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. 

Daniel Herbert's Best Ever Baking Recipes

OK - I love baking.

I love decorating as well, but what good is a pretty looking cake if the taste lets you down.

So it makes sense that I love baking cook books. Y'know the type that promises to deliver simple yet delicious tried and tested recipes, some of them handed down through the generations.

When I received David Herbert's Best-Ever Baking Recipes, which by the way has a super temptingly looking chocolate cake on the cover, I looked forward to flicking through the pages to see if there was anything I would like to try.

and I wasn't disappointed. With over 200 recipes included and chapters on Butter Cakes and Sponges, Cakes with Baked-on Toppings, Chocolate Cakes and Brownies, Slices, Biscuits and Cookies and Tarts and Cheesecakes to name a few the book ended up with quite a few post it notes stuck out the side ear marked for future baking endeavors.

I'm thinking for starters in might be the Raspberry and Coconut Macaroon Cake, with a baked topping based on the old fashioned coconut macaroons that I loved as a child. Or perhaps the Orange and Chocolate Chip Pound Cake or maybe the All in One Coffee and Walnut Cake, and that's without even getting past the first couple of chapters.Oh and I must mention I noticed quite a few gluten free options as well.

There are lots of colour pictures with a kind of retro feel and a relaxed styling approach that makes the end product look within the reach of regular home bakers everywhere.

David Herbert's Best-Ever Baking Recipes is available now at most book stores, it is published by Penguin Australia.



I received a copy of Best Ever Baking Recipes for the purpose of this review

Chocolate sugar cookie recipe

I have been missing in action for the last week and oh so busy. I'm not sure what is going on but since mid January I have been desperately trying to catch up and just when I think I might just about be there something else comes along.

This week I had 3 days to design, bake, decorate and pack 6 different batches of cookies which doesn't seem so hard but was a struggle for me with 1 day mostly a write off as I had put my name down to help out at my daughter's pre prep school and afterwards had swimming lessons for the kids.


Lucky for me I have a couple of easy, no fail cookie recipes, which is actually the point of this post.

Yes there is a point to this rambling post and it is to share my super easy extra delicious chocolate cookie recipe for cut out cookies.

They have a lovely chocolate flavour and result in a flat well shaped cookie, just perfect for decorating.

Chocolate Sugar Cookie Recipe

114 g unsalted butter (4 ounces)
3/4 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar use regular white sugar if you can't locate superfine)
1 large egg (a large egg is approx 55g in weight - not a jumbo or extra large egg)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups plain flour (all purpose flour)
1/3 cup cocoa (unsweetened)


Sift together flour and cocoa.

In a large bowl cream butter and sugar add egg and vanilla and mix until well blended. Add flour and cocoa mixture and mix well.

Refrigerate dough until firm enough to roll (at least one hour).

Roll out cookie dough on a lightly floured surface. Some people roll out between 2 pieces of parchment paper to reduce sticking, I don't do that I just lift the dough between each roll to stop it sticking, like you do with pie dough. Use what ever method works for you.

Cut out shapes and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Gently knead the remaining dough and roll out again to cut more shapes until all dough is used or you have enough cookies.

Place cookies in fridge to chill while you preheat the oven to 160C (325 F).

Bake cookies until the middle is set, you should be able to tell by looking that it no longer looks wet, or there should be no indentation when pressed gently - this is tricky as you can't judge by the golden colour. Depending on the size of cookie it could be between 7 to 20 mins.

Leave on tray a few minutes and then remove to a wire baking rack to cool. Once cool decorate as desired.

Unbaked dough can be wrapped and frozen in an airtight container or refrigerated for a few days.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies

 
One of things I love about baking so much is sharing what I make with my family and friends, it makes me feel great to have others tasting and testing my treats and really there is no way I could eat everything that comes out of my kitchen.

But sometimes I get put on the spot, you know everyone thinks I'll have something fabulous to bring along for dessert.

Anyway I woke up Friday morning a little late and turned the computer on. I haven't been on the computer much over the last week or so, kinda a blogging and baking holiday.

So I find an email about the party we were going to that night, oh right could I bring dessert........Eeeeek!

Now the host had sent the request 2 days before, but now here I was the morning of the party with nothing made.

In the end I used this old recipe I have had for ever, in fact I mentioned it in my first ever post when
I showed off some Martha Stewart Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cupcakes that were really delicious, but a bit fiddly to make.

This recipe is not fiddly at all, in fact I spent more time deciding what I was going to make in the end than actually making the dessert.

I served this with store bought ice-cream we picked up on the way and some homemade chocolate sauce I had left over.


Voila instant fast dessert for a crowd,  hope you enjoy this one as much as we do.

 recipe after jump

Spring Inspired Bee and Flower cookies - Daring Bakers September 2010

The September 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mandy of “What the Fruitcake?!” Mandy challenged everyone to make Decorated Sugar Cookies based on recipes from Peggy Porschen and The Joy of Baking.

 The cookies could be any shape or decoration, the only guide was September which is pretty broad considering that the Daring Bakers come from all around the world.

I chose Spring as my theme and made some busy bee cookies and daisies.

Marshmallowy Chocolate Goodness - Chocolate Marshmallow Recipe

Never been a huge fan of packet marshmallows, I can take them or leave them.

They are completely worthwhile in regards to making marshmallow fondant to cover cakes with and now that I think about it quite a few other recipes, but I guess they are more an ingredient to me than a treat.

