Well, I rested the dough.  I am not sure what it achieved although happy for anyone to enlighten me.  The dough seemed to be a similar consistency before it rested as it was after, although I am sure the flavoured probably developed a little.

Anyway, as we mentioned last night these Macarons, introduced to France from Italy in the 1500’s are really different to what you would expect from the style of macarons that are commonplace nowadays.  Nutty, pleasingly crisp on the outside and dense yet yieldingly squidgy in the middle, these little beauties do not need any further introduction…

Ingredients:

• 250g almond meal (I was a bit short – so added a bit of hazelnut as well)
• 200g of caster sugar
• 2 egg whites (and one egg yolk to glaze)
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 2 tablespoons of apricot jelly
• 1 teaspoon of bitter almond essence
• A few drops of vanilla extract

How to do it:

1. Add your almond meal and sugar to a mixing bowl and mix to combine. Then add the egg whites, honey, apricot jelly and essences.

 

 

 

 

2.Mix this well to form a dough.  It should resemble almond paste (marzipan) but feel a bit stickier.

 

 

 

 

3. Place some gladwrap on your bench (a decent amount) and scoop your dough out onto it in the shape of a log.  Use you hands to shape the dough into a rough log and wrap up in the gladwrap tightly.  Place in the fridge to rest for 6-8 hours (or overnight and a bit more like I did!).

 

 

 

4.  When the dough is rested, preheat your oven to 200 degrees celsius and remove the dough from the fridge.  Slice the dough roll into to 2cm or so thicknesses.  I had some little helpers to help make sure they stayed as ’round’ as possible.  Place these on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and brush with the egg yolk (mix it with a dash of water first).

 

 

5.  Bake for 20 minutes and then cool on a wire rack – although they are lovely warm with a cup of tea if I am honest!