OXO Tower

By far one of the flashest restaurants I have been to this year is the OXO Tower for a friends 30th birthday treat - set in the iconic building on the Thames with the most incredible views of London - it felt like a real fine dining treat.

We watched the fog roll in over the skyline as we were recommended wine by the sommelier and tucked into our three course dinner presented on crisp white linen. It was a great experience but I decided not to take photos for two reasons - the first I just wanted to enjoy it, and the second - there is a blue lighting scheme which would just make all the food look grey and not do it justice.

I went for crab wrapped in a cannoli style casing but had massive food envy of the lobster tempura served with a clear consomme one of the girls had. This I followed with the Venison with pistacho and even though on my way to being too full I went for the hazelnut pannacotta - perfect after the rich meat of the main. We all got stuck in to the birthday girl's Chocolate Plate - four heavenly puddings in one dessert.

This felt special - the views, the food and the company all made it... but there was something missing. It may have been the vast high ceiling and weird blue tinge to the lighting but it had a coldness, it is one of those places I am glad I have experienced but I do not feel the need to rush back and take others, which surprised me.

Ultimate Christmas Dinner 2012

Ultimate Christmas dinner began one snowy Saturday three years ago and has now became a traditional gathering with friends - each bringing a different course (or crackers in the case of Mat), lots of booze, secret santa round the table and playing a hotly contested game of Cranium of Girls VS Boys.

This year there was no snow but a ridiculous amount of Prosecco and an intense game of Cranium which resulted in the boys winning and closing the led on the girls of three games to two (we have also played this on Ultimate New Years Day and Ultimate Easter).

I was in charge of a starter so went for a posh prawn cocktail from BBC Good Food (two people at the dinner had only ever experienced prawn cocktail in crisp form). Made with lots of fennel, lemon juice and tarragon it avoided the sweet tang usually associated with this 70s classic and was instead fresh and light. I used Taste the Difference king prawns from Sainsburys and I think this made a big difference to the flavour, especially the ones with the shell on I used to decorate it with. The homemade soda bread was great to mop up the sauce with.

This was followed by a full on lamb roast dinner and two puddings - the first an old skool black forest trifle served in individual jam jars and the second a fully homemade chocolate log - delicious.

No meal would be complete without a cheese board but the hosts managed to pull out one which was so stinky it had to be put away pretty quick. Somehow we even managed to squeeze in some macarons about 11 o'clock.

One of the highlights are the secret santa pressies which I even better when they are something to play with. The monster hand puppet transfers were a big hit!

It was a great day even though the journey home involved me being unsure if I was going to be ill from the over indulgence of food and booze... but strangely I am already looking forward to next year.

Prawn & fennel cocktail

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 4 heads fennel , trimmed

• 1 tbsp caster sugar

• 2.5 tsp Maldon sea salt

• juice 1/2 lemon

• 500g cooked, peeled king prawns

• handful chervil leaves, roughly chopped

• handful tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

• 8 small handfuls mixed salad leaves

• 1 lemon , cut into 8 wedges

For the rouille:

• 1 small red chilli , deseeded

• 1 garlic clove

• pinch saffron strands

• 300ml good-quality mayo

Method:

• To make the rouille, use a pestle and mortar to mash chilli and garlic to a smooth paste. Bring the saffron to a simmer with 4 tbsp of water. Stir saffron water, garlic and chilli into the mayonnaise and put in the fridge, until ready to use.

• Cut the fennel into quarters, remove the cores and use a Japanese mandolin or sharp knife to slice as thinly as possible. Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the fennel for 1 min until just wilted. Drain and tip into iced water. Drain again and use a cloth to wring out all the excess water, then leave in the fridge.

• To assemble the dish, season the fennel with the sugar, salt, a decent grinding of pepper and the lemon juice. Cut most of the prawn tails in half, saving a whole one for each serving. Mix the chopped prawns into the fennel, then add the chopped chervil and tarragon and enough rouille to bind everything together (about 6-7 tbsp). Half-fill 6-8 martini glasses loosely with the fennel mix. Place the mixed leaves on top, then a whole prawn tail, then drizzle with the fennel juices that will have collected at the bottom of the bowl. Serve straight away with a wedge of lemon.

