ABOUT
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- FOR THE SHELL
95g ground almonds
210g icing sugar
50g caster sugar
3 egg whites
Pinch of salt
2 drops claret food colouring (or 1 drop red and 1 drop blue)
- FOR THE PORT JAM
440ml ruby Port
1kg jam sugar
Juice of one lemon
½ tsp butter
- CREAM CHEESE FILLING
200g full fat cream cheese
100g Stilton
METHOD
- To make the shells, sieve the ground almonds, icing sugar and salt into a large bowl. Repeat this step two more times.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add the caster sugar a little at a time until well mixed.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the dry ingredients. Add the food colouring and transfer the batter into a piping bag.
- Pipe the macarons onto a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray. Make them about 3cm in size. Tap the tray on a worktop 3 times before leaving the macarons to rest for 30-60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 150°C / 130°C (fan) / gas mark 1, whilst the macarons are resting. Bake the shells in the oven for 15 minutes before transferring them over to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Combine the Port, sugar and lemon juice in a pan over a gentle heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, bring to the boil for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the butter and continue to boil for a further 3 minutes. Transfer the jam to a sterilised jar and leave to cool.
- Crumble the Stilton into the cream cheese and whisk until light and fluffy.
- Finish by spreading a layer of cheese filling on half of the macarons and a layer of Port jam on the other half before sandwiching them together. Keep refrigerated and enjoy within 3 days.
