Makes 100 macaroon shells
Ingredients
- 300g hazelnut meal
- 300g pure icing sugar
- 110g egg whites, at room temperature
- 300g caster sugar
- 75g water
- 110g egg whites, extra, at room temperature
- Food colouring, if required
Method
Macaroon Shells
Grease 3 large baking sheet and line with non-stick baking paper. Combine hazelnut meal and icing sugar in a bowl. Sieve the mixture into a large bowl.
Put the egg whites in an electric mixer with a whisk attachment. Put the sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Use a clean brush to brush down the side of the pan to avoid any crystallisation. Increase the heat and bring to boil. Add the food colouring (if required) at this stage. Cook until the mixture reaches 118c(244F). When it is getting close to this temperature, whisk the egg white o medium speed until frothy.
Once the sugar syrup is at the right temperature, increase mixer speed to high and slowly add the sugar syrup in a steady stream down the side of the bowl. Whisk until warm about 8 minutes. Add the extra egg whites to the dry ingredients, then add the meringue and use a large spatula to fold them through until combined.
Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with a 13mm plain nozzle. Pipe straight down onto the tray to make 4cm diameter rounds, leaving a 3cm gap between each macaroon.
Leave macaroons at room temperature for 30 minutes or until a skin forms. Preheat oven to 135c(275F). Bake the macaroons for 16 minutes, until the have a firm outer shell. Cool the macaroons completely on the tray.
Chocolate & Hazelnut butter ganache
Makes 50
Ingredients
- 250g Carboor Harvest Hazelnut butter
- 200g milk couverture chocolate, chopped or buttons
- 50g Unsalted butter, chopped and softened
- 1g sea salt flakes
To make the chocolate & Hazelnut butter ganache, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water or in the microwave. Add the Hazelnut butter and mix well, then add the butter to blitz with a stick mixer until smooth. Fold through the sea salt. Allow the ganache to cool and become firm enough to pipe.
Pipe the ganache on the flat side of the macaroon shells. Put the assembled macaroons in the refrigerator to set. Bring to room temperature to serve. Enjoy!