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:

• 170g/6oz self-raising wholemeal flour

• 170g/6oz plain flour

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 290ml buttermilk

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 400F/200C/Gas 6.

• Tip the flours, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl and stir.

• Make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk, mixing quickly with a large fork to form a soft dough. (Depending upon the absorbency of the flour, you may need to add a little milk if the dough seems too stiff but it should not be too wet or sticky.)

• Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly

• Form into a round and flatten the dough slightly before placing on a lightly floured baking sheet.

• Cut a cross on the top and bake for about 30 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

Feast

We Feast - A pop up food market and bar in the grand but worn out setting of an old post sorting office in Islington, London was the place for a full-on food fest last Thursday.

The building had big gapping holes in places and huge heaters which only managed to singe the hair of those standing a couple of metres away, any further and it was like being outside but at least there was a roof (pretty hand when it started to rain). To be fair the state of the place all added to the charm, we arrived and the place was bustling, everyone crowding around the different food stalls trying to decide what to tuck into or having made there decision sitting on the long communal tables drinking winter cocktails, camden brewery beers or Prosecco with a band playing in the background.

Myself and Mat went for the first thing we saw with pulled pork on - it was layered on a white bean mash and included a little sausage too, a cassoulet from The Charles Lamb, a pub in Islington. Everyone else wanted to look at all the stands and make sure they were making the best decision, where I am a grab what I fancy as I go kind and hope I don't get too full.

Next stop was three oysters from Randall and Aubin, a restaurant based in Soho which specialises in seafood. I went for one of the classic sauces on each - lemon, tabasco and a shallot vinegar. These were amazing and even only the third lot of I have ever had, I think they were freshest and best - maybe they are just growing on me more each time. I still can not get Mat to try them though.

We then grabbed a bottle of Prosecco to drink whilst we queued up for Anna Maes mac n cheese. I did have a little wander around (and left Mat in the queue) with the bottle of Prosecco in my coat pocket (I have large pockets on the winter coat, handy as I was trying to eat at the same time) and grabbed a little shot glass filled with ceviche from a stall aptly named Ceviche. Based in Soho this restaurant was offering meaty morsels of fish cooked only in lime juice in a bitesized portion served with raw red onion, perfect before I moved on to what I now consider my main meal of the night.

I could not resist Anna Maes mac n cheese topped with pulled pork, Mat did not want to share so we got one each and made with three different cheeses it was delicious but so stodgy, I finished it but it was struggle after everything else I had eaten so far.

The place was starting to empty out so we grabbed our final dish of the night and waddled to a table with our bottles of prosecco. We all went for some sweet waffles covered in chocolate or cherries from Waffle On (just one of the great puns spotted throughout the evening) and huddled together for warmth and chatting.

The only thing we did not see was a Bompass and Parr installation of a huge pickle chandelier - the pickles apparently conduct electricity and set fire. It was a great evening out and I will be looking out for the next one they organise.

Disco Bistro

The beginning of December always marks a time where I will be eating lots, drinking more and exercising less and this year looks like it will be no different as we have lots of foody treats planned.

To kick things off we went to Disco Bistro for a friends birthday on Monday night. This restaurant has popped up in a proper old fashioned London boozer, The rising Sun - a short stroll from the grandeur of St Pauls with a more formal setting upstairs and snack in the bar.

Upstairs is quite a collective and eccentric scene with an old routemaster chairs, a taxidermy squirrel with a lamp in its mouth and a bit a blackboard scribbling by graffiti artist Pure Evil. The food and menu are both small but in my opinion perfectly formed.

We went for some snacks to share instead of a regular starter, these were presented in plastic baskets and felt quite dirty (but in a good way) until you bit into them and realised the ingredients were actually quite fancy.

Savoury doughnuts filled with cheese and served with a warm apple sauce, spicy chilli chicken wings with a goopy and moorish marinade and my favourite a lobster corn dog - the outside looked artificial but the lobster inside was meaty and had such a huge hit of seasidey flavour.

In total contrast the mains were beautifully presented and of a smart restaurant standard. The deer came medium rare with spiced pumpkin puree, cabbage and pickled pear plus there were popped barley on top adding an unusual texture of grown up Rice Krispies. It was a great flavour and texture experience on a plate and really pleasing to the eye. I fell in love with that little bambi on a plate.

