It has been long time again to post but finally i am able to put something here for the Big Fat Valentines Day.Forgive me for being this late.
What Am I Doing lately for those who worrying for me?
Same old same old: recuperating from my health issue, spending more time with God and yeah trying to learn how to enjoy the simplicity of life apart from blogging days,food photography.
Okay, hope you enjoy this simple V-day dessert.
Happy Valentine’s Day
To anyone who deserve to be pampered
Yes anyone deserves good dessert
There are 2 ways to create macarons shells:
1)French macaron : French method is much simpler just by folding french meringue into almond mixture
2)Italian meringue macaron: Italian meringue method is created by cooking sugar syrup(to 112C) then added into meringue and continued beating to firm peaks formed , finally folded into almond mixture.
It is such romantic season for some sweet desserts.Pink, roses, pineapple, raspberry and some sweet desserts are here to celebrate this romantic season.
Hope you like this recipe.
Few components you need:
- Basic french macaron shells
- Creme mousseline
- Raspberries and pineapple
Basic French Macaron ( Love shape)
- 1 cup almond powder
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 2 egg whites (leave in room temperature for few hours or a day )
- 3 tbsp castor sugar
- pink food colouring
1)Draw out two love shapes on a parchment paper as your template, estimated 18cm in diameter. Invert the sheet and place onto a baking tray.
2)Sift twice of the almond powder and icing sugar together in a mixing bowl.
3)In a clean bowl: Beat egg whites until foamy, slowly add in castor sugar in and continued beating to soft peak. Add in pink food colouring and continued beating to a stiff peaks formed.
4)Fold in the meringue into the almond mixture in 2 additions until a thick lava-like batter is achieved.
5)Fill a pastry bag, fitted with 1/2 inch (1 cm) tip. Pipe out love shapes onto the parchment paper, using the template as a guide. Then gently tap the baking sheet on the counter to break any air bubbles
6)Rest macarons at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes or until the top of the macarons are no longer sticky to your finger when you touch.
7)Bake the macarons in a preheated oven of 160-170C for 30-40 minutes, depending on your individual oven and the size of the macarons. About half way through baking, rotate your baking tray, front to back.(I baked my macaron on middle oven rack)
8)Once baked, remove from oven, and allow to cool completely.
Note:
a)Remember to sift your almond powder and icing sugar.If you make your own almond powder, remember to process to super fine and give it few sifts.
b) The correct consistency of the batter is: the batter falls back in the bowl in a visible ribbon and the ribbon disappears within 10 seconds.Remember under-mix or over-mix batter will not able to create nice macaron at the end.
c) Release the air bubbles on the unbaked macarons with the end of a toothpick.
d) Sometimes you might have to rest the macarons longer than the time required due to the humidity and temperature of your kitchen.
Cream Patissiere: Also known as Pastry cream
( Kindly refer on HOW TO MAKE CREME PATISSIERE at : http://wp.me/p3PiK3-8d . Remove the butter for this recipe )
Ingredients:
- 125ml Liddells Lactose free milk ( or any milk)
- 25g sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla paste
- 30g egg yolks
- 13g cornstarch
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STEP 1
In a medium saucepan, combine milk and vanilla paste. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a simmer.
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STEP 2
In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Whisking constantly, slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot-milk mixture into the egg-yolk mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, until it has been incorporated. Pour mixture back into saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens ,about 2 minutes.
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STEP 3
Transfer into a clean bowl.
Creme Moussseline:
- 1 quantity of creme patissierre
- 100g Western Star unsalted butter, cubed and in room temperature
1)Prepare creme patissiere , remove from heat, transfer into a bowl of an electric mixer.
2)Beat on low speed until reaches room temperature.
3)Increase speed to high, slowly add in butter cubes, one by one, until fully incorporated.
4)Pour cream into a piping bag fitted with round nozzle.
Note:
a)What is creme mousseline?
