CHICK MACARONS

PREP TIME 40 MINS COOK TIME 22 MINS MAKES 20 INGREDIENTS

● 175g icing sugar ● 125g ground almonds ● 3 large free-range egg whites ● 75g caster sugar ● yellow food colouring ● Your choice of jam or buttercream (to sandwich) ● food colouring pens ● yellow royal icing

METHOD

1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/Fan 140°C/Gas Mark 3. Line two baking trays with baking parchment. Whizz the icing sugar and almonds in a food processor to a fine mixture. Sift into a bowl.

2 In a bowl, beat the egg whites and a pinch of salt until peaks form. With the mixer still going, slowly add the sugar to create soft peaks. Add a few drops of food colouring to reach your desired chick colour. Whip until stiff peaks form.

3 Gently pour the almond mixture into the egg whites, making sure they don’t deflate. Fold the almond mixture into the egg whites until it forms soft peaks.

4 Transfer the batter to an icing bag with a round nozzle. Pipe 1 inch rounds of batter onto the parchment, spacing them at least 1 inch apart. Tap the trays hard on the worktop to release any trapped air. Let them sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes until a slight skin forms.

5 Bake for 18-22 minutes in the centre of the oven, taking care they don’t brown.

6 Once cooked, leave to completely cool before sandwiching with your filling of choice. Draw the eyes, beak, wings and feathers onto the chick with edible food colouring pens or pipe with yellow royal icing, if using.