To keep in theme with their part French Mediterranean theme, Villa Azur's Executive Chef Erwin Mallet reveals his recipe to creating the perfect raspberry batch of the sweet meringue-based confection.

RASPBERRY MACARON

Ingredients:

• Macaron

• Almond flour/meal      212 grams
• Powdered sugar    212 grams
• Egg whites:        .82 grams

.90 grams

• Red food coloring.    Qs
• Granulated sugar, plus a pinch for the egg whites:   236 grams
• Water    158 grams

• Raspberry jam:
  • Raspberry purée 1 kg
  • Granulated sugar 50 grams
  • Pectine       10 grams

Macaron Preparation:

• Prepare your pastry bag, parchment paper and pan sheet.

• Pre-heat the oven to 350*f

• Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar into a large bowl and whisk together, poor in the 82 grams of egg whites and combine with spatula, add the red colorant.

• Place the remaining 90 grams of egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
• Combine the 236 grams of granulated sugar and the water in a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until the syrup reaches 203*f/110*c.
• Letting the syrup continue to cook, add a pinch of sugar to the egg whites, turn the mixer to medium speed, and whip to soft peaks.
• When the syrup reaches 248*f/120*c remove the pan from the heat. Turn the mixer to medium-low speed and slowly add the syrup.
• Increase the speed and whip for 5 minutes until it is cool.
• Fold one-third of the meringue into the almond mixture, then continue adding the egg whites a little at a time.

• Transfer the mixture to the pastry bag with the tip and pipe the macaron, lift up the pan sheet and tap the bottom of the pan to spread the batter evenly and smooth any peaks left by the pastry bag.

• Bake for 9 to 12 minutes.

Jam Preparation:

• Warm up the 1 kg raspberry purée with 50 grams of granulated sugar and 10 grams of pectine until the jam boils.
• Put the jam in the freezer for 2 hours.
• When the jam is cold, put it in a blender and mix until the perfect texture.

To fill the macaron:

• Transfer the jam into the pastry bag.
• Remove the macaron from the pan.
• Starting in the center, pipe the jam and top with a second macaron.
• Put in the refrigerator for 3 hours before serving.