The Italian method gives you a smooth meringue.
Ingredients
300g ground almonds
300g powdered sugar
110g egg whites
Colouring of choice (needs to be powdered not liquid colouring)
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300g sugar
75g mineral water
110g egg whites
Method
Weigh sifted ground almonds and powdered sugar in medium bowl. Add egg whites and food colouring and mix well.
Preparing the meringue: bring sugar and water to the boil and cook to 118 degrees celsius (this temp is very important). When sugar is at 115 degrees, start beating the eggs with a whisk (use whisk on kitchen aid or other food processor). When sugar is cooked pour onto the beaten egg whites and continue whisking until the meringue is not hot anymore (50 degrees).
Carefully fold the meringue into the dry ingredients, a little at a time and very gently. Put mixture into piping bag with size 10mm tip.
Place parchment paper on to baking sheet and form small circles. Optional: let rest on the baking sheet 15-30 minutes.
Bake at 160 degrees for about 12 minutes. Let cool on cooling rack and then remove from paper. It should come off easily if cookie is cooked enough.
Makes about 70 meringues.