OH, PIERRE!

MAKES 30 FILLED BISCUITS

MACARONS

8 egg whites

45 g (1½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

1 teaspoon egg white powder

325 g (11½ oz) almond meal

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar

1 teaspoon raspberry-red food colouring

Line two large baking trays with baking paper.

Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Add the sugar gradually, then the egg white powder, whisking to make a nice firm meringue mixture.

Sift the almond meal and icing sugar through a fine sieve. Fold the meringue and the dry ingredients together; keep folding until the mixture falls back into itself without leaving a trace, ensuring all the dry ingredients are well incorporated. You want to keep the mixture on the firmer side, and not too runny; the longer you beat, the runnier it will get. Fold the colouring through.

Put the mixture in a piping (icing) bag fitted with an 8 mm (³/₈ inch) plain nozzle. Pipe bulbs about 7 cm (2¾ inches) round onto the lined baking trays, leaving space between each.

Now tap the trays gently — this releases any excess air and flattens the macarons slightly. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, or until a skin has formed.

Preheat the oven to 130ºC (250ºF/Gas 1). Bake the macarons for 10–15 minutes. To check if they are ready, lift one gently from the tray — if it comes clean away from the baking paper, they’re good to go.

Allow to cool. The macarons can be frozen in an airtight container between sheets of baking paper for 3–4 weeks.

ROSEWATER JELLY

5 g (¹/₈ oz) gelatine sheets

20 g (¾ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

25 ml (¾ fl oz) rosewater

Soak the gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes, until soft. Meanwhile, warm 100 ml (3½ fl oz) of water in a saucepan.

Squeeze the excess water from the gelatine. Add the gelatine to the warm water, along with the sugar and rosewater. Pour into a small container and set in the fridge for 2 hours.

LAVENDER LYCHEE CREAM

400 ml (14 fl oz) thin (pouring) cream

50 g (1¾ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

3 drops of lavender oil

8 tinned lychees, finely diced

Put all the ingredients in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, whisk to stiff peaks. Place in a piping (icing) bag fitted with a 1 cm (½ inch) nozzle and keep in the fridge until required.

TO ASSEMBLE

300 g (10½ oz) raspberries

Take an upturned macaron and pipe a little lavender lychee cream in the centre. Place a ring of raspberries around the edge, followed by a ring of lavender lychee cream on top the raspberries, leaving a hole in the middle of the lavender lychee cream.

Grab the jelly from the fridge and spoon the rose-scented delight into the centre. Affix another macaron on top and have yourself a moment.

We all have those annoying people in our lives who are much better than us, whom others will always talk about insatiably, as if the pains of living with one’s own incompetence and demons weren’t enough. Like I dare say a good many other fine pastry chefs, Frenchman Pierre Hermé is the devil. We endure the constant ‘oh!’s of customers recounting their recent trip to one of his temple-like establishments, as they describe his latest concoctions, while we hurriedly scribble them down in an attempt to remain relevant. We named this creation after the sighs of his recently returned pilgrims, and now we never tire of hearing punters ask for an ‘Oh, Pierre!’