Cherry & Berries Mix Macarons

FOR THE MACARON SHELL
1 room temperatured egg white(39-40g)
50g icing sugar
30g ground almond
30g castor sugar
1/4 teaspoon red food colouring

Method:
1. Put ground almond and icing sugar in a food processor or a small blender. Blend them finely.

2. Sift the blended mixture and set aside

3. With an electric beater, Beat the egg white, start from low speed and increase slowly to maximum speed. Beat until frothy (you will see lots of fine bubbles)

4. Now it's the time to add in the castor sugar, add half of the sugar, continue to beat in maximum speed for around 2 minutes, add in the other half, continue until you get very stiff peak.

5. Mix the dry ingredients into the egg whites. This process is called Macaronage. Start folding with a rubber spatula. Mix just until you roughly incorporate the mixture.

6. In another bowl scoop out half of the batter. Add the red colouring powder. Continue to mix until you obtain a smooth lava flow batter. Do the same to the other half of the batter, only this time, I do not add any colouring.

7. When you get smooth shiny mixture, stop folding, lift the mixture with spatula, if the mixture falls back slowly in the bowl means you're good to go. You could also check if the lines formed from the lifted mixture, they should slowly disappear in within 30 seconds. At this stage you're good to go. Do not over fold, it will be too liquid and becoming very hard to pipe.
if you're unsure, you could refer to my basic macaron recipe as a guide HERE

8. I use 2 plastic freezer bags, fold them half on one point to get a triangular which will make a cone when open up. Staple along the side.
If you would like more details, here is the link to photo tuturial.

9. Fill one freezing bag with the red colour mixture, another one with the burgundy colour mixture.

10. Cut the bottom of each freezing bags

11. Put those 2 bags carefully in the piping bag , pipe your macaron (about 2 cm diameter) it should spread a bit as it settles. The point should slowly disappear if the mixture is the right consistency. If not you could hit the bottom of the tray with your hand to smooth the point. You should get macarons which are half pinkish, half white




12. Let your macarons sit for about 30minutes. This will depend on the humidity in your house and the day. Try touching the macaron softly, after 30mins. it should not stick to your hand.

13. Heat your oven to 150 C on the (heating on the top only). When the oven is ready, put your macaron at the very bottom shelf. Bake for 12 minutes, check them in the mid time of 6 minutes, the feets should already start forming. Turn the baking tray to the opposite direction to allow even baking. When the 6 mins is up, change the heating setting of your oven to Bottom only. This will help cooking the macaron and rise the feet more. Bake for another 6 minutes. You can test if the macaron is cook, touch softly on the shell and when the macaron doesn't slide on the feet, it's cooked. if it's not add another 1 mins each time and check.

(This is the method i found the best that works for me after few trial and error. I baked with heating the oven top and bottom and i had crack macarons. Having said that, every oven is slightly different than another, so please adjust accordingly)

14. Let the macaron cool down before removing them. You could wet your working area and slide the baking sheet on it to speed up the cooling process, but do not let it sit there too long, if not the macarons will become soggy. Other wise you can leave them cool at room temperature and remove them.



For the Strawberry & Blueberry Cream Filling

Ingredients

40g cherry & berries mix - ie black current, red current, raspberry, wild berry (frozen or fresh)
85g white chocolate
10g fresh liquid cream

Methods

1. In a small pot, heat up the cream on low heat until it boils slightly.

2. Add in berries, stir constantly and let it cook for 1-2 mins.

3. Remove from heat, add in white chocolate, mix until the chocolate melts and the smooth ganache is obtained.

4. Set aside for 1-2 hours until the ganache is harden.

5. Pipe the macarons when the cream is ready.

6. After finish piping all the macarons, pop them in an air tight container. Leave them in refrigerator overnight. You could keep the macarons up to 48 hours in the fridge. if not consumed, freeze them up. Because after 48 hours they will lose the texture.

Mint Macarons

I bought some fresh mints the other day and made some candied mints. Therefore I decided to try to make some mint macarons for a change :) These are also for my sister in law.




FOR THE MACARON SHELL
1 room temperatured egg white(39-40g)
50g icing sugar
30g ground almond
30g castor sugar
1/2 teaspoon aqua blue food colouring
1/4 teaspoon lime green food colouring
2 small candied mints


Method:
1. Put ground almond, both food colourings and icing sugar in a food processor or a small blender. Blend them finely.

