Green Tea, Pistachio, Strawberry & Raspberry Macaron Cake

Ingredients

Two macaron discs: 

100g ground almonds

150g icing sugar

85g unsalted pistachios

110g egg whites

35g water

150g granulated sugar

Green and Yellow food colouring

Green tea pastry cream: 

250g Westgold UHT Milk

10g green tea leaves

3 egg yolks

60g sugar

25g cornflour

5g flour

25g Westgold Unsalted Butter

Green tea buttercream: 

2 eggs

1 yolk

75g sugar

200g Westgold Unsalted Butter

150g green tea pastry cream –whisked until very smooth

30g pistachio paste - optional (bought or made)

Assembly: 

50g raspberry jam

400g fresh raspberries and evenly sized strawberries

Method 

To make the macaron discs: 

In a food processor grind together the almonds, icing sugar, and 75g pistachios.

Stir in 55g of egg whites to form a paste.

Make an Italian meringue by whisking the remaining egg whites to medium peaks then gradually streaming in a sugar syrup (made from the water and granulated sugar taken to 121°C).

Add a little green food colouring then tone down with a little yellow food colouring – should be light green.

Whisk a third of meringue into almond/pistachio paste, fold in remaining meringue.

Draw two 20cm. diameter circles onto silicone paper, placing the paper down side (so ink is not transferred to meringue) onto baking tray.

Pipe the macaron mixture to fill the two circle shapes, sprinkle with remaining pistachio lightly chopped.

Bake at 170°C for approximately 15mins until firm to touch with light gloss.

Allow to cool on baking sheet before removing for assembly.

To make the green tea pastry cream: 

Scold milk and tea, set aside to infuse for 30mins and pass through a sieve straining off the leaves.

Beat yolks and sugar until pale, beat in flours, beat in the green tea milk.

Place back on stove, whisking to the boil and cook out for two minutes.

Place in clean bowl, cover with cling film in direct contact with the surface of the pastry cream to cool and a stop skin forming.

To make the green tea buttercream: 

Place eggs, yolks, sugar in whisking bowl. Place over a pot of simmering water.

Whisk until warm and sugar has dissolved.

Place on electric beater and whisk to form a sabayon, beating until cool, pale and thick.

Slowly beat in the soften butter, then the pastry cream followed by pistachio paste.

Note: To make pistachio paste add 100g of unsalted pistachios to food processor, add 40g of almond syrup and process for a few minutes until a paste is formed.

To assemble: 

Place one macaron disc smooth side up onto serving platter.

Spread the jam around the edge and arrange a ring of strawberries and raspberries on the edge.

Pipe some buttercream to cover the base inside the berry edging and arrange berries alternating strawberries and raspberries over this.

Pipe remaining buttercream over the berries and sandwich with the second macaron.

Chill and allow to set for 60mins.