Ingredients

For the macaron shells:

• 300g icing sugar
• 300g ground almonds
• 115g egg whites
• 290g caster sugar
• 45g water
• 115g egg whites
• Red colouring as desired
• Ground pistachios

For the pistachio and cherry chocolate ganache:

• 50g double cream
• 100g cherry purée
• 50g skinless pistachios
• 375g milk chocolate
• 15g cocoa powder

Tools

• kMix Stand Mixer
• MultiPro Excel

Method

For the macaron shells:

1. Process the icing sugar & almonds until fine. Combine the caster sugar, red colouring & water and begin heating until the mixture reaches 116 degrees Celsius.
2. Immediately begin mixing the first 115g of egg whites before pouring in the sugar/water and continuing to mix using your stand mixer until a stiff peaked red Italian meringue has formed.
3. Add the second 115g of egg whites to the almonds/icing sugar mixture before folding through the Italian meringue in stages until the correct ribbon consistency has been achieved.
4. Pipe your heart-shaped shells, sprinkle with ground pistachios, and cook at 140 degrees Celsius for 18 minutes. Allow to cool before paring.

For the pistachio and cherry chocolate ganache:

1. Heat the cream, purée & cocoa powder until simmering. Before boiling, pour over the chocolate/pistachios and use a hand blender to process until emulsified.
2. Reserve in the fridge until set before piping a ring on one of the paired shells, before pushing together to create your finished macaron.