2. Sift the blended mixture and set aside

3. With an electric beater, Beat the egg white, start from low speed and increase slowly to maximum speed. Beat until frothy (you will see lots of fine bubbles)

4. Now it's the time to add in the castor sugar, add half of the sugar, continue to beat in maximum speed for around 2 minutes, add in the other half, continue until you get very stiff peak.

5. Mix the dry ingredients into the egg whites. This process is called Macaronage. Start folding with a rubber spatula. Continue to mix until you obtain a smooth lava flow batter.

6. When you get smooth shiny mixture, stop folding, lift the mixture with spatula, if the mixture falls back slowly in the bowl means you're good to go. You could also check if the lines formed from the lifted mixture, they should slowly disappear in within 30 seconds. At this stage you're good to go. Do not over fold, it will be too liquid and becoming very hard to pipe.
if you're unsure, you could refer to my basic macaron recipe as a guide HERE

7. Pipe the macaron on a baking sheet over baking tray. Hit the bottom of the baking tray with your hand to flatted out the macarons slightly.


8. Break the candied mints in small pieces. Gently sprinkle one small piece over each piped macaron.



9. Let your macarons sit for about 30minutes. This will depend on the humidity in your house and the day. Try touching the macaron softly, after 30mins. it should not stick to your hand.

10. Heat your oven to 150 C on the (heating on the top only). When the oven is ready, put your macaron at the very bottom shelf. Bake for 12 minutes, check them in the mid time of 6 minutes, the feets should already start forming. Turn the baking tray to the opposite direction to allow even baking. When the 6 mins is up, change the heating setting of your oven to Bottom only. This will help cooking the macaron and rise the feet more. Bake for another 6 minutes. You can test if the macaron is cook, touch softly on the shell and when the macaron doesn't slide on the feet, it's cooked. if it's not add another 1 mins each time and check.

(This is the method i found the best that works for me after few trial and error. I baked with heating the oven top and bottom and i had crack macarons. Having said that, every oven is slightly different than another, so please adjust accordingly)


11. Let the macaron cool down before removing them. You could wet your working area and slide the baking sheet on it to speed up the cooling process, but do not let it sit there too long, if not the macarons will become soggy. Other wise you can leave them cool at room temperature and remove them.



For the Mint White Chocolate Ganache Filling

Ingredients

85g white chocolate
10 fresh mint leaves (chopped finely)
1 tsp mint liquor / mint syrup (Liquor is preferred as it doesn't add more sweetness)
---- If you don't have any of them, just add more fresh mint leaves. ----
10g liquid cream

Methods

1. In a small cooking pot, heat up the cream over low heat until it boiled slightly.

2. Add in chopped fresh mints. Then mint liquor/syrup (if you use it)

3. Remove from heat. Stir and add in white chocolate. Mixed until white chocolate are melted

4. Let the ganache cools down and harden a bit around 1-2 hours

5. Pipe the macarons when the ganache is ready.

6. After finish piping all the macarons, pop them in an air tight container. Leave them in refrigerator overnight. You could keep the macarons up to 48 hours in the frige. if not consumed, freeze them up. Because after 48 hours they will lose the texture.

7. Take them out of the fridge 20 mins prior eating.Enjoy!

Macarons with Strawberry & Blueberry Cream

We bought some strawberries 2 days ago only to find 1/4 of it were going off after a day :( I quickly picked out the rest which were still fresh, and decided that I should make some macarons with it.

I love any type of berries, as I have some blueberries in the freezer, I combined it with strawberry to make the filling.

I tried out some new food colouring I bought few weeks back and I must say, I love love love those food colouring powder. They fate very little even after coming out from the oven.

The food colouring is called Rainbow Dust. I bought it from an online seller from eBay, I believed this is a UK products. They are mainly used for cake icing. But they work just fantastic for Macarons!






FOR THE MACARON SHELL
1 room temperatured egg white(39-40g)
50g icing sugar
30g ground almond
30g castor sugar
1/4 teaspoon burgundy food colouring
1/4 teaspoon red food colouring
1/4 teaspoon of iridescent white food colouring powder


Method:
1. Put ground almond and icing sugar in a food processor or a small blender. Blend them finely.

