Well, what can I say about these sticky, sweet and delicious bisuits that doesn’t involve going into the complete disaster I created whilst trying to make them in a hurry! Let me start by saying they are really easy to make but I made a complete pig’s ear of it!

Anyway, let me set the scene….

On Friday night my sister hosted our family’s Seder night (which is a meal that starts the Jewish festival of Passover). We were missing a few key ingredients (namely a mum, dad, brother and his family. I imagine it’s what it feels like to have your first Christmas dinner without key people!)

Anyway, I digress…..

My sister and her husband had gone to a lot of effort with not only a cracking roast chicken dinner (OMG it was soooo good!) and she had printed off kid friendly Hagadas (the prayer book we follow through out the meal) and had props at the ready. When it came to the part when the Egyptians wouldn’t let the Israelites go and the 10 plagues are described there were flying plastic bugs (for locusts) red blobs of lipstick applied unexpectedly to my face for boils and flying teddies for wild beasts. It was brilliant.

I offered to make cinnamon balls (tomorrows recipe) and macaroons for our desert. I thought I had left plenty of time. That is the story of my life. I’m always late. Sorry Shell.

I set about making the macaroons and they looked great in the oven. I turned my back for two minutes and they burned. So the lesson here is don’t ever turn your back on a macaroon!

The next batch turned into a soggy mess in the food processor. I tried to add a bit more egg white to see if they would be fluffier – big mistake! I added more almonds and more sugar but that didn’t seem to make any difference. It was more like cake mix than a roll-able dough. The third mix was great but I was so worried that I would overcook them that I took them out of the oven a little early and had anaemic macaroons.

The thing with Macaroons is that they bake quickly and it’s a judgement call as to when they are done enough. I actually prefered the pale ones which were really soft throughout with a harder shell and were completely delicious. Beau ate practically all of the overdone ones before we have even left the house! It’s a matter of taste.

I would say that if they last longer than a day (highly unlikely!) they do get firmer in time so I would veer towards a light brown colour.

The Ingredients

(makes about 15 macaroons)

125g ground almonds

1 egg white (from a medium size egg) at room temperature

150g caster sugar

table spoon of icing sugar

15 almonds half to decorate

How to make Almond Macaroons for Passover

Heat your oven to 200°C, Gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Give the ground almonds a whiz a food processor for 10 seconds. You don’t have to do this step but it will make the texture of the macaroons even finer.

Add the sugar and whiz again till blended.

Add the egg white and blend thoroughly. It should form wet clumps.

Roll out the macaroon balls. I like them to be quite large so they are really soft inside. Give them plenty of space to spread. About 3 cm between each one is perfect.

Flatten the balls lightly with the palm of your hand

Brush each macaroon with water with damp pastry brush. Don’t over wet them.

Give the macaroons a light dusting of icing sugar and top off with half an almond. Pop in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Watch them like a hawk so they don’t over bake like the ones below!

Pop them on a cooling rack till they are completely cool.

All that’s left to say is Chag Sameach (or Happy Holidays!)

enjoy!