About the bake
Delicate Macaroons make an ideal gift to share with your loved ones. Wrap them beautifully in cellophane with a ribbon and they would also make perfect wedding favours. Once you have mastered the macaroons you can experiment with a whole host of flavours, Harry and Meghan chose to serve Champagne and Pistachio macaroons at their Royal Wedding which we think sounds delicious.
Method
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan, gas mark 3). Line three baking sheets with baking parchment.
Step 2:
Sift icing sugar and almonds into a bowl, discarding any large almond pieces that remain in the sieve.
Step 3:
Whisk egg white until they hold soft peaks. Slowly whisk in caster sugar until thick and glossy.
Step 4:
Using a metal spoon, add half the almond mixture to the meringue and fold gently together. Add remaining almond mixture and stir to combine.
Step 5:
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.
Step 6:
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.
Step 7:
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.
Step 8:
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.
Step 9:
Remove meringues from the oven and cool. Sandwich together using buttercreams.
Ingredients
For the Macaroons
- 150g Silver Spoon Icing sugar
- 150g Ground Almonds
- 3 Egg white(s) (free range, medium)
- 75g Billington's Unrefined Golden Caster Sugar
- A few drops Food colouring gel (pink, brown)
- A few drops Strawberry flavouring
- A few drops Nielsen-massey chocolate extract
- 1/2 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
- 150g Silver Spoon Icing sugar
For the Vanilla Filling
- 150g Butter (unsalted, softened)
- 100g Icing sugar (sifted)
- 1/2 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
For the Strawberry Filling
- 2 tbsp Strawberry jam
For the Chocolate Filling
- 2 tbsp Chocolate spread
Recipe Reviews
So good
Ingredients
For the Macaroons
- 150g Silver Spoon Icing sugar
- 150g Ground Almonds
- 3 Egg white(s) (free range, medium)
- 75g Billington's Unrefined Golden Caster Sugar
- A few drops Food colouring gel (pink, brown)
- A few drops Strawberry flavouring
- A few drops Nielsen-massey chocolate extract
- 1/2 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
- 150g Silver Spoon Icing sugar
For the Vanilla Filling
- 150g Butter (unsalted, softened)
- 100g Icing sugar (sifted)
- 1/2 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
For the Strawberry Filling
- 2 tbsp Strawberry jam
For the Chocolate Filling
- 2 tbsp Chocolate spread