Holiday Macaron with Exotic Flavour

Wohooo summer is finally here (or not). The weather is really nothing to be excited about, we probably get 1 sunny day a week and it is grey, rain, wind and more rain. The fruits prices just went rocket high since most of the producer of cerise and mirabelle (local produce) are having bad harvest because of the rain.

Anyway, to kick the blues away and to participate in the MacAttack for this month. As the theme is Holiday Macaron, I just have to make myself feel better and imagine myself back on my tropical island home. Let me introduce you the exotic kick in macaron - Pomegranate, Kaffir Lime and Coconut Ganache. In case you have never heard of kaffir lime, it is variety of lime usually found and used in south and south east asia. It has rough and bumpy skin, the flavour is somehow sublime - a less acid taste than green lime with a light bitter note at the end.

The blend of the flavour is just lovely, the acid kick from the kaffir lime and pomegranate is soften up with the flavour of the coconut and the creamy texture of the ganache. Needlessness to say, it wasn't long until the plate was empty

Some photos down the memory lane, can't wait to get back again...

The Ferringhi Beach, Penang, Malaysia

 Georgetown, UNESCO Heritage area, Penang, Malaysia

 

Air Itam, market near where my parents' home

 Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (aka the Blue Mansion), Penang

 

Best noodle for breakfast in town, Air Itam, Penang

 Exotic fruits in the market

So let's start baking

For the shell (about 24 shells of 3 cm)
- 1 egg whites (40g) - Room temperature
- 30g castor sugar

- 50g icing sugar
- 25g almond meal
- 5g dried coconut flakes, more to sprinkle
- 1/4 teaspoon of white powder food colouring
- some marigold flower petal (optional)




1. Mix almond meal, coconut flakes, food colouring and icing sugar together and blend it up in the blender. Sift then set aside.

2. Using electric beater, beat egg white until foamy, then add in half of the castor sugar, continue until the egg white reaches soft peak then add in the rest and beat until stiff peak.

3. Add the dry ingredient to the meringue. Start folding each batter in each bowl until a smooth shiny batter is obtain. The batter should flow down smoothly and formed a ribbon when it's ready.

4. For details and FAQ on folding please refer to this post http://macaron-fetish.blogspot.fr/2010/02/basic-macaron-recipe.html

5. Prepare your piping bag and block the tip. Fill it up. Start piping the batter. Sprinkle some coconut flakes or flower petals over the shells if you like.

6. Preheat oven to 150 C while the macaron is resting. Bake for 12-14 minutes and let the macaron shells cool down before removing them.

7. Match up the shells by size and get ready to prepare the filling.

 

For the filling


- 1/2 pomergrante (de pulp just keep the fruit in grains)
-  juice of 1 kaffir lime
- 1 tablespoon of coconut flakes
- 50g good quality white chocolate (valrhona)- chopped
- 25g fresh cream / soya cream

1. In a pot, fill it up with some water and place white chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Bring the water to boil and place the bowl of chocolate on top to melt it.

2. Mean while, heat up the cream in another pot so that it is warm.

3. When the chocolate is melted, pour the warm cream over, stir to mix well.

4. Add in kaffir lime juice and coconut flakes. Stir until a smooth consistence ganache is obtained.

5. Fill one of the macaron shell with chocolate ganache, place 3-4 pomegranate grains over, place a tiny drop of chocolate on another shell so that the shell is able to stick to the pomegranate grains.

6. It is best eating the same evening or next day as the moisture from fresh pomegranate might soften the shells.

Enjoy!!!