Sweet Dreams are made of Pink - Macaron and Marshmallow Tower

It was the marshmallows. That big huge bag of pretty soft purple marshmallows. They were not the right colour for my party table and I didn't end up using them, but they were oh so dreamy and pretty.

I had to use them and although they did not match Sweet's party table they did perfectly match all the left over treats.

I was in a living dream of swirly pink sweets and each afternoon the kids would come home to another version of leftovers.

This macaron and marshmallow tower was just so pretty. I think it was even prettier in real life and it would make the sweetest addition to a dessert table.

The best part about the marshmallows in the tower, apart from the fact they look pretty and are a lovely colour and texture contrast is that they are very cost effective compared to macarons. It actually uses quite a lot of macarons to make a tower, way more than you might suspect so the marshmallows are a great filler.

EDIT UPDATE 8/9/2014 - I have a free video tutorial up on my youtube channel click on the picture below to see it:


Shop the shoot note:  

Floral pink and grey bowls and jug in picture Greengate.Simply Sweet Home Facebook or Email info@simplysweethome.com.au new Australian stockist for details.


The purple puff marshmallows I used are by Fini - I got mine from Big Lolly Click HERE

How to make a macaron and marshmallow tower
Make sure everyone eating from the tower knows there are toothpicks being used and check kids marshmallows before they eat them to ensure sticks have been removed.


Styro foam cone 10cm (4") bottom by 25cm (10") high
Ready Roll Fondant
Large Rolling pin
Toothpicks
9-10 small macarons (Click HERE for macaron recipe)
up to15-20 regular macarons
up to 40 marshmallows (mine from Big Lolly)
Sugar Flowers (CLICK HERE for instructions to make your own)




Knead fondant, dust workbench and roll out fondant until quite thing. Brush the cone with water and then wrap the fondant around cutting off any excess at the back where it joins and pressing the fondant down it into place on the cone. Use fondant smoothers if you have them otherwise you can use your hands,

I decided to have a smaller macaron layer sideways and then regular sized macarons lying flat side out. Cut toothpicks in half and starting at the top push a toothpick into the cone through the fondant. Stick a macaron onto the toothpick and then repeat the process working your way down in a softly spiraling line as shown in the picture. This will be the front center of your tower so make sure it is adhered in a pretty even line. Push a whole toothpick into the top point of the fondant covered cone.

Starting at the top again attach a layer of marshmallows on either side of the macarons. I used toothpicks in the picture, but you can use royal icing# to adhere the marshmallows as the toothpicks can lodge in the marshmallows when being removed.

#do not adhere macarons with royal icing as the delicate shells will not easily lift off, toothpicks do not stick to the macarons the same as they do marshmallows.

Work a layer of Macarons on each side of the marshmallows. Continue to adhere marshmallows and macarons to the back of the tower. The back of the macaron tower will not be as pretty as the front, but try to work the macarons and marshmallows in a design that looks even.

Finish the tower off with a regular sized maracon at the top of the cone (in the toothpick you popped in the top at the start).

Using royal icing adhere a few sugar flowers to the macarons as decoration.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

This post is not sponsored and I have received no financial compensation, however I am related to the owner of Simply Sweet Home.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission.  

Lemon cream and macaron stuffed strawberries

Are these even a thing?  I'm not sure but they did taste really good. I guess they're a thing now.

Delicious strawberries stuffed with lemon cream and then topped with a mini macaron. 

If you don't have mini macarons on hand of course you can just stuff with the lemon cream and top with some sprinkles or chopped pistachios.

I've made these up with leftovers I had on hand, the recipe links to the macaron and lemon cream are in the instructions below.

Macaron Stuffed Strawberries
As mentioned above if you do not have macarons handy you can top with sprinkles or chopped pistachio, and I guess then they would be Lemon Cream Stuffed Strawberries and still delicious :)

Strawberries
Mini macarons (CLICK HERE for recipe, but make the macarons smaller)*
Lemon cream curd (CLICK HERE for recipe)^

Using a sharp knife hull the strawberries. If you would like to stand the strawberries upright, cut a little of the pointed rounded tip off as in the picture.

