Category: Macaron

Crazy About Hazelnut.

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Macarons. I just can’t get enough of it. I don’t think my craze about them will diminish anytime soon. This was made a while back but this were the best macarons I’ve made. I made it before heading back to Singapore so I could bring it back for the loves of my life : family (:

And fortunately, they loved it! and these shells were the nicest I’ve made so far with happy feet!So sticking to using the Italian meringue for the shells!

I’ve made a few successful ones before : pb&j and bandung are just 2 of my favourite ones. This macaron was inspired by the sister-in-law-to-be! When she was in Melbourne, the only flavour of macarons she would have is hazelnut! So I promised her that I would try making them and bring them back home if they were successful. And thank goodness they were!

So I packed them nicely and neatly and compactly so that would be able to survive the 7 hour flight home!

Now enough about the shell. As for the beautiful filling, I attempted to make my own nutella! And I was so worried. Cos I LOVE nutella. and trying to make it from scratch was just something I never thought I would even attempt! When I made it, having it on its own (which I always do;digging a spoonful of nutella) didn’t have the “WOW” factor, but having it together – NOMS!

So here’s the recipe that I adapted from Anita from the Dessert First (: definitely a keeper!

Hazelnut Macarons with Homemade Nutella

Ingredients :

Italian Meringue Hazelnut Macaron Shell

200g hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
200g confectioners’ sugar
200g sugar

50g water
150g egg whites, divided into two 75g portions

A bit of cocoa powder, for dusting (optional)

Steps :

1. Stack two baking trays on top of each other. Line with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. (I actually prefer the parchment paper, but that’s just me!)
2. Process hazelnuts with confectioners’ sugar in a food processor. Sieve out any large bits of hazelnut. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat on medium until all the sugar is dissolved. Meanwhile, place 75g of egg whites in a mixer bowl with the whisk attachment. Continue cooking until the sugar syrup reaches 118 C/245 F.
3. While the sugar is cooking, begin whisking the egg whites. They should reach stiff peaks by the time the syrup is at  118 C/ 245 F. If it whips too fast, turn down or turn off the mixer. Turn the mixer speed to low. Carefully pour the sugar syrup in a slow stream into the mixer.
4. Turn the mixer speed to high and let the meringue whip for several minutes until it has cooled (to touch) and appears glossy and firm.
5. In a large bowl, combine the hazelnut mixture with the remaining 75g of egg whites until partially combined. Scoop the meringue on top of the hazelnut mixture. Using a spatula or dough scraper, carefully fold the meringue in, trying not to deflate it.
6. The final batter should be thick and flow slowly like magma. Do not overmix. Scoop the batter into a piping bag fitted with a ½” diameter plain tip.
7. Pipe 1 ½” rounds of batter onto the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle some cocoa powder straight after piping. Let the sheets sit for about 30 minutes to let the shells harden. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 160 C/320 F.
8. Bake one set of macarons for 15 minutes, rotating once. Let tray cool for a few minutes before removing from the silicone mat. Let finish cooling on wire racks.
Homemade Nutella

1/2 cup (70 g) hazelnuts, toasted and skinned

8 ounces milk chocolate, chopped into small pieces

2 ounces semisweet/bittersweet chocolate

1 cup (240 g) heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

Steps :

Place hazelnuts in food processor and pulse until nuts are ground into a paste.

Place both chocolates in a metal bowl and place on another saucepan of simmering water. Stir chocolate occasionally until fully melted.

Place cream in a clean saucepan and bring just to a boil on the stove over medium high heat.

Stir cream into chocolate until fully combined.

Add ground hazelnuts and salt and stir until combined.

Pour mixture into a container and chill in refrigerator for 1-2 hours until it has firmed up slightly and can be spread/piped onto the macaron shells.

ENJOY! (:

Bandung Macarons

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For those of you who are not familiar with the flavour bandung, it’s basically a drink that consists of rose syrup and carnation milk! How delicious does that sound? Imagine that in a macaron – a whole mouthful or two of yumminous. Like a mini explosion in your mouth!

