Basic macarons

Preheat the oven to 145°C.

Line a baking tray with a silpad. Sift the ground almonds three times, then sift in the icing sugar.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Add the sugar, spoon by spoon, whisking continuously and scraping the sides of the bowl.

When the mixture is thick and shiny, fold a spoonful into the flour mixture. Add the food colouring and fold in the remaining egg white. Pipe onto the tray, leaving a 2.5 cm space between each one.

Tap the tray against the counter, then allow to stand for 1 hour.

Bake for 15 minutes, then open the door of the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes.

Switch off the oven, close the door and leave the macarons to dry out for 30 minutes.

Lift the macarons from the tray and fill as desired.

Cook's note: Want to make the perfect macaron? Watch our how to slideshow and read our insider secrets to ensure you get them right every time.

Macaron or macaroon? We say macarons, as do their their French creators. Macaroons are those coconutty confections we used to eat as children. If you went to France and ordered a macaroon, they would not know what you were on about and certainly would let you know about it.