Place the lemon cream in a piping bag with a ruffle tip (eg Wilton #32 or #199) and pipe a small swirl of cream starting in the hulled hole and working your way around in one swirl.

Push a macaron into the top of each lemon cream filled strawberry sideways as shown in picture.

Best served within a few hours of making.

*When I am making a batch of regular macarons I often pipe half a tray of smaller ones for other decorations. You can wrap in plastic wrap, place in an airtight container and freeze, then defrost still enclosed in the airtight container and plastic wrap in the fridge when you are ready to use them. Wrapping them well as described minimizes the risk of condensation forming on the macaron.

^The lemon cream recipe in the link will make quite a big batch for strawberries, you can half the recipe.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission. 

Pretty pink raspberry macarons

This weekend we had raspberry white chocolate macarons. I know it's a bit of a rehash, I make them all the time, although I haven't included any pictures in the blog for the longest while.

But they are so good and creamy and melt in the melt with a crisp little shell. Well you get the picture.

I guess there is a reason why I make them all the time........

I made up chocolate ones as well, but the pink ones always seem to have my heart. I've popped the recipe below, which is as I said already a revisit of my previous recipe. The filling is right at the bottom, and remember to fill them the day before you need to serve.

Macaron Shells makes around 30 filled macarons
Fill the shells with the filling (included after recipe for shells) at least 1 day before you serve to get the correct consistency. Store in an airtight container in fridge and then bring to room temperature about 30 minutes prior to serving.

190 gram (6 5/8 oz)almond meal (almond flour)
190 gram pure icing sugar (6 5/8 oz powdered sugar)
190 gram granulated sugar (6 5/8 oz)
48 grams water (1 5/8 oz)
140 gram egg whites aged split into 2 lots of 70grams each (5 oz split into 2 lots of 2 1/2oz each)*
food color of choice (I use gel type food color like Wilton)

*ageing egg whites refers to separating the yolks from whites and then leaving the whites to age for a few days. This can be done on the counter if your countries climate permits or in the fridge, wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and then pop a few holes in the top. Alternately you can pop fresh egg whites in the microwave on high for 10 seconds or so - I used the microwave method in this batch pictured.

1. Mix the ground almonds and icing sugar together and pulse a few times in food processor to make almond meal finer. Do not over process as the meal can become oily. Sieve into a large bowl. Add colour and 70g (2 1/2 ounce) of the egg whites to the sugar/almond mixture but don’t mix in.

2. Place remaining 70g (2 1/2 ounce) of egg whites in bowl of mixer fitted with the whisk.

Yup - I really use this super old fashioned thermometer I have had for about 20 years to make my macarons

3. Pop granulated sugar and water into saucepan stir to combine and cook without stirring to 118C (245 F). Brush down the sides with a pastry brush dipped in water as required to avoid the sugar crystallizing. Once the mixture reaches 115C (240 F) start mixing the egg whites on high. Make sure you have a pouring shield on your mixer, when the sugar syrup reaches 118C (245 F)remove from heat and immediately pour in a thin stream down the side of the mixer bowl continuing to whisk on high.

4. Continue to whisk the meringue on high until the side of the bowl is only a little warm to touch, around 50C (120 F).


5. Add meringue mixture to almond mixture and using a large spatula fold the mixture together until it starts to shine and forms a ribbon that disappears back into the mixture after about 20 seconds.

6. Add the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a plain tip (or just cut the end of a disposable piping bag, that's what I do) and pipe in lines onto parchment lined baking sheets. To make the macarons as even as possible I apply a constant slow pressure to the piping bag and count a few numbers like up to 3 for each one.

