Easter is one of my most favourite times of the year,
And with the added bonus of 5 days off...
Wow heaven!
Instead of chocolate eggs this year I decided on a different treat...
Hot Cross Macarons!
Spiced Macarons,
Cinnamon Chocolate Ganache
And White Chocolate Crosses.
Almond Macarons
200g Ground Almonds
200g Icing Sugar
2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons All Spice
75mL Water
200g Caster Sugar
2x 80g Egg Whites
Pop the icing sugar & ground almonds in a food processor & whiz, then sift the mixture. This is called the tant pour tant. Beat one of the 80g eggwhites to soft peaks. While that is happening in a pot bring the water & caster sugar to the boil without stirring. Make sure the temperature of the sugar does not go above 115 degrees. Increase the speed of the beaters & slowly pour the sugar syrup into the beaten egg whites. Continue to beat the eggwhites for about 10mins, so that the mixture cools. Mix the remaining unbeaten eggwhites with the tant pour tantmaking a smooth almond paste.
Using a flexable spatula, incorporate about a third of the beaten eggwhites into the almond paste to loosen the mixture, then add the remainer of the mixture.
On a piece of baking paper, pipe small circles, about the size of a milk bottle lid onto baking paper. Then leave the macarons to form a crust at room temperature for about 30mins.
Pop the macarons in a pre heated oven (150 degrees) for 15mins. When you take them out of the oven slide the baking paper onto a dampened chux, this will make the macarons easier to remove. Then pop them on a cool rack while you prepare the filling.
Cinnamon Ganache
300mL Cream
500mL Dark Chocolate
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
Raisins
Heat the cream on a stove & bring to the boil. Pour over the chocolate & stir until all the chocolate pieces are melted, then add the cinnamon. Pop into a piping bag then pipe onto half of the macarons. Pop a raisin on top of the ganache then top with another macaron.
White Chocolate Crosses
500g White Chocolate
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler then drizzle over the top of each in the shape a cross.
Yum!
Enjoy! x
