Classic Macarons

INGREDIENTS:
Macarons                              Vanilla Butter Cream                   
200g Ground Almonds             250g Softened Butter
200g Icing Sugar                      140g Icing Sugar
75ml Water                              160g Ground Almonds
200g Caster Sugar                    Half Vanilla Bean
2 x 80g Egg Whites
Vanilla Bean half

Macarons

• Carefully sift the tant pour tant (ground almonds and icing sugar processed to create a fine powder) - set aside.
• In a saucepan, bring the water and caster sugar to the boil.  Without stirring, make sure the temperature of the syrup doesn't go above 115degC or 240F
• Beat 80g egg whites to soft peaks and when the syrup reaches 115C remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the syrup in a thin stream into the beaten egg whites.  Continue to beat the meringue for about 10 minutes, so that it cools a little.
• Combine the tant pour tant with the remaining egg whites, making a smooth almond paste.  Scrape the half vanilla bean and incorporate a few vanilla seeds.
• Using a flexible spatula, incorporate about a third of the meringue into the almond paste in order to loosen the mixture a little, then add the rest of the meringue, working the batter.
• Fill a piping bag fitted with an 8mm nozzle with batter.  Pipe out small, regular and well-spaced rounds.  Lightly tap the bottom of the trays and allow the macarons to form a crust at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 150C or 300F.  Bake for 14 minutes.

Butter Cream

• Beat the softened butter until soft and smooth.  At this stage, add the icing sugar and whisk again to cream the butter.
• Incorporate the ground almonds and continue to whisk well to aerate and give lightness to the cream.
• Flavour the cream depending on the flavour of the macarons, with an extract, flavouring or fruit liqueur.