Makes 12 macarons


For the shells 
60gm Egg whites 
60gm Caster sugar 
1½ tsp Egg white powder 
120gm Icing sugar
60gm Ground almonds
1 Lemon zest – finely grated

Few drops yellow colour paste

Filling

250g icing sugar

60g unsalted butter

15ml fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoons milk




METHOD

  1. Line a baking tray with parchment and draw 24 circles about 46mm or 1¾ inches. Turn the paper over so you can still see the circles but the pencil is not near the mix.
  2. Mix the icing sugar and ground almonds together and then blitz in a food processor for 2 or 3 minutes. Push through a sieve into a medium bowl discarding any gritty pieces and add the lemon zest. If you do not have a processor sieve 3 times.
  3. Place the egg whites, egg white powder and caster sugar in a clean bowl and whisk together until standing up in soft peaks. Add a couple of drops of yellow colour and mix in. Be careful not to over whisk!
  4. Mix the egg whites in with the almond mixture folding carefully until just combined.
  5. Carry on folding until the mix falls in soft ribbons from your spoon and the mix disappears into the main mix after about 30 seconds. It is important that care is taken at this stage... if the mix stays as piped the mixture is too stiff, too runny means they lose their shape altogether.
  6. Place into a piping bag with a plain ½ inch pipe and pipe into your circles being careful not to go over the circle edges.
  7. Bang the tray on a table or bench for a few times to disperse the air. If you have any little points remaining from the piping, lightly dampen your finger and just smooth them out.
  8. Leave the macarons to rest for at least 30 minutes in a warm, dry environment or until a skin has formed on the tops.
  9. Bake for 12 minutes but open the oven door briefly after about 8 minutes to let any steam out. You should have crisp tops and the characteristic 'feet' that macarons have.
  10. Leave on the tray until completely cold and then place on a wire rack or store in an airtight container if you wish to fill them at a later date.
  11. To make the filling beat together the butter and icing sugar then fold in the cream, lemon zest and lemon extract. If the filling is too wet add more icing sugar, if too dry add a little more cream
  12. Sandwich the shells together in pairs.