2. Sift the blended mixture and set aside

3. With an electric beater, Beat the egg white, start from low speed and increase slowly to maximum speed. Beat until frothy (you will see lots of fine bubbles)

4. Now it's the time to add in the castor sugar, add half of the sugar, continue to beat in maximum speed for around 2 minutes, add in the other half, continue until you get very stiff peak.

5. Mix the dry ingredients into the egg whites. This process is called Macaronage. Start folding with a rubber spatula. Mix just until you roughly incorporate the mixture.

6. In another bowl scoop out half of the batter. Add the red colouring powder. Continue to mix until you obtain a smooth lava flow batter. Do the same to the other half of the batter, only this time, add in burgundy food colouring.

7. When you get smooth shiny mixture, stop folding, lift the mixture with spatula, if the mixture falls back slowly in the bowl means you're good to go. You could also check if the lines formed from the lifted mixture, they should slowly disappear in within 30 seconds. At this stage you're good to go. Do not over fold, it will be too liquid and becoming very hard to pipe.
if you're unsure, you could refer to my basic macaron recipe as a guide HERE

8. I use 2 plastic freezer bags, fold them half on one point to get a triangular which will make a cone when open up. Staple along the side.
If you would like more details, here is the link to photo tuturial.

9. Fill one freezing bag with the red colour mixture, another one with the burgundy colour mixture.

10. Cut the bottom of each freezing bags

11. Put those 2 bags carefully in the piping bag , pipe your macaron (about 2 cm diameter) it should spread a bit as it settles. The point should slowly disappear if the mixture is the right consistency. If not you could hit the bottom of the tray with your hand to smooth the point. You should get macarons which are half violet, half pink

12. With a sift with fine holes, pour in the 1/4 teaspoon of iridescent white powder. Sift gently over the piped macarons




13. Let your macarons sit for about 30minutes. This will depend on the humidity in your house and the day. Try touching the macaron softly, after 30mins. it should not stick to your hand.

14. Heat your oven to 150 C on the (heating on the top only). When the oven is ready, put your macaron at the very bottom shelf. Bake for 12 minutes, check them in the mid time of 6 minutes, the feets should already start forming. Turn the baking tray to the opposite direction to allow even baking. When the 6 mins is up, change the heating setting of your oven to Bottom only. This will help cooking the macaron and rise the feet more. Bake for another 6 minutes. You can test if the macaron is cook, touch softly on the shell and when the macaron doesn't slide on the feet, it's cooked. if it's not add another 1 mins each time and check.

(This is the method i found the best that works for me after few trial and error. I baked with heating the oven top and bottom and i had crack macarons. Having said that, every oven is slightly different than another, so please adjust accordingly)


15. Let the macaron cool down before removing them. You could wet your working area and slide the baking sheet on it to speed up the cooling process, but do not let it sit there too long, if not the macarons will become soggy. Other wise you can leave them cool at room temperature and remove them.



For the Strawberry & Blueberry Cream Filling

Ingredients

40g fresh strawberry (mix in the blender)
40g blueberry (frozen or fresh)
1 gelatine sheets of 1 g
5g corn starch
1 egg
50g castor sugar
70g butter (cut into small pieces - room temperature)

Methods

1. Soak the gelatine sheet in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes.

2. In a pot, add in the egg, castor sugar and corn starch, whisk gently.

3. In the same pot, add in the blueberry and blended strawberry.

4. Put the pot over the stove and heat it up with medium heat, and whisk continuously, cook this mixture until it boils lightly, it should thicken up a bit.

5. Remove from heat, add in the gelatine sheet. Make sure you press the water out from the gelatine very well before adding to the mixture.

6. Follow the gelatine, add in the soften butter, whisk with a hand whisk until well combine

7. Pour this mixture into a high mixing bowl. With a electric beater, mix for about 1 minute until you have a smooth, shiny cream.

8. Pour it in a wide bottom plate and keep chill in the fridge for minimum 2 hour.

9. Pipe the macarons when the cream is ready.


10. After finish piping all the macarons, pop them in an air tight container. Leave them in refrigerator overnight. You could keep the macarons up to 48 hours in the frige. if not consumed, freeze them up. Because after 48 hours they will lose the texture.