It is also known as German buttercream which is the combination of creme patissiere/pastry cream with softened butter. It can be used as filling for macarons and also good for frosting in any desserts or cakes.
Assemble:
- some fresh raspberries
- some pineapple, cut into small cubes
1)Pipe out creme mousseline onto one of the macaron shells.
2)Layer with pineapple, then with raspberries, and finally with pineapple again.
3)Sandwich with another macaron shell.
4)Decorate with fresh rose petals and some raspberry or go wild with your imagination.
5)Refrigerate. Best serve after chill for a day.
Note:
a)Process the almond powder until become powder form because you might find store bought almond powder, the granules are not powdery enough, some might be hard to sift through. Use processor to blitz almond and icing mixture for few seconds and then sift few times.
b) The correct consistency of the batter is: the batter falls back in the bowl in a visible ribbon and the ribbon disappears within 10 seconds.Remember under-mix or over-mix batter will not able to create nice macaron at the end.
c) Release the air bubbles on the unbaked macarons with the end of a toothpick.
d) Sometimes you might have to rest the macarons longer than the time required due to the humidity and temperature of your kitchen.Macaron tends to crack on the surface while baking if not rest enough.When heat is applied, egg whites coagulates and forces the surface to crack due to insufficient dry top shells.
e)What is Double trays?Place the tray with macaron batter onto another empty tray.Reason to prevent excessive high heat from the bottom of the batter(egg whites coagulates and expands too quickly) to crack your surface of your macarons.
e)To see if macaron is baked properly:Once baked, try lifting the macaron slowly, if easily lift off clean without sticking to pan, showing it is baked properly.If not, continue baking for few more minutes.
Important tips:
- Ensure almond powder and icing sugar have to be sifted for few times to get smooth macaron shells.
- Ensure eggs are in room temperature, uncovered for few 2 hours or more.
- If you are in hurry, take your cold eggs from refrigerator,crack into a bowl and cover with lid, and warm it up by placing into a bowl of warm water(not too hot otherwise cook your egg whites). Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
- Cold eggs tend to create more air pockets in the meringue while beating, we do not want this for macaron as we try to deflate the air pockets while folding with almond mixture. Too much air pockets in the meringue can somehow crack your macaron shells when heat is applied due to coagulation of protein from the egg whites.Sometimes too much air pockets create excessive “feets” that are not appealing.
- Do not open your oven door too early otherwise the macaron shells might collapse when drastic change of heat . You are allowed to open the oven door once while you rotate your baking tray half way baking macarons.
- The aim for this macaron has to be rustic and not smooth, yes smooth surface is not what I want to see here. Ensure the final batter not to be over-folded otherwise cannot reach this rustic texture. The aim for this macaron has to be little rustic as I have tried the first time,ended up the entire macaron become overly smooth, and the distinctive shape is not what I am aiming for.
Reference:
Different sizes of your macaron with different temperature and baking time
MacaronDiameter |
Oven Temperature |
Baking Time |
Medium size 4-6cm ( 1.5” – 2.5”) |
140-150C |
14 mins |
Dessert size 6 – 8cm (2.5” – 3.25”) |
160C |
15 mins |
Cake base 16cm or more(6.25”) or more |
170C |
17 mins or more |
Problem in forming skin for macaron?
There are time when your macaron just cannot form the skin even how long you have waited. Due to the humidity and temperature of your kitchen play an important rule on this issue. Winter or rainy day is definitely the weather you are trying to avoid. Of course there are cases that macarons are still manage to form the desire skin in these undesirable weather, depending on your luck perhaps?
If your macarons are having trouble in forming skin, you can try this method:
- Preheat your oven to 200C for 10 minutes.
- Put the unbaked macarons into oven, switch off the heat immediately.
- Leave the door ajar(put glove in between your oven door to create a gap for hot air to release) , for 6 minutes.
- Touch the macaron if the skin is formed.
- Once skin is formed, turn on the heat to the right temperature,let say 150C, and start baking your macaron.