The best macarons

Start by making the ganache so it has time to set. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until steaming, then remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir continuously, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Add the peppermint extract, stir well, then taste and add more extract if a stronger flavour is desired. Transfer to a bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Line 2 large baking trays with baking parchment. Place the ground almonds and icing sugar into the bowl of a food processor or spice grinder. Blitz until the almonds are well mixed with the icing sugar and even more finely ground. Pour the mixture into a large bowl.

Mix 60ml egg white into the almond mix and and stir until a stiff paste forms. Set aside.

Place the caster sugar into a small saucepan with 50ml water. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves. When the mixture is clear, stop stirring and cook over a medium heat until the syrup registers 118ºC on a sugar thermometer. Meanwhile, put the remaining egg white into the clean, grease-free bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. As the syrup nears 118ºC, whisk on a high speed until soft peaks form and they hold their shape on the whisk.

Take the syrup off the heat and slowly pour down the side of the bowl in a steady stream into the egg whites, whisking throughout. Keep whisking at high speed until the mixture is thick and glossy, has cooled slightly and the outside of the bowl is no longer hot to touch.

Using a spatula, scrape the mixture out of the bowl and onto the reserved almond paste. Fold together until the mixture runs in a thick ribbon from the spatula, disappearing back into the mix within 10 seconds. This takes about 5 minutes of folding – don’t rush it or your macarons won’t be smooth.

Turn a large piping bag inside out and place over a large bottle. Paint stripes of gel food colouring from the top of the bag to threequarters of the way down, then invert. Transfer the batter into the piping bag.

8 Pipe 3cm circles of batter onto the baking parchment. Leave the macarons to dry for at least 30 minutes, until a thin skin forms on the top. They should not be sticky to the touch and have a matt appearance. The skin allows the macarons to withstand the oven temperature for long enough to rise and let the signature ‘foot’ (the lacy bit at the bottom of a macaron) peek out. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 160ºC, gas mark 3.

Bake the macarons in the centre of the oven, one tray at a time, for 12 minutes. The shells should not have started to brown, but should be firm and sound hollow when lightly tapped. Leave to cool for a few minutes, then peel off the paper.

Spoon the cooled ganache into a piping bag and use to fill each macaron. Package up into bags, tie with a ribbon and write a gift tag, then gift to your loved ones.