Coconut Butter Cream Macaron

I have to admit that I make Macarons quite often, and I am not the only one who would normally finish eating them.

I love the process of making them and the sense of achievement when I see the Macarons being gobble down by my hubby and family in law :)

This is my latest creation, the filling is good, I left the macaron shell too dry before popping them in oven, and they were too dry, some of them cracked. Not pretty!

As I am not a big fan of full sugar shot sweetness, I reduce the sugar in the filling and the sweetness from the shell balance it up perfectly.

FOR THE MACARON SHELL

Ingredients:
1 room temperatured egg white(39-40g)
50g icing sugar
27g ground almond
3g coconut flake
30g castor sugar
some coconut flake & white iridescent food colouring in powder

Method:
1. Put ground almond, coconut flakes and icing sugar in a food processor or a small blender. Blend them finely.

2. Sift the blended mixture and set aside

3. With an electric beater, Beat the egg white, start from low speed and increase slowly to maximum speed. Beat until frothy (you will see lots of fine bubbles)

4. Now it's the time to add in the castor sugar, add half of the sugar, continue to beat in maximum speed for around 2 minutes, add in the other half, continue until you get very stiff peak.

5. Mix the dry ingredients into the egg whites. This process is called Macaronage. Start folding with a rubber spatula. When you get smooth shiny mixture, stop folding, lift the mixture with spatula, if the mixture falls back slowly in the bowl means you're good to go. You could also check if the lines formed from the lifted mixture, they should slowly disappear in within 30 seconds. At this stage you're good to go. Do not over fold, it will be too liquid and becoming very hard to pipe.
if you're unsure, you could refer to my basic macaron recipe as a guide HERE

6. Line the baking tray with the parchment paper.

7. Fill your piping bag , pipe your macaron (about 2 cm diameter) it should spread a bit as it settles. The point should slowly disappear if the mixture is the right consistency.
If not you could hit the bottom of the tray with your hand to smooth the point out)



8. Sprinkle the Macaron shell with iridescent food colouring powder and then sprinkle some coconut flakes on top.


9. Let your macarons sit for about 30minutes. This will depend on the humidity in your house and the day. Try touching the macaron softly, after 30mins. it should not stick to your hand.

10. Heat your oven to 150 C on the (heating on the top only). When the oven is ready, put your macaron at the very bottom shelf. Bake for 12 minutes, check them in the mid time of 6 minutes, the feets should already start forming. Turn the baking tray to the opposite direction to allow even baking. When the 6 mins is up, change the heating setting of your oven to Bottom only. This will help cooking the macaron and rise the feet more. Bake for another 6 minutes. You can test if the macaron is cook, touch softly on the shell and when the macaron doesn't slide on the feet, it's cooked. if it's not add another 1 mins each time and check.

(This is the method i found the best that works for me after few trial and error. I baked with heating the oven top and bottom and i had crack macarons. Having said that, every oven is slightly different than another, so please adjust accordingly)


11. Let the macaron cool down before removing them. You could wet your working area and slide the baking sheet on it to speed up the cooling process, but do not let it sit there too long, if not the macarons will become soggy. Other wise you can leave them cool at room temperature and remove them.

COCONUT BUTTER CREAM FILLING
As I did this in a small quantity, it's not really easy to beat up an egg yolk in a big mixing bowl. I suggest you using a smaller mixing bowl.

Ingredients:
1 egg yolk (from the white used for the macaron shell)
15g sugar
75g butter (room temperature, cut into small cubes)
10g coconut cream

Method:
1. In a mixing bowl, add in egg yolk and sugar, beat with electric beater until the egg yolk fluffs up and turns pale.

2. Add the soften butter one piece at a time, and beat till incorporate after each addition. Repeat until all the butter are blended in. The texture should be creamy.

3. Add in coconut cream, beat again until well combined.

4. Pipe them immediately into one macaron shell and close up with another.

5. After you pipe up all macaron shells, put them in air tight container. Keep chill.


6. The macarons are best eaten the next day. Bring out from the fridge 10 mins before serving.

Heart Shape Macaron with Mama Rose Dark Chocolate Ganache

It has been a while since I last posted a new post. I had been sick for a few days, winter is just so long and starting to feel like a real pain for me! I crave for the tropical sea breeze and sun like crazy.

