British cookery expert Debbie Major turns her hand to traditional macaroons, tweaking the recipe until she finds the definitive version with a sweet crunch and a soft, yielding centre. Then, over the page, she whips up a hazelnut version sandwiched with indulgent chocolate ganache.
Ingredients
2 egg whites
120 grams almond meal
160 grams caster sugar
2 tablespoons ground rice
1 teaspoon vanilla essence or vanilla bean extract
14 whole flaked almonds
Instructions
Line two baking trays with baking paper and preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Whisk two eggs with stand or hand mixer until soft peaks form.
Fold in almond meal, sugar, ground rice and vanilla essence.
Mix well.
Using a tablespoon, put 14 heaped spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking paper. Smooth the tops down slightly and garnish with a whole flaked almond.
Bake for 15 minutes and then swap trays around in the oven and continue baking for another 15 minutes.
Turn oven off and leave to cool in oven with oven door wide open for 10 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Remove from baking paper carefully.