opposites attract

so while my boyf is off at the gym (hey, in my defence for not going i DID run this morning), i'm at home baking treats. the rule is - if you want something sweet/naughty, you have to make it yourself. the logic behind the rule being a) you earn it, cos you've made it and b) you know what went in it, meaning the majority of the ingredients won't contain freaky scientific names or numbers.

so this afternoon i made Nigella's chewy almond macaroons. not the schmancy pants filled ones, the old school chewy, plainer ones.

Start off with this:

 2 cups almond meal
1 cup caster sugar
1/4 tsp freshly ground cardomom
2 egg whites
Some rosewater
Some blanched (or slivered) almonds

Then do this:
Preheat your oven to 200ºC and line a baking tray with baking paper
Mix the meal, sugar, cardamom and egg whites together in a big bowl til it forms a really thick dough
Wash your hands all biblical-like with a splash of rosewater and roll the dough into walnut sized balls
Place said balls on tray and using either flaked (it's what i had in the cupboard) or blanched almonds, stud the top of each little morsel.
Whack in the oven for 8-12 mins (check after 8 I mean)

Then they'll look like this!!

Then you eat them (once cooled on a rack) with a lovely cuppa.

Afternoon tea is my favourite meal.