I have been in a baking macaron frenzy lately. And I am addicted to using the Italian meringue method. The macarons just turn out much smoother and shinier. And I just wanted to create a flavour that I miss and love. One flavour came to my mind : bandung. I love ordering this drink while eating prata. Just one of the best combinations besides teh cino. haha Maybe that would be my next flavour. hmm..

okie back to this macaron post! I wanted to also create a storng intense rose flavour when you bite into the macaron. So my solution is to make an intense rose syrup jelly to put in the middle! The deep red against the pink macaron shell and faint pink buttercream was a really good contrast! (: I was a happy girl. hehe

So it is basically a rose macaron shell filled with a rose syrup and carnation milk buttercream with a rose syrup jelly! One bite and you can really taste the rose. Not so much the carnation milk which I was hoping it would. Well, we always need to improve don’t we? But still yummy and everyone loved it!

so here’s the recipe of my bandung macaron. Have a go! Especially if you miss having bandung like me!

Rose Macaron (A Pierre Herme’s recipe from The Boy Who Bakes)

300g Ground Almonds

300g Icing Sugar

110g Egg Whites, aged

5g Red Food Colouring

300g Granulated Sugar

75g Water

110 Egg Whites, aged

Steps :

1. For the TPT : Mix the almond meal and the powdered sugar and put it int a blender to make the mixture finer. Sieve the almond mixture to make sure there are no big bits or lumps.

2. Place the egg white in a clean mixing bowl, add in the red food coloring then stir to mix. Add the almond flour mixture, using a rubber spatula, and fold until it forms into a sticky ball, cover with food wrap, set aside.

3. For the Italian merigue : Pour the water and sugar into a saucepan and swirl together. Add the second portion of egg whites to a mixer fitted with the whisk. Cook the syrup to 118C. Once the mixture reaches 115C start the mixer on high. Once the syrup reaches 118C take straight of the heat and pour in a thin stream down the side of the mixer bowl continuing to whisk on high.

3. Continue to whisk the meringue on high until the side of the bowl is no longer hot. You still want it a little warm, around 50C. Add the meringue to the bowl with the almond sugar mixture in 3 portions.

4. Using a large spatula fold the mixture together until it starts to shine and forms a ribbon that stays visible for about 30 seconds.

5. Pour the batter into a piping bag with a small round tip and pipe the batter from the center of the drawn circle onto the baking sheets. Let dry at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking to allow skins to form. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300°F/150°C, with racks in upper and lower thirds.

6. Once the batter is dry to the touch, place into the preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to cool on the cooling rack. Once cooled, slide a knife (fragile, must be careful) underneath the macarons to remove from the parchment paper.

Rose Syrup Jelly

3 tbs gelatine

75g rose syrup

250ml water

Steps :

1. Place 3 tbsn. cold water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top, let sit while you do the next step.

2. Mix the rose syrup with the water and bring it to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the gelatin. Stir until well combined.

3. Pour the mixture into a container that is wide enough so that the liquid will be spread thinly (1/2 cm). Allow it to chill in fridge for at least 3 hours or until you need to use it.

 Bandung Buttercream

200g sugar

75g water

150g eggs

90g egg yolks

400g butter, softened

4g rose water

30g rose syrup

20g carnation milk

Steps :

1. Add the sugar and water to a saucepan and cook over medium heat to 120C. Whilst the syrup is coming to temperature add the eggs and egg yolks to the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk and whisk until the thicken and lighten in colour.

2. With the mixer still on slowly pour the syrup down the side of the bowl and continue to whisk until cooled.

3. Switch to the beater, begin to beat in the butter at medium/high speed one or two pieces at a time. Once all the butter is beaten in and the buttercream is smooth beat in the rose syrup, carnation milk and rose water.

4. Pair two macaron shells of the same size together, pipe the rose buttercream on the flat side of one of the shell and top with a small piece of rose syrup jelly, then sandwich them.

PS : if you are making this in winter, don’t panic if your buttercream looks like scrambled eggs, heat it over a water bath and continue to beat it until it becomes smooth!

So what is your favourite drink that you think could be made into a macaron?  (:

Peanut Butter and Jam Macarons

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I have an infatuation for macarons now. I would go down to Lindt just to buy 2 macarons and devour it slowly just to satisfy my cravings. But recently, I’ve discovered the joy of making my own.  I’m sure you all know there are 2 kinds of macarons : French and Italian.

I’ve only had the chance to make the French macarons, and never had the courage to make the Italian ones, although I know it is a more stable method.I think it’s because when I first tried making the French macarons, I failed. TWICE. haha But with the success of my salted caramel macarons, I took a deep breath and decided to give the Italian macarons a try.