Everyone else was equally impressed with their mains - a crackled hake wrapped in deep fried pig skin and a saddleback pork chop with a perfect duck egg but I think mine won best dish as it was such a feast for the eyes.

For pudding I went for the cheese from Brocknall farm - the cheese is produced in such small quanities they only sell it to four restaurants, Disco Bistro being one. It was beautiful - strong but creamy and perfect served with quite a sweet dressing and pickled onions.

They are only there for a few more months but I tempted to go back and try the Disco Burger in the bar.

A Pre-wedding Party

Mat's brother was getting married and due to lots of people travelling to Dover they decided to make a proper weekend of it by having a get together the night before. Its a great idea as people get chatting before the wedding and get to know each other over a glass or two of wine.

It was held in the National Trust visitor centre on top of the White Cliffs and even if in the dark was a great venue. All day his mom, myself and a few other family members prepared the buffet, there were quiches and cupcakes, sandwiches and pizza. It was the first time i had ever seen pinwheel sandwiches which look great but are so simple - cut off the crusts, roll out the bread with a rolling pin, spread with pate or layer up smoked salmon, roll up and slice into discs.

One of the things I was in charge of were the triple decker cucumber sandwiches, which looked very pretty layered up and the herby cream cheese really lifted them to something special. They even turned out like the picture on BBC Good Food.

I also made peanut butter squares (from a recipe by Lorraine Pascale) the night before, which I can't wait to make again as they are really easy and I loved eating all the leftover bits that fell off as I tried to slice them. Even Mat who hates peanut butter and was disgusted I was creating something he hates so much - tucked in and is now a convert.

I also made individual baked cheesecake cupcakes with raspberries and a white chocolate and lemon biscuit base - quite weighty as baked cheesecakes generally are but still delicious.

Peanut butter squares

Makes 16

Ingredients:

• 150g/5½oz butter

• 200g/7oz dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa solids) or milk chocolate (or a mixture of both)

• 250g/9oz digestive biscuits

• 200g/7oz soft light brown sugar

• 300g/10½oz crunchy peanut butter

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

• Line a 20cm/8in square tin with baking parchment, leaving some excess paper hanging over the edges (this makes it easier to lift out once set).

• Melt the butter in a large pan over a low heat.

• Snap the chocolate into squares and throw into a small bowl. Melt in the microwave in 30 second blasts, stirring well between each addition or sit the bowl over a pan over simmering water. Make sure that the bottom of the pan does not touch the water or the chocolate may ‘seize’ and go really grainy and stiff.


• Blitz the digestive biscuits and brown sugar in a blender or food processor to give fine crumbs. Tip them into the melted butter. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract and mix together so everything is well combined.

• Tip the mixture into the lined tin and press it down really hard with the back of the spoon. It needs to be really compact and tight. Then pour over the melted chocolate, tilting the tin back and forth a bit so that the whole thing is evenly covered. Pop in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up (or the fridge for an hour).

• Once the chocolate is set, remove it from the freezer (or fridge). Lift it out of the tin with the help of the baking parchment. Remove the paper and then use a sharp knife to divide it into 16 squares and serve.

Raspberry cheesecake cupcakes

Makes 10

Ingredients:

• 8 white chocolate cookies

• 45g/1¾oz butter, melted

For the filling

• 300g/10½oz cream cheese

• 1 tbsp plain flour

• 90g/3¼oz caster sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 free-range egg, plus 1 egg yolk

• 3 tbsp soured cream

• 100g/3½oz raspberries

• lightly whipped double cream or crème fraîche, to serve

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Line a muffin tin with eight muffin cases.

• Blend the cookies in a food processor until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. (You can also do this by placing them in a plastic bag and bashing with a rolling pin).

• Stir in the melted butter until well combined. Press the mixture into the base of the paper cases, reserving a tablespoon to garnish.

• For the filling, beat the cream cheese in a bowl until smooth, then stir in the plain flour, caster sugar, vanilla extract, egg and egg yolk and soured cream and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

• Put a few raspberries in the bottom of each case, reserving some for garnish, then spoon the cream cheese mixture on top.

• Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the cheesecake filling is set, but still slightly wobbly in the middle.

• Remove the cupcakes from the oven and set aside to cool for 30 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the tin, transfer to a plate and chill in the fridge for at least an hour, or overnight.

