David Corby and Kristin Fillingham,
Something Sweet
These minty cookies are a fresh and festive take on the classic French macaroon. The meringue-like cookies provide a brief crunch, then melt in your mouth so the velvety buttercream filling smooths the palate.
Ingredients
Cookies
1 3/4 cups ground almonds
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups icing sugar
1 tsp peppermint extract
Buttercream filling
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp peppermint extract
2 Tbsp whipping cream
pink and green food colouring
Method
Cookies
1. In a small bowl, sift icing sugar into ground almonds.
2. In a large bowl, beat egg whites and salt on medium high speed until foamy. Slowly add sugar while beating until medium-stiff peaks form. Add peppermint extract.
3. In three stages, gently fold in almond mixture with a large spatula.
4. Prepare a pastry bag with a 1 cm round tip. Pipe 6 cm rounds onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Chill in fridge 30 min.
5. Preheat oven to 300˚F. Bake macaroons about 30 min or until lightly golden. Cool on baking sheet 10 min. Transfer to wire rack. Cool.
Buttercream fillilng
1. In a medium bowl, beat butter on medium speed while slowly adding sugar. Add cream and peppermint extract. Tint with colour.
Assembly
1. Spread half the cookies with filling. Top with another cookie.
Yield 4 servings