And boy was I glad I did! The shells just came out smoother and shinier. There was the “happy feet” in every shell and that made me smile and happy for the whole day! (: I am so sticking to this method of making the macarons from now on! So what inspired me to make peanut butter and jam macarons? A trip to LuxBite did! I tried two of their macarons : Kaya (their signature) and PB&J. They were awesome! So I had to make some so that I could have it more often! haha

This made me want MORE! (From LuxBite)

So here’s the recipe I used, try it yourself! I’m sure you would love the Italian macaron as well! (:

Peanut Butter and Jam Macaron (adapted from L’Atelier Vi)

Tant pour tant (TPT)
125g almond flour
125g powdered sugar
47g egg white
5 drops red food coloring

Italian meringue method
125g caster sugar
47g egg white
30g water

Steps :

1) For the TPT : Mix the almond meal and the powdered sugar and put it int a blender to make the mixture finer. Sieve the almond mixture to make sure there are no big bits or lumps.

2) Place the egg white in a clean mixing bowl, add in the red food coloring then stir to mix. Add the almond flour mixture, using a rubber spatula, and fold until it forms into a sticky ball, cover with food wrap, set aside.

3) For the Italian merigue : Bring water and caster sugar over high heat to a boil and until it thickens and register at 230°F/118°C on a candy thermometer. While the syrup is heating, begin whisking the egg white at high speed in the bowl of a mixer using the whisk attachment, whisk until pale and foamy.

4) Reduce the mixer speed to low speed and begin slowly (very slowly) pouring the syrup down the side of the bowl, being very careful not to splatter the syrup into the path of the whisk attachment. Some of the syrup will spin onto the sides of the bowl but don’t worry about this and don’t try to stir it into the mixture, as it will harden!

5) Raise the speed to medium-high and continue beating until it becomes thick and satiny and the mixture is cool to the touch. When you lift the meringue with the whisk, it should form into a stiff peak. With a rubber spatula, fold the almond batter to the meringue and fold until completely incorporated. (Lift some batter with the spatula, it should fall into the bowl in a ribbon fashion, and should look glossy)

6) Pour the batter into a piping bag with a small round tip and pipe the batter from the center of the drawn circle onto the baking sheets. Let dry at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking to allow skins to form. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300°F/150°C, with racks in upper and lower thirds.

7) Once the batter is dry to the touch, place into the preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to cool on the cooling rack. Once cooled, slide a knife (fragile, must be careful) underneath the macarons to remove from the parchment paper.

Peanut Butter Cream (Adapted from Martha Stewart)

2/3 cup natural, creamy peanut butter

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Steps :

1. Cream peanut butter and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed. On low speed, mix in sugar until combined, then beat mixture on high speed until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Use immediately.

2. Pair two macaron shells of the same size together, pipe the peanut butter cream on the flat side of both of the shell and top one side with a bit of jam (any of your favourite), then sandwich them.

Store the rest in an air tight container and put it in the fridge. Should be able to last for 3-5 days.

ENJOY!

So what is your favourite flavour of macarons? Or the best you have tried? Would love to hear from you! (:

Salted Caramel Macarons

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It has always been my dream to buy a Kitchenaid mixer but I never had the heart to spend that much on an item. haha BUT I JUST DID. (: I’m a happy and proud owner of one! Thanks so my wonderful parents who is ever so supportive of me.

And immediately after getting it, I had to use it and bake something. Especially when I haven’t baked in a long long time. And one thing at the back of my mind that I wanted to try again was of course, macarons.

I have been having Lindt’s macarons for the past 2 months, cause whenever family and friends come. Lindt Chocolate Cafe is one place I will definitely bring them to have their macarons. And we all have our own favourites: mine is their vanilla and the mr loves their salt caramel. So what did I decide to bake for the first time using the sexy toy? Salted caramel of course (:

Although it didn’t turn out perfect, but I was really quite happy with the way it looked and the texture of it, cause it is wayyy better than my last attempt of chilli chocolate macaron. hehe

So the first thing I needed to get was fleur de sel. and boy was I shocked at how much it costs! haha but then again, it is the caviar of salt, so I guess its worth as it really made the caramel magical.

love the shape of the salt crystals

the verdict ? The mr LOVED it. and it made me a happy girl. (:

so here’s the recipe I used :

adapted from Chef Pang Kok Keong (a recipe on Chubby Hubby)

the macaron shell :

250g ground almond

450g icing sugar

220g egg white (aging for 48 hours)

60g castor sugar

Steps :

1. Sieve the ground almond and icing sugar into a mixing bowl. Make sure the mixture is lump-free. They call this the Tant Pour Tant (TPT) mixture.

