1

Lightly spray 2 baking trays with oil and line with baking paper.

2

Place ½ cup (80g) icing sugar and almond meal in a medium bowl and mix until well combined. Using electric beaters, beat egg white in a small, clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add caster sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating well after each addition until sugar has dissolved. Add food colouring (see note) and beat until evenly distributed. Gently fold meringue into almond mixture until just combined.

3

Spoon macaron mixture into a piping bag f itted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Pipe sixteen 3cm-wide circles, about 3cm apart, onto prepared trays. Set macarons aside, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 200°C or 180°C fan-forced.

4

Bake macarons for 10–12 minutes or until just crisp. Cool on trays.

5

Meanwhile, using electric beaters, beat spread, extra icing sugar and vanilla in a small bowl until pale and creamy. Sandwich macarons with the vanilla cream. Serve.