Easter hazelnut macarons
A fabulous gift, if you can stop yourself from digging in!
SERVES
50
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
10
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
50
MINUTES
Ingredients
250g (9oz) hazelnuts
250g (9oz) vanilla sugar
a pinch of pure cinnamon (optional)
4 egg whites, preferably free-range and organic
50 whole hazelnuts, toasted for garnish
Method
Preheat the oven to 180ËšC/350ËšF/Gas Mark 4.
Cover two or three baking sheets with silicone paper.
Place the whole hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the skins loosen (keep an eye on them so that they don’t burn). Remove from the oven and rub off the skins in a tea towel. Grate the peeled hazelnuts in a nut mill or whizz with a little of the sugar in a food processor until quite fine — add cinnamon if using.
Whisk the egg with the caster sugar until they hold a stiff peak.
Fold in the grated hazelnuts. Drop a teaspoon of the mixture onto the baking sheets and top each one with a toasted whole hazelnut. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes approx. Cool on a wire rack.
