White chocolate and cherry macaroons

Preheat oven to 125°C conventional (see note 1). Lightly grease 2 large baking trays. Line with baking paper.

Sift 1 1/4 cups icing sugar into a bowl. Add almond meal. Using an electric mixer, beat eggwhites until soft peaks form. Add caster sugar. Beat until sugar dissolves and mixture is glossy. Fold eggwhite mixture into almond mixture until well combined. Spoon mixture into a piping bag with a 1.5cm nozzle (see tip). Pipe 4cm-round macaroons onto prepared trays, allowing room for spreading. Tap trays on bench to spread macaroons to 5cm. Dust with remaining icing sugar. Set aside for 15 minutes. Bake for 25 minutes or until light golden. Cool on trays.

Make ganache Place chocolate and cream in a saucepan over low heat. Cook for 2 minutes or until chocolate melts. Whisk to combine. Add butter. Whisk to combine. Pour into a bowl. Place in freezer for 15 minutes or until starting to set.

Using a spatula, lift macaroons from baking paper. Spread 1/2 teaspoon ganache over the flat side of each macaroon (see note 2). Arrange 3 cherry halves on half the macaroons. Sandwich with remaining macaroons. Serve.