Vegemite and White Chocolate Macarons By Chef Julia Taylor

Vegemite and White Chocolate Macarons

Recipe by: Julia Taylor 

Makes: 36 macarons

Ingredients

Macarons

• 300g pure icing sugar
• 300g flaked almonds
• 100gegg whites
• 120g dark chocolate 70%, finely chopped
• 300g caster sugar
• 75ml sparkling water
• 100g egg whites

White chocolate ganache

• 120ml pouring cream, (35% milk fat)
• 260g white chocolate, finely chopped
• 40g vegemite

Raspberry filling

• 2 punnets raspberries
• 1 sheet gold-leaf gelatine

Method

Preparation: 50 minutes, plus setting time
Cooking: 1 hour

1. Preheat oven 160°C fan forced.

2. For macarons, place icing sugar and almonds in a thermomix or food processor and blend to a fine meal. Transfer to a large stainless steel bowl. Stir in 100g egg whites and set aside. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Keep warm.

3. Bring the caster sugar and water to the boil in a medium saucepan. Bring to 115°C on sugar thermometer.  Once it reaches 115°C start the whisking the 100g egg whites in an electric mixer to firm peaks. Meanwhile the sugar should have reached 118°C. Remove from the heat and start to pour hot syrup into the egg whites in a slow steady stream. Continue to beat the meringue until it is 50°C. Use a spatula or pastry scraper to fold the meringue into the almond mixture then fold in the melted chocolate.

4. Pipe the mixture in 4-5cm circles onto baking trays lined with baking paper. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes until a skin forms and the macarons can be touched without leaving any residue on your fingertip. Bake macarons for 14-18 minutes, set aside to cool.

5. For ganache, pour cream into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Place the chocolate and vegemite into a heatproof bowl, pour over the hot cream and stir until smooth, if necessary place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir. Refrigerate until cold. Spoon mixture into a piping bag.

6. For raspberry filling; reserve 18 raspberries. Process remaining raspberries until smooth then sieve into a small saucepan to remove the seeds. Place over medium heat until warm. Soak the gelatine in cold water until soft, remove and squeeze out excess liquid then add to the raspberry puree, stir until dissolved. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cold.

7. To assemble, break the reserved raspberries in half and dip into the puree, place in the centre of a macaron. Pipe the ganache around the raspberry and sandwich together with another macaron. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Chill slightly before serving.