Avocado And Green Tea Macarons

Directions

1. Green Tea Macaron Shells
2. Sift almond meal, matcha green tea powder and icing sugar together through fine sieve and set aside.
3. Divide egg whites into two equal portions (50 g each portion). Pour the first portion of egg white (50 g) into the almond meal/icing sugar mixture. Don’t mix or stir them, just leave it as is.
4. Put the water and caster sugar in a heavy-base saucepan over medium-high heat. When the syrup starts to boil, place the rest of egg white (50 g) into a clean mixing bowl and using the whip attachment, whip egg white until soft peaks are formed. When the syrup reaches 118°C (on a thermometer), take it off the heat and let it cool down to 115°C (or until the bubbles subside).
5. While the mixer is still running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl. Be careful not to pour the hot syrup onto the whip as it might spatter.
6. Mix one third of the whipped egg white into the almond meal mixture and combine them well using an electric beater. Fold the rest of the whipped egg white into the almond meal mixture and mix well, yet gently, until the batter is smooth. The batter should be thick, with a magma-like consistency.
7. Put the mixture into a piping bag fitted with 1-cm plain tip (size #11). Pipe rows of 3cm rounds onto trays lined with baking paper. You will need at least two trays for this recipe.
8. Let the piped shells stand at room temperature for 30 – 60 minutes to let a crust form. The time it takes for the crust to form depends on the room temperature and humidity. You will know when the macaron shells are good to go into the oven when the piped shells are dry to touch without it sticking to your fingers.
9. Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan-force or convection oven, increase the temperature by 20°C if you’re using conventional oven) for at least 15 minutes. Just before baking, turn the temperature down to 150°C and bake the macarons for 15 minutes.
10. Lift the baking paper sheets off the baking tray to the cooling rack and let it cool completely before removing macarons.
11. Pair up similar sized macaron shells and sandwich them with chilled avocado and white chocolate ganache.
12. Store macarons in airtight container in the fridge. Macarons will taste better after they are chilled overnight.

1. White Chocolate and Avocado Ganache
2. Chop the white chocolate up into small pieces and place in a separate bowl.
3. Bring cream to the boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove it from heat as soon as it comes to the boil (when bubbles start to appear on the edge of the saucepan).
4. Pour hot cream onto chocolate. Leave it for about 10-20 seconds. Stir the chocolate and cream mixture until melted and smooth.
5. Add avocado puree to the white chocolate cream mixture and mix well.
6. Chill the ganache at least an hour before using.