03 November, 2010

All Spiced Up: Almond Macaroons

Nigella is a baking god. Did I already tell you this? Well, i'm telling you now. Her charming and attractive ways of rummaging around the kitchen to whip up a cake, or get ready to sink a chef knife into a leg of ham is so pleasing to me.


This sounds really weird doesnt it? Well if you've ever watched Nigella Bites you'll know what I'm talking about.


One fine day in my little kitchen I was thinking of ways to fill up my boring Sunday with some activity. No better way then to bake some macaroons that had been craved the whole weekend by my family, right?


Wrong.
Out of Almonds. Disaster. Annoying and fustrating.


Take two, on a Saturday afternoon the following weekend. And everything went according to plan. Yay!
I've baked these macaroons about 3 times already now, can't get enough of them.
The cardamom spice really lifts it to a whole different level.
Spice is nice.





Almond and Cardamom Spiced Macaroons
                                        Nigella Lawson

- 200g Ground Almonds
- 200g (1cup) caster sugar
- 1/4 t of cardamom powder
- 2 Egg whites


Method
Place the ground Almonds, sugar and cardamom powder into a mixing bowl of your kitchen aid. Or if doing this by hand, a large bowl.
Combine the dry ingredients by simply pressing that nifty little on button on your mixer, or getting out a wooden spoon.. that always works.
Slide in the 2 egg whites and keep stirring/mixing until combined
Rub a couple of drops of Rose water on your hands and pick up the sandy mixture and roll into walnut sized balls, place each ball faaaar apart on the baking tray (Trust me they spread..alot!)
Pop into the oven for 10 minutes-ish, pop in to retreive it, pop onto a plate then pop into your hungrily awaiting mouth. Or in this case, my familys mouths...

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