Sometimes there just has to be a sweet treat with the afternoon cuppa, don’t you think?   It’s a time when a piece of fruit doesn’t quite hit the spot.  So I’m going to share this recipe for Almond Macaroons  from my notebook, which you can nearly imagine is a healthy choice.  It’s certainly vegetarian and gluten and dairy free. No added fat, no flour, and lovely healthy almonds. Sugar, well… sssssh… look the other way!  It is a treat after all…

And we need it today, what a change in the weather!  The temperature has dropped, the rain is hammering on the roof and a spot of baking in a cosy kitchen is just thing to cheer us up!

So, start off with a couple of baking sheets lined with baking parchment, you’ll need to give the macaroons room to spread as they cook.  Preheat the oven to 180 deg C (160 deg C – fan oven)

Ingredients

2 medium eggs,whites only

125g (4oz) caster sugar

125g (4oz) ground Almonds

1/4 tsp almond extract

blanched almonds

Put the egg whites in a large grease free bowl and whisk  into stiff peaks.  Add the caster sugar a little at a time, whisking after each addition until the mixture is stiff and glossy.  Gently stir in the almond essence and ground almonds so it’s well mixed, taking care not to knock out all that air you’ve just beaten in!

Spoon teaspoons of the mixture on to the prepared baking sheets spacing them slightly apart.  top each one with a blanched almond, pressing in lightly, and bake in the centre of the oven for 12 – 15 minutes until lightly golden and firm to the touch.

Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes or so before moving to a wire cooling tray.  When they are completely cold transfer to an airtight tin or jar.

They will keep for about a week (if they last that long!) Lovely with that cuppa, but also adds a delicious crunch to good vanilla icecream…