Lemon Macarons

The day before, separate the egg whites from the yolks, and refrigerate the whites.

Mix the icing sugar, almond flour, and zest.

Chop very finely in a food processor. Sift everything, and set aside.

Whip the egg whites until stiff. When they start to become foamy, add the powdered sugar and a pinch of salt, then a few drops of lemon juice.

The whites should be very shiny, and the whisk marks should be visible.

Then, pour the almond flour and icing sugar all at once over the stiff egg whites. Gently fold to avoid deflating the whites, using a rubber spatula.

Fill a piping bag with the mixture for piping. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, and form small mounds about 3 cm in diameter. Let them rest (crust) for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Bake for 12 minutes in a preheated oven at 150°C.

Finally, prepare the lemon cream

Boil the lemon juice and zest. Meanwhile, mix the egg with the sugar, then add the cornstarch. Pour the lemon juice over the egg-sugar-cornstarch mixture, stir, and return everything to the heat until thickened.

Once lukewarm, add the softened butter and whisk vigorously to obtain a smooth paste. Add olive oil and basil to your liking in the cream preparation.

Spread the cream on half of the macarons, previously arranged in pairs according to their size, and then stick them together.