Glamour Puds

Eric Lanlard from Channel 4 show Glamour Puds prepared these chocolate pistachio macaroons on location at Cliveden House

• 140g ground almonds
• 275g icing sugar, sifted
• 25g cocoa powder
• 4 large egg whites

For the butter cream

• 75g caster sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 175g unsalted butter, softened
• 75g white chocolate, melted and cooled
• 4 tbsp pistachio nuts, shelled and ground

How to make chocolate pistachio macaroons

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Line two baking sheets with non-stick baking parchment.

2. Put the almonds, icing sugar and cocoa into a multi mill attachment on the stand mixer; mill to make a well-mixed, fine powder. Whisk the egg whites with a tiny pinch of salt using an electric hand whisk at full speed until stiff then fold in the almond mixture with a metal spoon.

3. Spoon into a piping bag and pipe circles onto the baking sheets. Bake, with the oven door left slightly ajar to allow steam to escape, for 8-9 minutes. Lift off the paper and cool on a wire rack.

4. To make the butter cream, put the sugar in a small saucepan with 50ml water; heat gently until dissolved.

5. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with an electric whisk until pale and creamy.

6. Boil the sugar syrup until it reaches the soft-ball stage (119°C on a sugar thermometer), which is when a little syrup forms a soft ball when dropped into cold water.

7. Immediately remove from the heat and pour onto the egg yolks, whisking until the mixture is thick. Cream the butter in a separate bowl, then beat in the cooled chocolate, egg mixture and pistachios.

8. Sandwich the butter cream between pairs of macaroons. Store between sheets of baking parchment; chill for 24 hours until they are chewy. Serve at room temperature.

© Eric Lanlard