Zumbaron shells master recipe
MAKES 50 SHELLS
You will need
150 g (5½ oz) almond meal
150 g (5½ oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar
110 g (3¾ oz) eggwhite
150 g (5½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar
50 g (1¾ oz) water
food colouring, if required
STEP
No 1
SIFT Place the almond meal and icing sugar in a food processor and process to a fine powder. Sift into a large bowl.
STEP
No 2
BOIL Put half the eggwhite in an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (but do not switch it on yet). Put the caster sugar and water into a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Add the food colouring at this stage, if using, and continue cooking the sugar until it reaches 118°C (244°F).
STEP
No 3
WHISK When the sugar syrup is the right temperature, turn the mixer onto medium–high and whisk the eggwhites until lightly frothy.
STEP
No 4
COMBINE With the mixer in motion, slowly pour the sugar syrup in a steady stream down the side of the bowl and keep whisking until the meringue has cooled to 50°C (120°F).
Add the remaining eggwhite to the almond meal and icing sugar mix, then fold through the cooled whipped meringue. Continue to fold the mixture until it begins to loosen. It is the right texture when the mixture falls slowly off a spatula.
STEP
No 5
PIPE Fit a piping (icing) bag with a 9 mm (3/8 inch) plain piping nozzle and fill with the zumbaron mixture. Line a tray with baking paper or a silicone mat. Holding the piping bag vertically about 1.5 cm (5/8 inch) above the tray, pipe straight down onto the tray to create 5 cm (2 inch) rounds, leaving a 3 cm (1¼ inch) gap between each zumbaron. As you finish piping each round, quickly move the nozzle from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock to finish the piping action. Tap the bag gently to get rid of any excess air.
Leave the zumbarons at room temperature for about 30 minutes until a skin forms on the surface. The skin is important because it lifts while the zumbaron cooks, creating the ‘foot’ at the base. Preheat the oven to 160°C (315°F).
STEP
No 6
BAKE Put the trays into the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Check the zumbarons are firm to the touch, then remove them from the oven and leave them to cool on the trays.