Enjoy these colourful and lightly baked almond meringue-like macaroons, filled with a delicate rose flavoured buttercream filling, with afternoon tea or at a party.
Ingredients
- 150g (5oz) icing sugar
- 100g (3½oz) ground almonds
- 3 large egg whites
- 75g (2½oz) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp of rose water
- About ¼ tsp of pink food colouring
For the filling
:
- 90g (3oz) butter
- 175g (6oz) icing sugar
- A few drops of rose water
- Pink food colouring
- Piping bag with a 5mm (¼in) plain nozzle and a star nozzle
- 2 baking trays, lined with Bakewell paper
WEIGHT CONVERTER
Method
- Put the icing sugar and ground almonds in a food processor and whizz for 30 seconds, then sift them through a fine sieve into a bowl.
- Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric whisk to soft-peak stage. Add the sugar in 3 batches, whisking in well to create a thick, smooth, glossy meringue.
- Add half the ground almonds and icing sugar mixture with the rose water and food colouring. Fold them in with a spatula, using a figure of 8 motion, but only for a minute. Fold in the rest, but don’t over-mix. The mixture should be glossy and bright pink.
- Spoon the mixture into the piping bag and, keeping it upright, pipe small rounds, about 4cm (1½in) in diameter, spaced apart on the lined baking trays. Pipe 50 rounds. Rap each tray sharply just once on the kitchen surface, then leave the macaroons in a cool, dry place to settle and firm a little — for about 30 mins and up to 1 hour, or until the mixture is no longer sticky when you touch it with your fingertips.
- Set the oven to Gas Mark 5 or 190°C. Put one tray at a time in the centre of the oven and bake for 10 mins until just set and crisp, but not cracking or brown.
- Take the tray out of the oven and leave the macaroons to cool completely on the tray. Peel macaroons off the parchment and pair them up on a wire rack.
- To make the filling: Soften the butter and beat in the icing sugar, 1 tbsp hot water, rose water and enough food colouring to make a bright pink buttercream. Put in the piping bag with a star nozzle, pipe on to the base of half the macaroons and sandwich together carefully with the tops. Serve the same day or keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Top Tip for making Rose-pink macaroons
If you’re unsure about getting the macaroons an even size when piping them, draw circles the size you want on the paper first
Trusted, informative, and empathetic – GoodToKnow is the ultimate online destination for parents. At GoodtoKnow, our mission is 'simple': we're trying to make sense of parenthood. On the site, you'll find everything you need for a happy, healthy family life. Our huge archive of content includes more than 18,000 articles and 1,500 how-to videos. These include expert-backed advice features on parenting, dealing with relationship changes after having a baby, self-care for mums and managing your family finances. We also feature tried-and-tested product reviews and buying recommendations for every stage of family life - from prams and Moses baskets to birthday gifts and top toys.