Lemon Macaroons by Hansells Baking
Biscuits and Slices
Serves: 20+
Ingredients:
70g finely ground almonds
1 cup icing sugar
2 egg whites
1/4cup caster sugar
1/8 teaspoon Hansells Yellow Food Colouring
Lemon Filling
100 g butter
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon Hansells Lemon Essence
Method:
Sift the almonds and icing sugar together, discarding any large pieces of almond that remain in the sieve.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add the caster sugar and continue beating until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Mix in the food colouring.
Fold half the icing sugar mixture into the egg white mixture. When combined, fold in the remaining half of the icing sugar mixture.
Using a measuring spoon, take tablespoons of mixture and place on a baking paper lined oven tray. Form into rounds using a knife. Alternatively, pipe 4 centimetre rounds onto the baking paper. Holding the baking paper firmly, tap the oven tray on the bench and set aside for about 30 minutes or until the macaroon mixture does not stick to your finger when lightly touched.
Bake at 130 degrees C or 110 degrees C for a fan forced oven, for 20 to 25 minutes. The macaroons are cooked when they lift off the baking paper without sticking. Use a palate knife for this.
Leave to cool then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 – 2 days until ready to use. When ready to serve, sandwich two macaroons together with lemon filling, making sure there is enough filling to spread to the edge of the macaroon.
Lemon Filling
Soften the butter and mix with the icing sugar and lemon essence until smooth and creamy.
Makes 26 macaroons or 13 pairs
Tips for Macaroons
- Macaroons should have a smooth surface. The fineness of the nuts will determine this, that is why they are sifted with the icing sugar before mixing into the egg white mixture.
- To make sure your ground nuts are fine enough, place them in a food processor with the icing sugar and process until powdery.
- The smooth shiny crust on the cooked macaroons also comes from them forming a skin as they sit for 30 minutes. If your room is dry and warm this may happen sooner than 30 minutes or conversely, if the room is cold and humid, it will take longer. The key is for the mixture not to stick to your finger when you touch it lightly.
- Oven temperature is critical when cooking macaroons and you may have to experiment with your oven before achieving perfection.
- Perfect macaroons should have a crumb-like texture around their base, be crisp and thin on the outside and be light, soft and slightly chewy in the middle.
- When you manage to achieve all these things, you should open a shop!
