Candy Cane Macarons

STEP-BY-STEP: Candy Cane Macarons

Master homemade macarons with this Christmas twist on the French favourite

CANDY CANE MACARONS

Get ahead: Make the macarons, then freeze in sealed containers between sheets of baking paper for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature for 1 hr, then store in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Makes 25-35

Takes 1 hr 15 mins plus resting and cooling

Cost per serve 19p

200g white chocolate, broken up

100ml double cream

pink food colour gel

150g ground almonds

175g icing sugar

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

85g caster sugar

6 candy canes (75g), finely crushed

1 Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the cream into a small pan and bring just to the boil over a medium heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate and leave for 5 mins before adding a little pink food colour and stirring to form a bright pink, silkysmooth ganache. Leave to cool completely, then chill, covered, until of a piping consistency.

2 Meanwhile, line 3 large baking sheets with nonstick baking paper. Blitz the almonds and icing sugar in a blender or a food processor until fine.

3 With an electric whisk, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Whisk in the caster sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is thick, glossy, and holds its shape. Sift over and fold in the almond mixture, one-third at a time, with a large metal spoon.

4 Spoon the egg-white mix into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm nozzle and pipe 50-70 x 4cm rounds onto the lined baking sheets, leaving space between each for spreading.

5 Tap the baking sheets sharply on the work surface to dislodge air bubbles, then dab any peaks flat with a damp finger. Set aside for 30-40 mins or until the macarons have formed a skin, so you can touch them very lightly without the batter sticking. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to gas 2, 150°C, fan 130°C.

6 Bake the macarons, in batches, for 12-14 mins until they form ‘feet’ (the bubbly-looking bottom of the base). If you gently touch the tops they should not move around on the feet. If they do, return to the oven for 2 mins at a time until they no longer move. Leave to cool completely on the sheets.

7 Spoon the cooled ganache into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm round nozzle and pipe onto the base of half of the macarons. Sprinkle over a little crushed candy cane, then sandwich together with a macaron top. Gently roll the sandwiched macaron through the crushed candy canes to coat the edges of the ganache. Macarons are vulnerable to humidity and smells, so store in airtight containers between sheets of baking paper in the fridge. They will keep for up to 5 days.

HOW TO

BLITZ THE MIXTURE

Blitzing and sieving the almonds and icing sugar is essential, as lumps in the mixture will flatten the batter and can cause the macarons to have a bumpy surface.

WHISK THE WHITES

Make sure the bowl you whisk the eggs in is completely free from grease, as any traces can prevent the egg whites from whisking. To ensure the bowl is completely clean, wipe it with kitchen paper soaked in a little white wine vinegar before adding the eggs.

ADD THE SUGAR

Gradually whisk the sugar into the whisked egg whites until soft peaks form. Stop when the egg mix is glossy and forms a soft peak on the whisk. Over-whisking can make the mixture dry, leading to cracked macaron shells.

COMBINE TO A BATTER

Gently fold the almond and sugar mixture through the meringue mix with a large metal spoon. The resulting batter should be smooth, uniform and gently flowing. Don’t overwork it – if it’s too runny, the macarons will spread too thinly once piped.

PIPE THE MACARONS

To pipe equal-sized macarons, draw 4cm circles on the back of the baking paper to use as a guide when piping. Tap the baking sheets sharply on the work surface to flatten the macarons, dislodge any air bubbles and give the signature smooth finish.

FLATTEN THE PEAKS

If any peaks remain from piping the macarons, lightly wet a finger and dab the peak to flatten. Any peaks will not even out in the oven so will bake into that shape unless smoothed out.

For more macaron recipes, visit tesco.com/realfood83