Raspberry Macarons
Makes: 16 filled
3 egg whites (extra large), at room temperature
1/4 cup (60g) caster sugar
few drops pink food colouring
1 1/4 cups (195g) soft icing mixture, sifted
1 cup (120g) ground almonds
1 tsp lemon rind, finely grated
Raspberry Cream:
1/4 cup (60ml) thickened cream
150g white chocolate, coarsely chopped
45g frozen raspberries, defrosted and crushed
1. Preheat oven to 150c conventional (130c fan forced). Line 2 trays with baking paper.
2. Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add caster sugar, a Tablespoon at a time, whisking until mixture is thick and glossy (2-3 minutes), and add food colouring. Sift soft icing mixture and almond meal 3 times through coarse sieve. In 2 batches, fold soft icing/almond mixture and lemon rind into egg white base.
3. Fill piping bag fitted with 2cm plain tube. Pipe 4cm rounds allowing space around each macron. Tap trays on bench so macrons spread slightly. Stand for 30 minutes on bench to form a crust.
4. Bake macarons for 20 minutes. Cool on trays.
5. Raspberry Cream: Bring cream to the boil in small saucepan, remove from heat; add chocolate, and stir until smooth. Allow to cool. Stir through raspberries.
6. Just before serving, sandwich macarons with raspberry cream.