Anyway, few days ago I decided to attempt to make heart shaped macarons for the second time. The first time I made them it was not very well shaped.

Well I have to say, second attempt was as bad. I managed to get 4 right, which are those you see on the photos. The rest were looking more like buttocks than anything else. Haha.

I have to find another way to improve this.

I filled the macarons with dark chocolate ganache combine with herbal tea infusion called Mama Rose. It's actually a Rooibos tea, typically only cultivated in South Africa. The one I used was aromatic in Rose flavour.

In France we found this in a boutique called Jardin de Gaia where we usually buy our organic tea. I don't know about overseas. If you can't find the Rooibos with rose, you could use plain Rooibos and infuse it in rose water

Mama Rose Rooibos

FOR THE MACARON SHELL
1 room temperatured egg white(39-40g)
50g icing sugar
30g ground almond
30g castor sugar
1 teaspoon red food colouring (powder)

Method:
1. Put ground almond, icing sugar and food colouring in a food processor or a small blender. Blend them finely.

2. Sift the blended mixture and set aside


3. With an electric beater, Beat the egg white, start from low speed and increase slowly to maximum speed. Beat until frothy (you will see lots of fine bubbles)

4. Now it's the time to add in the castor sugar, add half of the sugar, continue to beat in maximum speed for around 2 minutes, add in the other half, continue until you get very stiff peak.

5. Mix the dry ingredients into the egg whites. This process is called Macaronage. Start folding with a rubber spatula. Mix until you obtain a smooth shiny batter that flows like magma.

6. When you get smooth shiny mixture, stop folding, lift the mixture with spatula, if the mixture falls back slowly in the bowl means you're good to go. You could also check if the lines formed from the lifted mixture, they should slowly disappear in within 30 seconds. At this stage you're good to go. Do not over fold, it will be too liquid and becoming very hard to pipe.
if you're unsure, you could refer to my basic macaron recipe as a guide HERE

7. Pipe the macarons. To make the heart shape, I drew half heart the another half.


8. Let your macarons sit for about 30minutes. This will depend on the humidity in your house and the day. Try touching the macaron softly, after 30mins. it should not stick to your hand.

9. Heat your oven to 150 C on the (heating on the top only). When the oven is ready, put your macaron at the very bottom shelf. Bake for 12 minutes, check them in the mid time of 6 minutes, the feets should already start forming. Turn the baking tray to the opposite direction to allow even baking. When the 6 mins is up, change the heating setting of your oven to Bottom only. This will help cooking the macaron and rise the feet more. Bake for another 6 minutes. You can test if the macaron is cook, touch softly on the shell and when the macaron doesn't slide on the feet, it's cooked. if it's not add another 1 mins each time and check.

(This is the method i found the best that works for me after few trial and error. I baked with heating the oven top and bottom and i had crack macarons. Having said that, every oven is slightly different than another, so please adjust accordingly)




10. Let the macaron cool down before removing them. You could wet your working area and slide the baking sheet on it to speed up the cooling process, but do not let it sit there too long, if not the macarons will become soggy. Other wise you can leave them cool at room temperature and remove them.



For the Mama Rose Rooibos Dark Choco Ganache

Ingredients

10g water
1 teaspoon of Rooibos Mama Rose
(Note: if you don't have flavoured Rooibos, subsitute plain water with rose water, boil it up then infuse your plain Rooibos tea leaves)

1/2 teaspoon of Rose Syrup
60g dark cooking chocolate


Methods

1. Boil up some water. In a small cup, add in 1 teaspoon of Rooibos tea leaves, then add in 10g of boiling water. Leave aside for 10 minutes.

2. After 10 minutes, filter your tea in a pot, slowly warm it up a bit if it has turn a bit cold.

3. Add in rose syrup, stir well, then add in dark chocolate. Mix well till you obtain a smooth, shiny texture.

4. Set aside the ganache in room temperature for 1 hour or so.

5. Pipe the ganache on one macaron shell. Close up with another shell.

In the end I made some in round. Since I couldn't be bothered anymore to make the heart shape with few batter which was left in the piping bag

6. After finish piping all the macarons, pop them in an air tight container. Leave them in refrigerator overnight. You could keep the macarons up to 48 hours in the frige. if not consumed, freeze them up. Because after 48 hours they will lose the texture.