifted mixture. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine egg whites, sugar, seeds from scraped vanilla bean (save the bean for another use) and salt. Using medium speed, mix egg white mixture for 3 minutes then increase speed to medium-high. Continue mixing 3 minutes longer then increase to full speed and mix 3 minutes more. At this point, add desired gel food color and rose water, if using. Beat on full speed for one minute longer or until you have achieved a very stiff, dry meringue that clumps inside the whisk attachment when removed.

Add the almond flour mixture then using a rubber spatula fold the dry ingredients into the meringue using a fold then smear technique. Fold the dry ingredients in once then “smoosh” the meringue agains the side of the bowl to incorporate the dry ingredients and deflate the meringue. This process should take about 25 folds. **Take your time with this process. Do not overmix. If your batter becomes runny, you’ve overdone it and sadly your macarons will not be pipeable.

Scoop about half the batter into prepared pastry bag. Pipe small circles on prepared baking sheets. Whack your baking sheet on a hard surface once or twice, turn and repeat. Bake in preheated oven for 18 minutes, until a macaron can be cleanly easily peeled off baking sheet.

Cool completely on baking sheet set on a wire rack.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, rub together seeds from vanilla bean (reserve bean pod for another use) and sugar. Whisk together sugar mixture, egg yolks and salt until well combined.

Place a saucepan half-filled with water over medium heat and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low to keep water barely at a simmer. Place mixing bowl over water. Whisking egg mixture constantly, heat to 150°F. Remove from heat, place bowl on stand mixer and whip on medium speed until doubled in size and both the egg mixture and bowl have cooled to room temperature. The mixture should not be warm at all.

With mixer running on medium low, add butter, one tablespoon at a time mixing until completely incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl after all butter has been added then mix one minute longer.

Turn half the macarons so that they are flat side up. Pipe half the macarons with a dollop of buttercream filling. Top each with another macaron. Refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator 2 hours before enjoying.