Few things taste of Paris quite like Laudurée macaroons. These lemon ones are particularly moreish.
Preparation time:
21/2 hours
Cooking time:
15 minutes
Ingredients (makes 50):
Lemon cream:
160g granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp cornstarch
3 eggs
110ml lemon juice
235g softened butter
Shells:
275g ground almond flour
250g icing sugar
61/2 egg whites
210g granulated sugar
Yellow food colouring
Method:
Step 1: For the lemon cream, mix the sugar, lemon zest, cornstarch, eggs and lemon juice together in a saucepan and heat until it simmers.
Step 2: Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Add the butter and blend. Refrigerate for 12 hours in an airtight container.
Step 3: For the macaroon shells, mix the almond flour and icing sugar in a food processor then sieve.
Step 4: Whisk six egg whites until they foam then add a third of the granulated sugar and whisk until dissolved. Add another third, whisk then add the remaining sugar and whisk for one more minute. Fold the sifted almond flour and icing sugar into the egg whites. Add the food colouring. Beat 1/2 egg white and add to the mixture.
Step 5: On a baking tray lined with parchment, pipe small rounds (3-4cm) of the mixture. Preheat the oven to 150°C, then bake for 12-15 minutes.
Step 6: Remove baking tray from the oven and pour a tiny amount of water in between the tray and the parchment paper, so the macaroons peel off easily.
Step 7: When cool, place half the macaroon shells upside down on a plate. Pipe a coin of lemon cream onto the macaroon shells using a piping bag and top each with the remaining shells before refrigerating for 12 hours.
From Ladurée: Sucré The Recipes by Philippe Andrieu (£31, Éditions du Chêne-Hachette Livre)
