Merano delicacies

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 40 g candied orange peel
• 40 g candied lemon
• 200 g almond flakes
• 40 g cornstarch
• 2 large egg whites, very fresh
• 1 pinch of salt
• 100 g sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice, fresh
• 70 wafers (50 mm diameter)

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 50 minutes

Macaroons with a difference – a delicate addition to any Christmas plate, makes about 70 pieces

Cut the candied orange and lemon peel into tiny cubes and chop the flaked almonds. Dust everything with cornstarch and mix well. Whisk the egg whites with the salt (in a completely grease-free bowl!) until stiff peaks form, then gradually stir in the sugar until the mixture is very stiff and glossy. Finally, mix in the lemon juice and fold in the almond mixture loosely but carefully with a coarse whisk. Then, using two teaspoons or similar, spread the mixture in small heaps onto the wafers. Bake at 100 to 120 degrees Celsius (top and bottom heat) on the middle rack of the oven for 1 1/2 hours (or longer). Let it dry more than bake. However, they should not overbrown! As with macarons, the baking temperature and time depend on personal taste! Variations: 1. For the “chocolaty” version, simply replace the candied orange and lemon peel with chocolate sprinkles or cocoa powder (or both). 2. You can achieve amazing colors by adding food coloring – or you can sprinkle the Meraner Leckerli with colorful sugar sprinkles (or both). 3. If you don’t like almonds, you can also replace them with ground hazelnuts or desiccated coconut.