
Lemon Macaroons
CATEGORIES:
- Biscuits & Brownies
- summer
- picnics
- mother's day
- afternoon tea
Lemon Macaroons
Nutrition Values per serving |
Women`s GDA per serving |
Typical GDA Values (Women) |
|
Energy (cal) |
31 |
1.5% |
2000 kcal |
Energy (kj) |
130 |
||
Protein (g) |
0.6 |
1.3% |
45g |
Carbohydrates (g) |
8.4 |
3.7% |
230g |
of which sugars (g) |
4.9 |
5.5% |
90g |
Fat (g) |
0.9 |
1.3% |
70g |
Of which saturated fat (g) |
0.7 |
0.4% |
20g |
Fibre (g) |
0.2 |
0.8% |
24g |
Salt (g) |
0.1 |
1.8% |
6g |
YIELDS
30
PREPARATION
30 mins
COOKING
8 mins
INGREDIENTS
- 110g Tate & Lyle Icing Sugar
- 50g ground almonds
- 60g egg whites (about 1½ large eggs, at room temperature)
- a pinch of salt
- 20g Tate & Lyle Golden Caster Sugar
- finely grated zest 1 lemon
- yellow food colouring paste
For the filling
- 3 rounded tbsp lemon curd
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- First, to ensure all the macaroons are the same size, use the pastry cutter as a guide. Using a pencil heavily draw 60 circles on the sheets of parchment, well spaced apart, as the macaroons spread a little. Turn the paper over and place on the baking sheets, otherwise you will have pencil on the base of each macaroon.
- Blend the Tate & Lyle Icing Sugar and almonds together in a food processor for 30 seconds to combine.
- Next, place the egg whites and salt in a spotlessly clean, dry bowl, ensuring that there are absolutely no specks of yolk in the whites or they will not whisk as well. Using an electric mixer, beat for 2 minutes or until they hold a soft peak.
- Still whisking, gradually add a teaspoonful of Tate & Lyle Golden Caster Sugar at a time, making sure that the sugar is well incorporated before adding the next – this will take about 3 minutes. The mixture should be thick and glossy.
- Use a little of this meringue mixture to secure the parchment paper to the baking sheets.
- Add the lemon zest and colouring next, whisking them in so that the colour is evenly blended.
- Using a metal spoon, fold the Tate & Lyle Icing Sugar mixture into the meringue until thoroughly incorporated, smooth and it easily drops from a spoon.
- Fill the piping bag with half the mixture. If you overfill the bag too much mixture tends to come out at a time. Pipe onto the prepared baking sheets and then tap them hard on the work surface to pop any air bubbles.
- Before baking, leave the macaroons for anywhere between 30-60 minutes so they ‘set’ and form a dry outer shell. They should not be sticky, tacky or wet when tested with your fingertip. This is an important part of macaroon making as it also helps them form a smooth, glossy surface and ensures that they have their trademark puffed out, crinkly base after they are baked.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/Fan150°C, 325°F, Gas Mark 3.
- Bake the macaroons on the middle shelf of the oven, one sheet at a time, for 7-8 minutes until crisp on top, puffed out at the base and barely coloured. Cool on the baking sheet, then remove.
- Sandwich together with lemon curd, lightly cover and place in the fridge for anything between 1-24 hours to soften.
You will also need a piping bag fitted with 5mm (¼“) plain nozzle, a 3cm (1¼“) plain pastry cutter and 3 baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
CHEF'S TIP
They improve by being left in the fridge for a day where their texture softens and improves, that is, if you can resist devouring them.