Champagne macarons

Weigh the ground almonds and icing sugar precisely, then sift twice into a bowl. Do not put the larger almond pieces that remain in the sieve into the mixture!

Start beating the egg whites with a pinch of salt on medium speed. When foamy, add the caster sugar in three parts, and beat until you get a glossy, very stiff peak that stands up on the whisk (bird's beak consistency).

Fold the almond mixture into the egg whites with a spatula. Mix with decisive movements, smoothing the batter against the side of the bowl, then scraping it back.

Fill the mixture into a piping bag and pipe 3-4 cm discs onto the baking paper. Hold the bag vertically! Finally, tap the tray a few times against the table to release air bubbles.

Let the tray stand at room temperature for 30-45 minutes until the tops of the macarons form a skin. It is ready when the cap is firm and barely moves on the foot.

Bake in an oven at 150°C for approx. 12-15 minutes. It is ready when the cap is firm and barely moves on the foot.

For the cream, boil the champagne down to half (reduction) to intensify the flavour, then let cool.

Melt the white chocolate over steam, mix in the hot cream and reduced champagne. Mix until smooth, then refrigerate to set.

Fill the cooled macaron pairs with the cream and stick them together one by one.

Place the finished cakes in a closed container and rest in the fridge for at least 24 hours before eating.