Beetroot and Dark Chocolate Macaron

Instructions

Line your baking trays with silicon baking paper.

Mix the ground almonds, betroot and the icing sugar in a food processor for about 2/3 minutes. Sift the blended mixture into a bowl and discard of the big lumps that have been left behind.

Whisk 60g of egg whites and add to the almond/sugar mixture. It will form quite a stiff mixture.

Whisk the remaining 60g of the egg whites to soft peaks and then add 35g sugar.

Put the sugar and water in a saucepan to make the syrup. Heat until it reaches 118 C. Slowly add the boiling syrup to the egg whites and whisk on medium/high speed for about 10-15 minutes. The meringue will have become shiny and will have cooled.

Add a quarter of the meringue to the almond/sugar mixture. Mix well so that the mixture loosens. Now fold in the remaining meringue a quarter at a time. Mix until the two mixtures are completely combined and it has a little fluidity to it. To test this hold up the spoon and it should fall back in to the bowl slowly. If it runs quickly like a ribbon it will be over mixed.

Fit a piping bag with a plain tip and add the mixture. Pipe the macaroons on to the baking sheet. Make them the size you want – I usually do about 5 cm across.

Leave to rest so that the macaroon forms a skin – when it is touched your finger will not pick up any of the macaroon mixture. This can take anything from 15 mins – 1/2 hours depending on the weather.

Bake at 150 C for 15-25 minutes.

Check to see if macaroons are done by grabbing the top of one macaroon and trying to shake it. They are done when the top barely slides against the skirt. If they are not done, extend baking time by two minutes intervals, checking after each extension. When ready leave on a cooling rack. Don't remove the shells off the parchment paper as soon as the tray comes out of the oven, else you will break the shell. Wait for 2-3 minutes at least for it to cool down.

To make the Ganache, put the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan till it just begins to boil. Add it to the chocolate and stir until all the chocolate melts. Add in the vanilla extract and soft butter and mix till silky smooth.Allow to cool in the fridge for at least 30-40 minutes.

Sandwich 2 macaroon together with the ganache.