For the macaron shells, place the almond flour, salt and powdered sugar in the food processor. Pulse a couple times.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites and powder until soft peak stage. Slowly add the vanilla sugar and continue beating until just before stiff peak stage.

Fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites in three stages, continuing to fold until a ribbon forms (about 40-50 strokes).

Pipe onto parchment paper and let set for a half hour or until they are not tacky to the touch.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place cookies in oven and lower the temperature to 300. Bake for 15 minutes.

Optional: Sprinkle with finely chopped candied violets and allow to set. Remove cookies after 10 minutes of cooling.

Variations: Up to 50 percent of the almond flour can be replaced with pistachios, hazelnuts or pecans by weight. Grind them in food processor with the powdered sugar.

For the Egg White Meringue Buttercream, place a medium saucepot filled a third of the way with water and bring to a simmer.

Place sugar, salt and egg whites in bowl of stand mixer. Holding the bowl over the saucepot, whisk the mixture until it feels hot to the touch.

Place bowl on stand mixer and beat with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form.

Once the bowl is cool to the touch, add butter, small pieces at a time.

Add vanilla. Switch to paddle attachement to smooth out buttercream.

Variation: Make fruit buttercream by adding in a half cup of freeze dried fruit or 1/4 to 1/2 cup frozen fruit puree.