Ingredients
Vanilla strawberry swirl macaroons
Method
Vanilla strawberry swirl macaroons
1.Have egg whites at room temperature.
2.Make strawberry puree by blending the strawberries and the two tablespoons of icing sugar until smooth.
3.Grease deep 22cm (9-inch) square cake pan; line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 5cm (2 inches) over sides.
4.Place ice-cream in medium bowl; beat a with wooden spoon until barely softened. Stir ¼ cup strawberry puree through the ice-cream. Spread into the pan, smooth surface; freeze about 4 hours or until firm.
5.Meanwhile, grease two oven trays; line with baking paper.
6.Process ground almonds and icing sugar until fine; sift through fine sieve into small bowl.
7.Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form; add caster sugar and a few drops of food colouring, beat until sugar dissolves. Transfer mixture to large bowl; fold in almond mixture.
8.Spoon mixture into piping bag fitted with 2cm (¾-inch) plain tube. Pipe twelve 5cm (2-inch) rounds, about 2cm (¾ inches) apart, onto trays. Tap trays on bench so macarons spread lightly; stand about 30 minutes or until macarons feel dry to touch.
9.Meanwhile, preheat oven to 150°C/300°F.
10.Bake macarons about 20 minutes. Cool on trays.
11.Working quickly, lift ice-cream slab onto board; using 5cm (2-inch) round cutter, cut rounds from ice-cream (they should be the same size as the macarons). Sandwich macarons with ice-cream. Serve immediately with remaining puree.
Serve the macarons with any leftover ice-cream. Filled or unfilled (baked) macarons can be frozen in an airtight container for up to three months. It’s important to use pure icing sugar for the macarons, but it’s not necessary for the puree.
Note
