Macaroons by Silver Spoon

Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan, gas mark 3). Line three baking sheets with baking parchment.

Sift icing sugar and almonds into a bowl, discarding any large almond pieces that remain in the sieve.

Whisk egg white until they hold soft peaks. Slowly whisk in caster sugar until thick and glossy.

Using a metal spoon, add half the almond mixture to the meringue and fold gently together. Add remaining almond mixture and stir to combine.

Divide the mixture between three separate bowls. Add colouring and flavouring to each bowl a drop at a time until the correct colour and flavour is achieved (about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp). Pink food colouring and strawberry extract in one. Brown food colouring and chocolate extract in another. The mixture will be shiny and thick.

Spoon into three separate piping bags fitted with 1 cm (1/2in) plain nozzles. Pipe approximately 2cm (3/4in) rounds on to the lined baking sheets.

Tap the baking sheets on the work surface and allow meringues to stand for 5 - 10 minutes until a skin has formed. Put one sheet just below the centre of the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining sheets.

To make the filling, cream butter and icing sugar together until smooth. divide among three bowls. Add vanilla extract to one bowl, a strawberry jam to another and chocolate spread to the remaining. Mix the buttercream in each separate bowl until blended.

Remove meringues from the oven and cool. Sandwich together using buttercreams.