Waiting to form skins after piping

If your mixture has peaks after you have piped a couple of rows that do now sink back down you macaron mixture needs more mixing. Pop it back in the bowl and mix it a bit more

7. Set aside for about 30 minutes or until the macarons have formed a skin so that the macaron mixture does not stick to your finger when gently touched. If the weather is humid this step may take longer up to 2 hours. I pop on the aircon if it's humid at my house.

Baking in the oven. The macarons will rise after a few minutes in the oven and develop a frilly foot

Eeek- can you see some of those less than perfect under mixed mac's in the back  that I pointed out 

in the previous picture - they do not have a flat shiny top. That's so not mac-cool

8. Meanwhile preheat oven to 140C (285 F). Once ready bake the macaroons for around 13 to 15 minutes depending on size, it may take longer, all ovens are different. If they are baked and you gently push on the side the tops will not move, if the tops do move do bake for another minute or 2. Also they should not be browned if they are reduce the heat for the next batch or bake for less time.

9. Once baked remove the baking trays and immediately slide off the macarons and the parchment onto the work surface and let cool completely before removing the shells.

10. Once cooled match disks into like sizes and sandwich together using the ganache.

Raspberry White Chocolate Filling


To make ganache melt white chocolate with cream in the microwave and mix gently until combined, use a ration of 3:1, so for example 360 grams white chocolate to 120 grams cream, sorry guys I measure as I already have the scales out and I can't be bothered messing up a liquid measuring jug :) Add some pink gel color and raspberry flavor to taste.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission. 

Chocolate Cherry French Macarons

I had some left over macaron shells the other day and have been playing around with different fillings.

I think this chocolate and cherry one was the most delicious, the shells are french almond macaron made with the recipe in THIS POST (CLICK HERE).

Filled with a little chocolate ganache and black cherry halves and some dots of white chocolate ganache.

Then finished with another dab of ganach and a cherry.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission.

Pink rose macarons with strawberry

Pink macarons with rose ganache and fresh strawberries

Yesterday was a bit hectic around here so today we are relaxing.

I think we might make some pink iced tea or lemonade and eat left over macarons.

Yup that sounds nice, about the pace I can manage today.

Photo notes:

Rose Macarons - recipe Bubble and Sweet blog CLICK HERE and just add strawberries
Pink Lemonade recipe - CLICK HERE for similar recipe
Rose/gingham tea towel - Ikea Evalill CLICK HERE
Pink Glasses - Ikea Krokett CLICK HERE
Stack of book - Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! by Linda Vandermeer
Vintage china plate - Montrose Foley (part of a trio)

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission.

White Chocolate Mint Swirl Macarons

These white chocolate mint swirl macarons are an exercise in looking before you leap.

Or at the very least looking inside your cookie bag before you bake.

I found a bag of mini mint slice biscuits (that's Australian for cookie) at the supermarket and I thought it would be soooo cool to make up some macarons with a swirl topped by a cute little biscuit.

I assumed that they would be the size of mini Oreo's and the mini chocolate chip cookies in bags at the supermarket.

Yes you read right. I assumed and we all know what happens when you assume.

I made up my macarons, filled them, added a swirl to the top and then opened the bag and doh! Those mini cookies were not mini enough for me.

I was thinking they would look something like my Totally Boss Chocolate Malt Macarons, but no such luck, instead they were topped with an empty swirl, still yummy but in my mind not quite what I had expected.

In my defense I had left the bag sealed to ensure maximum freshness which is why I was not forewarned.

As with most minor baking mishaps it worked out deliciously well in the end with Mr Sweet polishing off the mini mint slice cookies and all of us having some refreshingly minti macarons.

Mint Swirl Macarons

Macaron Shells
CLICK HERE for a blog post with my macaron recipe. I made a regular batch coloured half green and half brown with food gel color.

