Blueberry and cream cheese macarons
This is my second attempt at making macarons and I think I'm doing pretty well! My only issue is that the feet are wonky, which I guess I'll fix in time (unless it's an issue to do with using a fan forced oven with no non fan setting, because I can't help that part)!
I went with blueberry to try and use up the remaining puree I had left over from the last cake I made.
Macaron halves
110g egg whites
Pinch of cream of tartar
300g caster sugar
75g water
gel colouring
300g almond meal
300g pure icing sugar
110g egg whites
Use a stick blender to whizz your almond meal even finer. Using a spoon or pastry card, push the almond meal and icing sugar through a fine sieve. Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar on a medium speed while you heat the sugar, water and colouring on the stove. Once the egg whites are fluffy and the sugar is at 118 degrees celcius, put the mixer onto maximum speed and pour the sugar syrup in in a thin stream. Keep whisking until warm, then mix with almond meal/icing sugar/extra egg whites. Keep mixing until the mixture slowly falls back into the bowl when you lift the spatula.
Spoon into a piping bag with an 11" nozzle and pipe into discs on baking trays. Slam the trays down hard several times to get the air bubbles out, then leave until a skin has formed on the surface. Bake at 135 degrees celcius for 16 minutes.
Blueberry and cream cheese ganache
150g blueberry puree
250g white chocolate
40g butter, cubed and soft
40g cream cheese, cubed and soft
Bring puree to the boil then pour into bowl with white chocolate. Let sit till it reaches 50 degrees celcius then add butter and cream cheese and mix through. Use a stick blender if it won't quite melt in. Let it cool, then pipe between two macaron halves and fridge.