ingredients
1 1/4 cups almond meal (ground almonds)
1 1/2 cups pure icing sugar
4 eggwhites
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
3 drops pink food colouring
filling
- 90g white chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoons thickened cream
- 1/2 teaspoon strawberry essence
method
- Grease 3 large baking trays. Line with baking paper. Sift almond meal and icing sugar together in a bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, beat eggwhites in a bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar. Beat until dissolved. Add vanilla and food colouring, beat until just combined. Fold in half the almond mixture until just combined. Fold in remaining mixture until combined and glossy (mixture will break down a little).
- Spoon into a large snaplock bag. Snip 1cm from 1 corner. Pipe 4cm rounds mixture onto prepared trays, 3cm apart. Tap trays on bench to remove air bubbles. Set aside for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 130°C/110°C fan-forced. Bake macarons, 1 tray at a time, for 18 to 20 minutes or until tops are firm. Cool on trays. Carefully transfer to a wire rack.
- Make filling Place chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high (100%) for 1 minute or until chocolate melts. Stir with a metal spoon to combine. Stir in strawberry essence. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or until mixture thickens and becomes spreadable.
- Spread 1/2 teaspoon filling over flat sides of half the macarons. Sandwich with remaining macarons. Set aside until filling sets. Serve.
recipe notes
Store macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Don’t let mixture become too thick, or it will be too hard to spread on macarons.
Macarons can be quite ‘temperamental’, and may need some trial-and-error attempts before you get them right.
Be careful when adding food colourings as too much liquid can make the macarons too soft.
Setting the macarons aside for 1 hour after piping creates a skin which maintains the macaron’s shape during cooking. Make sure you cool macarons before removing from trays, or they will stick.
Credits: Taste