White Chocolate Mint Filling

300g (10 1/2 oz) white chocolate
100g (3 1/2oz) cream
1/2 to 1 tsp peppermint extract/oil
green food colour (I used Wilton gel colours)
30g (1 oz) unsalted butter room temperature and cut into small cubes

Pop the chocolate and cream in a microwave safe bowl and then microwave on high for 2 minutes. Leave for a couple of minutes and then using a whisk stir until smooth and lump free. If necessary reheat further in the microwave for bursts of 30second to 1 minute to remove/melt all lumps.

Whisk in the peppermint extract and green food colour

Cover and allow the ganache to set - I left mine at room temperature overnight.

When set use an electric mixer to mix the ganache and butter at high speed for a couple of minutes until light and fluffy. Make sure all the butter is incorporated and no little lumps are left.

Assembly

Match macarons so that each shell has a matching shell the same size (if you hand pipe the shells there will always be a little variance in size). I matched up green shells on the top to like sized brown shells for the bottom.

Pop the whipped ganache into a piping bag fitted with an open star tip (I used Wilton #22) and pipe a swirl onto half the macaron shells. Press another macaron on top and then pipe a small swirl of ganache onto the top middle.

Refrigerate at least overnight and up to 3 days in an airtight container. Remove from fridge 20 minutes before serving.

 Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores:

Link to Amazon:

Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! 

Or at Fishpond (free shipping Australia)

 

 Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go!

Chocolate Raspberry Macaron 'eclairs'

I've been seeing a bit of a trend for long eclair type macarons going around so I thought I might give them a try.

I whipped up a batch of macaron batter piped them into a long oval shape, baked and filled them with ganache.

When I was almost finished and had only a few long macarons to fill I realised I had some raspberries in the fridge. Of course I had to add them.

The raspberry filled version ended up being the most delicious macarons I have had for quite a while, oh my goodness they were so yummy. So seriously yummy that I'm going to call it and say there were superdooperscrummy.

Yup that yummy indeed.

In truth I was not the biggest fan of the long thin macarons that were not filled with the raspberries. To my tastes they had more shell and less of the soft macaron filling as a result of the shape. I am not saying they were not good, we ate every single last crumb, but I guess the traditional round shape is popular for a reason. Others may think differently :)

I was not confident enough to leave the raspberry macarons in the fridge for too long, usually with a regular macaron I would make them and leave for a day or so before eating, Raspberries seem to be highly perishable in these parts so I erred on the side of caution and ate them 6 hours after making them.

Or maybe that was as long as I could wait, my memory is a bit fuzzy about the reasoning behind the timing.

To make the shells I used my regular macaron mixture coloured brown CLICK HERE for recipe.

For an actual chocolate macaron recipe CLICK HERE - however I was using dark chocolate ganache so I did not feel the need for chocolate shells as well. Truthfully I find my recipe for chocolate shells a tad temperamental if I do not source the exact same chocolate each time. I have been experimenting on a new recipe - maybe I will put together a blooper/failure post sometime so you can all have a giggle.

Anyhoo, after you have made up your macaron batter, pipe into long oval shapes around 2cm (3/4") by 7cm (2 3/4") which after baking seemed to fit 3 raspberries nicely. If you like you can draw up templates to pipe to try and ensure your shapes are even, or I just did it by hand. Also I do not use a piping tip, I just cut the end of a disposable piping bag.

Follow the directions on the macaron recipe post for leaving to set for 30 minutes and baking, then allow to cool.

Mix up a batch of ganache using around 400g (14oz) dark chocolate (bittersweet chocolate) with 200g (7oz) cream and heat in microwave for 2 minutes on high. Whisk until silky smooth and then allow to sit at room temperature until set enough to pipe.

To assemble pipe on ganache, press raspberries in place and then pipe a very thin line of ganache onto another macaron and press it onto the raspberry filled macaron using a tiny amount of pressure to push into place, but not so much you will crush the delicate shell.

Refrigerate in an airtight container, allow to come to room temperature before serving.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores:

Link to Amazon:

Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! 

Or at Fishpond (free shipping Australia)

 

 Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go!