Strawberry macaroons

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Line 2 large baking trays with non-stick baking paper.

2. Sift the ground almonds and icing sugar together into a large bowl. Put the egg whites into a separate bowl and using an electric hand whisk, beat to soft peaks. Add the caster sugar and whisk until glossy. Fold into the almond and icing sugar mixture, along with a tiny amount of the pink food colouring. Mix until just combined and evenly pink – the mixture will reduce as the air bubbles in the meringue burst.

3. Put the mixture into a disposable piping bag, snip off 1cm from the end. Pipe small blobs (about 1 heaped teaspoon each) onto the baking paper, spaced apart, so you have about 50 in total. Set aside for 10 minutes until dry to touch – this is important as it gives the macaroons the correct texture. Bake for 5 minutes, then turn the whole sheet of paper over – the macaroons will be stuck so won’t fall off. Bake for another 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.

4. Carefully peel off the baking paper from the macaroons, then sandwich 2 together with a tiny blob of strawberry jam in the centre. Repeat to give you 25 in total.

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