A perfect treat for special guests, for morning or afternoon tea! These Raspberry and Almond Macarons are delicious, sugar free, gluten free and the protein from the egg white helps to reduce sugar cravings.  The macarons and raspberry filling are both sweetened with natural sugar free Perfect Sweet™ xylitol.

Makes 20

Ingredients

• Butter for greasing
• 50g (1 ¾ oz) raspberries (for purees)
• 120g (4 ¼ oz) almond meal
• 75g (2 ½ oz) Perfect Sweet™ xylitol
• 20g (²/₃ oz) arrowroot
• 3 x 60g egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 20g (²/₃ oz) Perfect Sweet™ xylitol
• 1 tablespoon raspberry puree

Filling

• 125g (4 ½ oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 40g (1 ½ oz) Perfect Sweet™ xylitol
• 10g (¹/₃ oz) arrowroot
• 2 tablespoons raspberry puree

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150˚C/130˚C fan-forced (300˚F/250˚F). Brush a baking tray with butter to grease. Line with baking paper.
2. Puree the raspberries by pushing through a fine meshed sieve with a wooden spoon.  Set aside.
3. Mix the almond meal, xylitol and arrowroot in a bowl.
4. Use an electric beater to beat the egg whites and salt in a medium sized bowl, on high speed until  soft peaks form.
5. Add the salt and 20g xylitol to the egg mixture and beat until the xylitol is dissolved.
6. Gently fold in half of the dry ingredients and then fold in the 2^nd half and 1 table spoon of the raspberry puree.
7. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1 cm plain nozzle.  Pipe 4cm rounds (approx 40) onto the prepared trays. Tap the  trays to even the macaroons and let stand for 30 mins at room temperature.
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until firm to touch.  Cool.

Filling

1. Beat the softened butter until pale.  Add the xylitol and arrowroot until and beat until fluffy.  Add 2 tablespoons of raspberry puree and beat on medium speed until combined.
2. Spread or pipe the raspberry filling onto the flat side of a macaroon and sandwich together with another.