• To serve, carefully peel off the paper cases and top the cupcakes with a spoonful of whipped cream and a few raspberries. Sprinkle over the reserved biscuit mixture.

Roundwood Pig Stuffed Pork

Following the success of the pork ribs we purchased from the Roundwood Orchard Pig Farm stall at West Hampstead Farmers Market we decided to pick something up for Sunday lunch. We went for a rolled pork belly filled with a sage and onion stuffing and a huge red cabbage from the veg stall.

The pork was easy to cook - just wrap in foil and pop in the oven for 45 minutes, we had to put it in for a bit longer than recommended though as it came out pink in the middle even though the juices ran clear. The meat was good but a little bit too fatty but there was more to the nature of the meat than the quality of it. Next time I would make the effort and make proper crackling but we were too hungry to wait any longer.

For the red cabbage I followed a recipe from the Canteen cookbook, it was slow cooked on the hob with raisins, orange and spices such as all spice and cloves. Mat was a fan but for me it was too much like a huge pot of mulled wine flavoured vegetables, which was a shame as there was lots of it.

Burger and Lobster

Burger and Lobster has had a lot of hype since opening in its first branch in Mayfair at the end of last year, so much so it opened its second branch in Soho and then one in Farringdon round the corner from where I work last month.

The idea is simple - three items on the menu. Choose from a whole lobster, lobster roll or a burger for £20 each, plus they all come with a side salad and skinny fries.

The pictures are not the best as the place is quite dark and atmospheric with wooden walls, leather booths and industrial style lighting. We had to wait for about 30 minutes for a a table to become free as we could not get through to book on the phone, so supped on Prosecco as we waited. The food may be good value for the amount and quality but the drinks list is on the pricey side, even though cocktails the divided in the B cocktails and L cocktails to match the food.

I went for lobster (complete with plastic bib) and my friend went for the lobster roll. Mine came with garlic butter too which I tended to just dip the huge amounts of meat into as I was already making lots of mess, which is all part of the fun - it was delicious - really meaty, fresh and being finished on the grill just added a slight smokiness to the lobster. The lobster roll was also great and a lot easier to eat, the bun tasted slightly sweet and a little crispy, reminding me of fried bread my Nan used to make.

The burger looked good too but for £20  doesn't seem like great value when you can have lobster.

Even though we were full we still wanted to hear what was for dessert (no written menus due to only having a few options), we both went for the white chocolate parfait with chocolate and honeycomb. They came in individual ice cream pots which was a cute touch and made them feel very homemade, the parfait was like really creamy ice cream and the white chocolate flavour really burst through, complimented by huge pieces of Crunchie style chocolate bar throughout.

To top off the great food and atmosphere, our waitress was really very lovely and seemed as enthusiastic and excited about what were we eating as we were. I can't wait to go back, so going this Thursday with another friend and definitely having the lobster again - how decadent...

Emily's Birthday Celebrations Begins...

Emily's 30th was fast approaching and for this big birthday it sounded like she had a whole month of celebrations planned and it kicked off in London with a visit to me.

I had planned quite a full on weekend but illness struck and there was a point when Em thought she may need to cancel, so to make sure she was ready for the fancy birthday treat on the Saturday we cancelled going to J Sheekey Oyster Bar on the Friday evening (but next time she comes to London we will be going and will report back then) and stayed in.

I decided to cook us a warming and comforting dinner of maple and balsamic glazed lamb with feta, couscous, and pomegranate, a recipe I saw on Lorraine Pascale's TV show - it looked impressive, tasty and more importantly not too time consuming. I prepared everything first and the trickiest thing was deseeding the pomegranate, which Emily kindly did whilst I chopped and marinated the lamb. Next time I may buy the prepared stuff as Em, myself and the kitchen were splattered in the juices.

After this we had a dessert of Nigella's Chocolate and Guinness cupcakes which I made the night before (I know I make them a lot but they are so good) all washed down with a glass of Prosecco to get the weekend of celebrations going.

