MACARONS ...

MACARONS

(A French Meringue based cookie).

adapted from :    recipesbycarina.com

Ingredients :

3/4  cup  ground almonds  (90 gm)

1  cup  icing sugar/powdered sugar  (125 gm)

2  egg  whites  (large)

1/2  tsp  salt

1/4  cup  white sugar

1  tsp  strawberry essence

1-2  drops  Red Gel Colouring

1/2  cup  butter  (1 stick/110 gm)

1 1/2  cups  icing sugar/powdered sugar  (190 gm)

1/2  tsp  vanilla extract

Instructions :

1.  Add the ground almonds and icing sugar or powdered sugar (125 gm) to a food processor and pulse 5-6 times until the almonds and sugar are well combined.  Pour into a medium sized bowl.

2.  Separate the 2 eggs, saving the yolks for another recipe and adding the whites to another bowl.  Whip your egg whites until they become foamy in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer and add the salt.

3.  With the mixer on high slowly sprinkle in the 1/4 cup of white sugar.  When the egg whites are at the soft peak stage add the strawberry essence and colouring.  Whip again until they reach stiff peaks.

4.  Add half of the egg whites to the dry ingredients and fold together until combined.  Add the remaining egg whites and fold together until you can make a figure "8" in the bowl without the mixture breaking.

5.  Spoon into a piping bag with a small round tip and pipe inch rounds about an inch apart on a lined baking sheet.  Rap/tap the sheet on the work surface 5 times to remove any air bubbles and leave to set for 30 minutes (depends on the humidy of the weather).

6.  When you can touch the Macarons without smudging them, place into a preheated oven at 150'C/300'F for 15 minutes.  Cool completely before filling.

7.  To Make The Buttercream :    Beat the butter for 5 minutes with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer.  Add the icing sugar (190 gm) in thirds, beating in between each addition until incorporated.  Finally add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.

8.  Pipe 1 tablespoons worth of buttercream on top of half of the Macarons and top with the other half, pressing until the buttercream reaches the edges.  (me :   uses Creamy Peanut Butter for the filling).

Enjoy !!!

NOTES :    Macarons are best the next day so make them a day ahead of when you want to serve them.

Change the flavouring by using a different type of essence or extract --- 1 teaspoons worth.

Use anything you would like to fill the Macarons :   buttercream, ganache, lemon curd or fruit preserve@jam.