Tip the icing sugar and almonds into the bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. You can use food processor or whisk for this.

Tip the egg whites into clean mixing bowl and add the salt. Using electric whisk beat until the eggs hold stiff peak. Continue to whisk at medium speed while adding the caster sugar a teaspoon at a time.

Mix well between each addition to ensure that the sugar is thoroughly incorporated before adding the next spoonful. The mixture should be thick, white and glossy.

At this point you should add any food colouring pate you are using. Dip a cocktail stick into the past and stir into the mixture, mixing thoroughly to ensure that the colour is evenly blended.

Using a large metal spoon, fold the ground sugar and almonds mixture into the egg whites. The mixture should be thoroughly incorporated and smooth – this can take up to 1 minute.

Fill the piping bag with the mixture and pipe evenly sized rounds – about 5cm across on to prepared baking sheets.

Tap the bottom of the baking sheets sharply, once on the work surface to expel any large air bubbles. You can scatter edible decoration, liquid food colouring etc. onto the unbaked macaroon shells at this stage.

Leave the macaroon for at least 15 minutes and to 1 hour until they have set and formed a dry shell. They should not be sticky or wet when tested with your fingertips.

Preheat the oven to 170C (Gas3).

Bake the macaroons on the middle shelf – ideally one sheet at the time, for 10 min.

You can open the oven a little bit if you are baking more than one sheet at a time. (the macaroon shells are more dried then baked and the extra steam doesn’t help the process). The tops should be crisp and the bottoms dry.

Leave to cool on baking sheet.