Maple and Balsamic Glazed Lamb Chops

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the lamb

• large handful fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked

• salt and pepper

• 8 lamb chops or cutlets

• vegetable oil

• 1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and sliced

• 50g/2oz flaked almonds

• handful fresh mint

• 1 pomegranate, seeds only

For the couscous

• 300g/10½oz couscous

• 200g/7oz feta

• drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

For the balsamic glaze

• 25g/1oz butter

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

• Sprinkle the thyme leaves over a large plate with a little salt and pepper, then squish the lamb chops or cutlets into the mix, turning them over to coat the both sides. This will give a lovely crust when cooked.

• Place a large frying pan on a medium heat with a good glug of oil. Fry the lamb chops for about 3-4 minutes on the first side or until they are golden brown. Flip the lamb over and leave to cook for a further 3-4 minutes depending how you like them cooked.

• Meanwhile, tip the couscous into a medium bowl, pour boiling water from a kettle to cover a little over the top, cover with cling film and leave aside for about five minutes.

• For the glaze, put the butter, maple syrup and balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan over a high heat. Bring to the boil and then reduce to simmer, leaving it to bubble away for about three minutes, stirring from time to time. When the glaze is thickened and syrupy (a little thinner than golden syrup) remove from the heat and keep warm.

• Check the couscous grains have absorbed all the water and are tender and then fluff it up with a fork. Crumble the feta cheese in, season with salt and pepper and add a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Stir together and re-cover to keep warm.

• Cut into the centre of one of the lamb chops or cutlets to check that they are cooked to your liking. When ready, remove them onto plate to rest for a few minutes, covered with tin foil (this will make the chops more tender and juicy).

• Add the spring onions and flaked almonds to the frying pan in which you cooked the lamb and fry on a medium heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring them a bit every now and then. Remove from the heat when the spring onions are wilted and the almonds golden brown.

• Divide the couscous among four serving plates. Place two lamb chops on top of each plate and drizzle the glaze (and any resting juices) over. Scatter over the onion and almond mixture and tear over the mint leaves. Top with the pomegranate seeds and serve.

Trick VS Treat Bake Off

It had been a while since we have had a bake off at work so in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness month we decide to combine a charity bake off with the upcoming seasonal festivities of Hallowean. The Trick VS Treat bake off was born, bakers were asked to create either creepy or pretty bakes and then donations towards the cakes would raise the money.

I created a poster to help build the hype and on the day there was a clear divide on the table between the sweet treats and creepy concoctions. There were meringue ghosts, mummy biscuits, cupcakes decorated with butterflies, bats, decapitated jelly babies and pumpkins plus pretty lemon biscuits, spiderweb millionaires shortbread and my favourite was the peanut butter bites.

I went for the Chocolate and Guinness cupcakes (now my signature bake even though I nicked it from Nigella) but decorated them differently. The first were classically pretty with white frosting and sprinkled with silver edible glitter, then wrapped in pretty cupcake sleeves with lasercut flowers. The second batch were decorated with green icing and glitter to look like grass (the actual black cake represented the soil) then gingerbread tombstones were popped on the top for a suitable creepy but tasty treat.

The Chocolate and Guinness cake recipe can be found here and the gingerbread biscuit recipe is below, originally from BBC food.

We raised an amazing £202.47 for Breast Cancer Care - not bad for some baked flour, sugar and eggs.

Gingerbread Tombstones

Ingredients:

• 350g plain flour

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 100g oz butter, cut into cubes

• 175g  light soft brown sugar

• 4 tbsp golden syrup

• 1 free-range egg, lightly beaten

For the icing: 

• 150g icing sugar

• 8 tablespoons of cold water

Method:

• For the ginger biscuit tombstones, place the flour, ginger and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl. Rub the butter in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

• Add the sugar, syrup and egg and mix together until it forms a soft dough. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

• Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.

• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut out your shapes – you will only need a few for the cake so cut out some other Halloween shapes for extra biscuits.

• Place the shapes on to greased baking sheets (leaving at least 3cm between biscuits as they will spread) and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the sheets with a palette knife and place onto a wire rack to cool completely before decorating with white icing.

• Make the icing just before you are ready to pipe as it will set if made too early, simply mix the icing sugar and the water, adding a couple of tablespoons of water at a time until you have a thick but pipable consitantly. Pop in a piping bag and decorate as you see fit.

Chocolate Macarons - I finally did it!

