Vanilla macaroons

Makes 30 Ingredients:

225g icing sugar 140g ground almonds 100g egg whites at room temperature

1 vanilla bean pod, split and scrape the seeds Filling ingredients: 3 egg yolks 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped 90g golden caster sugar 2 tablespoons water 125g unsalted butter at room temperature

Method:

Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper. Then use a jar lid or cookie cutter that is approximately 3cm in diameter and draw rounds on the paper, spacing them out slightly (about one centimetre between each round). You should have 60 circles, 30 on each baking tray.

Sift the ground almonds and the icing sugar together to remove any lumps and set aside.

In an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until you get firm peaks. Add the vanilla pod seeds and give a final whisk, then add the icing sugar and ground almonds. Gently fold all the dry ingredients until they are all incorporated in the firm egg whites.

Place this mixture in a piping bag with a large plain nozzle. Pipe even rounds inside the drawn templates. The mixture will spread slightly, so it’s best to keep the piping just inside the template.

Tap the tray firmly to remove air bubbles from the macaroons. Leave the trays in a warm area to form a skin. This can take anywhere from two to six hours. They are ready to bake when once touched the skin remains intact.

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Place the baking trays in the oven and lower the temperature to 130°C. Bake for about 10 minutes or until they are firm, but haven’t coloured. Take them out and leave to cool on the baking tray.

While the macaroon shells are cooling you should start on the filling. Place the egg yolks along with the vanilla seeds and whisk until the mixture is pale and creamy, for 10 minutes.

In a small saucepan, add the water and the caster sugar and bring to the boil without stirring. Just swirl the mixture.

Take off the heat when the temperature gets to 121°C, using a sugar thermometer.

Slowly pour the sugar syrup, whisking on a medium speed into the egg yolk mixture. Whisk for 10 minutes. Then add a little knob of butter at a time, whisking on a medium speed throughout.

Do this step until all the butter is incorporated into the mixture. For two minutes, whisk on high speed to make the filling extra light.

Place into a piping bag or use a spoon and cover half the macaroons (30) with the filling, then place the left ones on top.

You can place them in a beautiful box or tin or on a serving plate to share with your mum.