2. Beat the egg whites using an electrical mixer with a whisk attachment at high speed until you can see a line made by the whisk going round. Then add in the sugar while the mixer is at medium speed. Make a stiff meringue.

3. Fold the meringue into the dry sieved ingredients until you get a homogeneous mix, taking care not to overfold it, as normal meringue are very delicate.

4. Pipe the mixture onto a silpat with a no. 5 plain tube into 3cm balls. Allow space in between as the cookies will spread to approximately 5cm. If the mixture is too thick, you’ll see a tip sticking up from the balls (from where you piped them) even after you finish piping the last row. If this happens, give the tray a little tap so that you’ll get a nice smooth surface.

5. Leave the piped macaron cookies out to form a skin before baking them (about 30 mins) at 160 degrees Celsius in a fan oven for approximately 14-16 minutes. When totally cooled, sandwich two cookies together with the salted caramel filling.

I did the happy feet dance (: SUPER HAPPY!

Salted caramel :

200g sugar
1 tsp vanilla paste
200g cream
3.75g fleur de sel
140g butter, chilled

Steps :

1. In a 1 litre heavy based pot, cook the sugar with a little of water, stirring all the time to get an even caramel.

2. Then add in the vanilla paste.

3. Add in the warm cream a bit at a time as it will bubble up and splatter. Then add in the fleur de sel.

4. Stir to make sure all the caramel has dissolved. Cool the mixture to approximately 40 degrees Celsius.

5. Add in the well chilled butter, cut into cubes. Using an immersion blender, blend in the butter till you achieve a smooth glossy paste. Line the surface of the caramel with plastic wrap or greaseproof paper to prevent a skin from forming and chill in the fridge until needed.

All packed! (: Enjoy !

Chocolate Macarons with Chilli Chocolate Ganache ♥

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Macarons has always been my down fall. haha I’ve tried twice but failed twice, miserably. I didn’t have the courage to try it again. But after talking to Clara and Felicia, I decided to give it one more shot! (:

SUCCESS!

I got the “feet” that I’ve been waiting for! (: WHEEEEE! I was super happy and even happier that I got it though I baked it at 9pm at night! haha. Thanks again Clara for sharing with me your recipe! (:

But as it’s Clara’s recipe, I won’t be posting the recipe but will let you feast on some photos!

I bought myself a new present : an Silpat mat! (: I was a happy girl hehe

Continue reading →

Roasted Black Sesame Macarons

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my second try
and it’s still not successful.
i dunno what’s wrong anymore. haha. (:
but i will give it another shot another time!
my shells just not rise like they should!

oh wells. hehe
if u got tips on this please feel free to let me know!
cause I really wanna get it right. hehe

got this recipe from a blog i regularly read (:
Muffins are Ugly Cupcakes
how cute is the name of the blog? hehe

so before trying it for the second time
i read around to see if people could help me not fail. haha
so I microwaved my egg whites for 10sec in a medium heat microwave to get all the water out.
I also toasted the almond meal and the grounded black sesame in the oven at 140 C° for 10mins (:

besides that.
i followed Felicia all the way.
(Thanks for the recipe btw!)

Recipe :

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup finely ground black sesame
6 tablespoons egg whites (I just used 3 egg whites)
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar

i processed the icing sugar to make sure there were no lumps.

then I added the toasted almond meal and black sesame and processed it as well.

I whipped the egg whites and slowly adding the sugar
until you get soft peaks.
Add the dry ingredients to the egg whites and start folding.
I put my dry ingredients half at a time. Makes things easier.

mine seems too thick now (the first attempt. it was too thin haha)
i should have a flow-like-magma consistency.

Pipe the macaron batter onto baking paper.
Top off with some sesame seeds to make it prettier

Bake at 320F (160C) for 12 mins.
and let it cool (:

cause it was a fail attempt
i didn’t make any buttercream to sandwich it with.
I will hold that till I get the perfect shells. hehe

help anyone?