Mango Macarons

STEP 1: SET THE MANGO JELLY CORE
Soak the leaf gelatin in cold water for 5 minutes until soft. Warm the mango puree with the caster sugar in a small pan over a low heat until the sugar dissolves and the puree is hot but not boiling. Squeeze the gelatin and whisk it into the warm puree until dissolved. Pour into a shallow tray or silicone half-sphere mould to a depth of about 1cm and chill for at least 2 hours until firmly set. Once set, cut or scoop into small cores roughly 1.5cm across.

STEP 2: MAKE THE PASSION-FRUIT CURD
Whisk the passion fruit puree, whole egg, egg yolk and caster sugar together in a heatproof bowl. Set over a pan of barely simmering water and stir constantly for 8 to 10 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and beat in the softened butter a cube at a time until glossy. Pass through a fine sieve, cover the surface with cling film and chill until cold and pipeable.

STEP 3: PREPARE THE DRY MIX FOR THE SHELLS
Sift the almond flour and icing sugar together twice into a large bowl, discarding any coarse bits. Add 55g of the egg whites and stir to a thick, smooth paste. Tint the paste with orange and yellow gel colouring to read as ripe mango, holding back a teaspoon of paste tinted green for the leaves.

STEP 4: COOK THE SYRUP AND WHIP THE ITALIAN MERINGUE
Put the caster sugar and water in a small pan and heat to the soft-ball stage, 118C on a sugar thermometer. When the syrup reaches about 110C, begin whisking the remaining 55g egg whites to soft peaks in a stand mixer. With the mixer running, pour the hot syrup down the side of the bowl in a slow steady stream, then whip until the meringue is glossy, stiff and cooled to barely warm.

STEP 5: MACARONAGE
Fold a third of the meringue into the almond paste to loosen it, then fold in the rest in two additions. Continue folding until the batter flows in a thick ribbon that melts back into itself in about 10 seconds. Do not overmix.

STEP 6: PIPE THE MANGO SHELLS
Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a plain round nozzle. On baking trays lined with parchment, pipe small mango-shaped ovals about 3.5cm long, slightly tapered at one end. Pipe a few small green leaves at the top of each using the reserved green batter. Tap the trays firmly on the worktop to release air bubbles.

STEP 7: REST UNTIL A SKIN FORMS
Leave the piped shells at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes until a dry skin forms on top and the batter no longer sticks to a fingertip. This skin is what allows the feet to form during baking.

STEP 8: BAKE THE SHELLS
Bake at 150C (130C fan) for 16 to 18 minutes, until the shells are firm and lift cleanly from the parchment with a well-developed foot. Bake them properly hard; an underbaked shell will collapse under the weight of the fillings. Cool completely on the trays before lifting.

STEP 9: MAKE THE MANGO CHANTILLY
Whip the cold double cream with the mango puree and icing sugar to firm, pipeable peaks. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle.

STEP 10: FILL AND ASSEMBLE
Match the shells into pairs by size. Pipe a rim of mango chantilly around the edge of each base shell to build a wall. Spoon a little passion-fruit curd inside the rim, then press a mango jelly core into the centre. Top with the matching shell and press gently to seal. Chill for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, so the fillings settle and the shells mature before serving.