After a couple of failed attempts at macarons (the first lot had to be eaten with a spoon) I had given up and decided my favourite french treat is something I would only ever buy. Then I spotted a macaron masterclass on a deal website and thought it would be an ideal opportunity to learn the ricks of the trade.

Tea and Scones is in central London and taught by Caroline Hope in her tiny apartment, but this was back in March and from the looks of her website she has now moved to Swiss Cottage in North London. Caroline studies tea and aims to impart her knowledge of tea drinking traditions and english baking on her students. I went with a couple of friends and at the time it was great and I wished I had made some macarons sooner. We were taught how to make pistacho (my favourite) and chocolate in a small group, but I was put off by the expensive equipment - metal bowls, silicon mats, decent piping bags and flat baking trays were all recommended.

There were a few tips which stayed with me though...

• When folding in the dry ingredients into the egg white mixture, be confident but use the least amount of folds possible.

•  Use baking trays with no sides as this makes sure you have an even bake.
• When filling your piping bag place it in a tall glass to hold it in place.
• Once the macarons are piped drop the trays from a height to get rid of any air bubbles and flatten them slightly.

• Leave to air dry for 30 to 60 minutes until they have a skin on.
• Open the oven door a couple of times during cooking to let steam escape.
• Match the macaroons halves up depending on there size before beginning piping.

All these tips help create perfect macarons.

I was prompted to give macarons another go when I spotted a special macaroon mould silicon mat in Lakeland and a rubber piping bag, so I treat myself and researched a recipe online. I tried one from the guardian food section, the writer had already tested out lots of different recipes so had done all the hard work.

I was pleasantly surprised with the results. My ganache split though but was easily fixed by whisking in some more cream. The macarons had a perfect little foot and only a few cracked on top, they were relatively evenly sized and best of all the tasted like proper french macarons.

I left them in the fridge overnight and let them thaw for 20 minutes (I couldn't wait any longer) before serving, they were even better the next day with a crisp shell and chewy inside - I will be making them again.

Chocolate Macarons
Makes about 10

Ingredients:

• 65g ground almonds

• 85g icing sugar

• 25g cocoa powder

• 75g egg whites

• Pinch of salt

• 60g caster sugar

For the ganache:

• 100g whipping cream

• 100g dark chocolate, chopped

• 20g butter, cut into small pieces

• Pinch of sea salt

Method:

• Make the ganache first. Heat the cream in a small pan until it's just beginning to boil, then take it off the heat and add the chocolate. Leave it be for a couple of minutes, then stir furiously until smooth. Gradually beat in the butter and finish with a pinch of salt. Set aside to ... set.

• To make the macarons, you'll need a template. Cut two pieces of baking parchment to fit your baking tray and, using a glass or pastry cutter about 3.5cm in diameter, cover one piece with dark ink circles spaced about 2cm apart. Put this on the baking tray and cover with the other piece of parchment: you should be able to see the circles through it. Prepare a piping bag with a 1cm nozzle, or cut the end off a disposable one so you have a hole about 1cm in diameter.


• Blitz the almonds in a food processor or spice grinder for a couple of minutes, then sift these, the icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl. Repeat, so they're well mixed.


• Put the egg whites and a pinch of salt into the mixer and begin whisking. As soon as the whites begin to hold their shape, whisk in the caster sugar, and continue whisking at high speed until you have a stiff meringue – you should be able to hold the bowl upside down without fear (go on!).

• Fold in the dry ingredients, and then beat the mixture vigorously until it's of a consistency which falls off the spatula: if it's too thick, it will be hard to pipe. Don't worry about beating the air out of it: you don't want too much trapped in the shells.


• Spoon the mixture into the piping bag and carefully pipe on to the circles. Pick the baking tray up and drop it on to the worksurface a couple of times, then leave to rest for about 30 minutes until the macarons feel dry to the touch: they should not be sticky. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 180C.

• Bake the macarons for about 17 minutes until firm, opening the oven door briefly a couple of times during cooking to let off any steam. Once you're sure they're cooked, slide the baking parchment off the tray immediately to stop the macarons cooking. Cool completely on the paper, then carefully peel off: if they're cooked, they should come away easily.

• When cool, match up equally-sized macarons, and then, using a small palette knife or spoon, sandwich them together with ganache. Refrigerate for 24 hours, then serve at room temperature.