MACAROONS

Method is the key to successful macaroons.

These are such a delicate delicious burst of heaven in your mouth, they are designed small because a lady would allow herself a daily treat of just one from the local patisserie.  An amuse bouche a single bite of decadence.

These are very simple to make, there is a very precise method which gives perfect macaroons but don’t deviate or rush a step as they can easily go wrong.  It pays to have two silicone macaroons baking sheets with the double circle measuring guide, I always end up with over sized and under cooked macaroons if I don’t use the measurements guide.

Ingredients 

(makes approx 40)

175g icing sugar sifted

160g finely ground almonds

60ml egg whites

160g caster sugar

50ml water

60ml egg whites whiskey frothy

1 tub butter cream frosting

Recipe for chocolate ganache below)

Pre heat your oven 150 C / 302 F.  In a large bowl mix the icing sugar, almond flour and egg whites together, add your colour and bring the ingredients together to form a paste, set aside, whisk the egg whites to a airy frothy texture, next place  the sugar and water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil, using a thermometer bring the sugar temperature to 118 C /  244 C.  I usual take my pan of the heat at 116 C / 240 F the reason for this is the sugar will keep on heating for a few seconds.

Working quickly turn on the whisk with the frothy egg whites and on high speed pour in the hot sugar syrup, be careful hot sugar BURN’s.  Keep whisking until you’ve formed firm but soft peeks.  

Fold the egg whites gently in to the almond paste, do this 24 times exactly.  Fold in by running the spatula around the edge of the bowl and across the Center lifting up and folding over, keeping a very light hand.

Place the macaroon baking sheets on a baking tray.

Fill the mix into a piping bag, hold the piping bag in a straight upright position and gently pipe out on to the macaroon baking sheet in a circle filling to the first circles line around 2.5cm in diameter, pull up and repeat.

Next you need to bash the baking tray down hard on the work top or floor keeping the tray level do this two to three times, this is to knock out air bubbles.  Take a cocktail stick and gently burst any bubbles that you can see.

The macaroons need to dry for one hour not a second longer or they will crack when cooking.  Bake in the oven for exactly 14 minutes, remove swiftly and take the baking mats off the baking trays immediately, leave to cool for 15 minutes and then using a thin pallet knife slide under each macaroon, leave until completely cool, pair them up to match diameter sizes then pipe on a dollop of butter cream frosting and sandwich together, that’s it enjoy.

Chocolate Ganache 

120g double cream

110g dark chocolate

25g butter room temperature 

Again method is key here, this time it’s heat, too hot and your ganache will split and won’t be useable.

Bring your cream up to just a simmer, take off the heat, in a bowl break up the chocolate, pour over the cream and gently stir until all the chocolate has melted, stir in the butter, leave to cool further and then pipe on to your macaroons and sandwich together.