Ingredients

Method

• 170 g icing sugar
• 160 g ground almonds
• 120 g egg whites
• pink food colouring
• 160 g sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• For the rose buttercream:
• 125 g butter, softened
• 250 g icing sugar, sifted
• ¼ t rose essence
• a pinch sea salt
• For the raspberry filling:
• 200 g fresh or frozen raspberries
• 40 g caster sugar
• 1 T cornflour

Method

Ingredients

1. Blend the icing sugar and ground almonds in a food processor. Sift into a bowl, discarding any particles that remain in the sieve.

2. Divide the egg whites in half, 60 g each. Mix 1 half (60 g) egg whites into the almond mixture to form a thick paste. Divide the almond paste between 2 bowls and colour as desired. Set aside.

3. Place the remaining egg whites in the bowl of a stand-mixer. In a small saucepan, gently heat the sugar with the water. When the sugar has dissolved, bring to the boil and cook until it reaches 110°C on a sugar thermometer. At this point, start beating the egg whites in the mixer. Once the sugar syrup reaches 118°C, remove from the heat and gradually whisk into the stiffly beaten egg whites. Continue whisking at a high speed until the mixture has cooled slightly and you have a shiny, peaked meringue. The bowl should be warm but no longer hot to the touch.

4. Fold ¼ of the meringue mixture into each of the almond mixtures, then add the remainder 1 T at a time until the mixtures hold a ribbon for almost 30 seconds. Do not overmix or the mixtures will become too thin. Place the mixtures into separate piping bags fitted with plain nozzles.

5. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking paper. Pipe both colours onto the trays, each 2.5 cm in diameter. Allow them to stand for approximately 30 minutes to form a skin before baking. This will ensure the macarons form the correct shape.

6. Preheat the oven to 140°C and bake the macarons for 14–16 minutes. Immediately slide the baking paper onto a work surface and allow to cool for a few minutes, then gently peel off the paper using a palette knife.

7. To make the rose buttercream, beat the butter and icing sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the rose essence and salt and beat to form a pipeable buttercream. Place in a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle and set aside.

8. To make the raspberry filling, combine the raspberries, sugar and cornflour in a saucepan. Simmer for 5–8 minutes until the berries break down and the mixture starts to thicken. Chill completely, then place in a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle and set aside.

9. Pipe a swirl of rose buttercream onto half of macaron shells, pipe the raspberry filling into the middle and sandwich with the remaining shells.

Find more afternoon tea recipes here

Videographer: Romy Wilson
Photographer: Shavan Rahim
Food assistant: Bianca Strydom & Bianca Jones