• JAMIE-LEE SAUNDER’S WINNING ‘CHEFS WHO SHARE – YOUNG CHEF AWARD’ CANAPE RECIPE

    Pink-peppercorn macaroon with duck-liver pâté and candied apples

    Serves: 50 macaroons
    Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 mins

    Ingredients

    • Pink-peppercorn macaroon
    • 150g ground almonds
    • 150g icing sugar
    • 150g castor sugar
    • 50ml water
    • 100g egg whites, divided into 2 equal parts
    • 20g pink peppercorns, crushed
    • Duck-liver pate
    • oil, to fry
    • 2 onions, peeled and chopped
    • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
    • 2 sticks fresh thyme, stems discarded
    • 1kg duck liver
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • 50ml brandy
    • Candied apples
    • 250g castor sugar
    • 50ml water
    • 2 apples, cut into small, even cubes
    • 250ml (1 cup) red wine
    • 10ml (2 tsp) vanilla essence
    • rocket/microherbs, to garnish (optional)

    Instructions

    1

    Preheat the oven to 140°C.

    2

    For the macaroons, combine the ground almonds and icing sugar, briefly, and sift to remove any lumps. Set aside.

    3

    Make an Italian meringue. Heat the 150g castor sugar and 50ml water in a saucepan until it reaches 110°C on a sugar thermometer.

    4

    While the mixture is heating, start whisking half of the egg whites in a free-standing mixer to form soft peaks.

    5

    Once the sugar has reached the correct temperature, turn the mixer to a low speed and start mixing in the sugar syrup to form the Italian meringue. Continue beating until it cools down to 113°C. Pour the other half of the egg whites into the beaten meringue and continue to mix to stiff peaks.

    6

    Add the almond and icing sugar mixture and stir gently with a flexible spatula (the liquid should form ribbons). Add 10g of the pink peppercorns and mix to combine.

    7

    Spoon the mixture into a piping bag and pipe onto a lined baking sheet to your desired-size macaroons. Sprinkle with the remaining crushed peppercorns for colour. Bake in the oven, 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool at room temperature. Do not refrigerate.

    8

    For the pâté, heat a little oil in a saucepan over medium heat and gently fry off the onions, garlic and thyme until the onions are translucent in colour.

    9

    Add the duck liver and continue to cook until just cooked, about 2 minutes. Season to taste while cooking. Add the brandy and flambé.

    10

    Pour the pâté mixture into a blender and blitz until smooth in consistency. Press through a fine sieve to remove any lumps. Place in a piping bag and refrigerate to cool.

    11

    For the candied apples, place the 250g castor sugar and 50ml water in a saucepan over low heat and cook until caramelised and golden brown, 8 – 10 minutes, do not stir. Add the apples, wine and vanilla essence and cook for 5 – 10 minutes. Remove from heat and refrigerate to cool.

    12

    To assemble the dish, pipe the duck-liver pâté onto the bottom half of each macaroon. Add some of the candied-apple mixture and close with the top half of each macaroon. Garnish with rocket of microherbs, if desired.

     

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