The recipe
Lore
Dawn’s Toy Shop Yarns macarons turned a nostalgic title into a polished Biscuit Week Signature. Macarons ask for precision twice—first in the shells, then in the filling and assembly—so a handshake signals that the set held together as a complete collection, not just as individual pretty biscuits.
Source note
Public recreation / fan method — not the baker’s original formula. Paraphrased from Yo-Yo Macarons, Relaxed Recipes; this is not Dawn Hollyoak’s original formula.
Ingredients
- Shells: 200g ground almonds; 200g icing sugar; 75g egg white; 200g caster sugar; 50ml water; another 75g egg white; gel food colouring
- Strawberry mascarpone: 250g cold mascarpone; 60g icing sugar; 20g freeze-dried strawberry powder; pinch of salt; 150ml cold double cream
- Strings: 100g white sugar paste; a little white vegetable fat; matching gel colouring; edible glue or cooled boiled water
Method
- Heat the oven to 150°C fan and line three baking sheets, with the circle template beneath the parchment.
- Blitz and sieve the almonds and icing sugar. Stir in 75g egg white to make a stiff paste.
- Bring caster sugar and water to 118°C. As it reaches 110°C, whisk the other egg white to soft peaks. Pour in the syrup and whisk until thick, glossy, and barely warm.
- Divide and colour the paste and meringue. Fold each colour together until a ribbon settles back in about ten seconds.
- Pipe 4cm rounds, rap out bubbles, rest 20–30 minutes, and bake 14–16 minutes. Cool completely.
- Beat mascarpone, icing sugar, strawberry powder, and salt smooth. Add cream and beat to a firm peak.
- Knead and colour sugar paste, then extrude fine strings. Pair shells, pipe cream, sandwich, and wind a string around each seam.
- Chill at least 1 hour, preferably overnight, then serve at cool room temperature.
Baker’s tips
Stop folding when the batter settles; the rested macarons should have a tender centre and a clean shell.