That changed a year or so ago thanks to the wonderful blogsphere. I was reading The Unbearable Lightness of Being Hungry and they had a post on a shop called Sweetness the Patisserie and pictures of the most gorgeous marshmallows

(these are not the gorgeous Sweetness marshmallows these are my delicious but not so gorgeous version)

Something came over me, I had to have those marshmallows so I phoned up and had a bunch shipped to me.......chocolate, rose, lavender, raspberry. The customer service was wonderful and soon clouds of deliciousness came to me via Australia post. For a while my artisan marshmallow craving was satisfied.

Until recently when I have been seeing lots of gorgeous pics of guimauve (which is pretty much French for marshmallow as far as I can work out) and I was reminded of these wonderful Sweetness Patisserie marshmallows and a recipe I had copied out at the time from Chocolate & Zucchini.


I have adapted the recipe a bit, it calls for half rose and half chocolate and instead I made all chocolate.

They didn't look as lovely as I had hoped but they sure did taste good. Perhaps with a bit of practice I can improve the look. Also I'm thinking that the lighter colour marshmallows might look a little prettier.


Oh and here are a couple I wrapped in edible rice paper, and popped a food colour heart onto, less sticky but not quite as yummy I think.

I heart sweet cookie pops - Tim Tam Cookie Pop recipe

Not so subliminal message -  I heart sweet cookie pops

I'm on a cookie pop binge at the moment.

I am giving myself a baking breather and cookie pops do not require any real cooking and satisfy my super sweet tooth, and they are fast. Yup ready to eat within an hour.

After those delicious Oreo pops the other day, I thought I would try out some Australian brand cookies and so obviously one of the next cookies of the rank was the Tim Tam.

If your not from Australia, Tim Tams are a grocery store biscuit (that's what we call cookies here) with 2 chocolate rectangle biscuits iced together with a chocolate cream and covered in........chocolate.

Ok not a lot of thought went into that flavour combination there, but it seems to have served Arnott's well as they are a bit of an Aussie icon.

And these pops don't just taste sweet and look sweet, they SAY sweet. Boy I'm as bad as Arnott's not much thought process going on here. My only thoughts are of sweeeet, sweeeeet cookie pops.

I tweaked this recipe by using my Oreo cookie recipe and checking out Not Quite Nigella's post on her Tim Tam pops.

Try these out, if you like Tim Tams I think you'll like them.

Tim Tam Cookie Pop recipe and instructions makes 10 cake pops

1 packet Tim Tams, 200grams (7  1/8 ounce)
80 grams cream cheese softened to room temp (2 7/8 ounce)
150 gram chocolate melts any flavour (5 3/8 ounce) I used white

1. Crush Tim Tams finely in food processor

2. Add cream cheese and pulse until mixture is smooth and comes together in a ball.

3. Shape mixture into balls and roll round in between your palms to shape. Mine are about 25g (7/8 ounce) each. Chill in fridge for a short time.

4. To secure sticks for dipping, melt some of the chocolate melts (I just do mine in the microwave for short bursts on med low) and dip the end of your sticks/pops in the chocolate and push into the firm truffles. Return to fridge.
5. Melt remainder of chocolate, make sure it is completely smooth. Holding the stick/pop dip truffles into the melted chocolate, allow excess to drip off and then place into a holder to set. I use blocks of styrofoam covered in plastic wrap.

Sweeeeeet!

These pops are decorated with some round fondant I cut out using the top of a large piping tip which I then decorated by hand prior to placing them on the pops.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Here is the link for instructions on how to stamp the decorations

Oreo Cookie Truffle Pops Recipe

 
I am soooo loving cake pops at the moment, for me they are the new cupcake, or macaron, or whatever....... I'm not even up with what's "it" at the moment but for me Cake pops are definitely 'it'.

Not to say I don't still enjoy a couple of macarons each day. Variety is the spice of life. But given a choice I'm going for those cake pops for sure.

Dense, moist and cakey inside and creamy sweet chocolate outside, there's no way I'm tiring of these delicious treats any time soon.

The ones in these pictures are not technically cake pops, they're cookie pops, Oreo cookie truffle pops to be exact.

And how about this, just 3 ingredients: Oreo cookies, cream cheese and chocolate. None of that messy time consuming cake making and baking for these pops.

Do you know what that means, yup they are ready to eat even faster. Just mix, chill, dip and eat.

I served these Oreo Truffle pops at the Ava's Tea Party we held in memory of Ava Rosemeyer, if you haven't had a chance check out the post.

Of course can't mention cake pops without mentioning Bakerella whom has a new cookbook out on...... yes you guessed it cake pops. I'm sure I don't need to tell you to check out her site if you love cake pops like I love cake pops.


Oreo Cookie Truffle Pop Recipe - makes approx 16 truffle pops

Note for US conversion, pretty much just add half the amount of cream cheese to what ever size packet oreo's you get. So if you have a 16oz package of Oreos add 8oz cream cheese which will make around 23 or 24 Oreo truffles.

300g Oreo Cookies
150g Cream Cheese at room temp
397g Packet Wilton Chocolate Melts (mine were pink) or use white eating chocolate with a little copha melted in.

1. Crush Oreo cookies finely in a food processor

2. Add cream cheese and process until the mixture clumps together

3 Roll into small balls, mine are about 25g (7/8 ounce) each and refrigerate until firm


4. To secure sticks for dipping, melt some of the chocolate melts (I just do mine in the microwave for short bursts on med low) and dip the end of your sticks/pops in the chocolate and push into the firm truffles. Return to fridge.

5. Melt remainder of chocolate, make sure it is completely smooth. Holding the stick/pop dip truffles into the melted chocolate, allow excess to drip off and then place into a holder to set. I use styrofoam covered in plastic.

These pops are decorated with modeling chocolate butterflies. If you want to add on any decorations you can either add while the chocolate has not yet set or afterwards you can melt a little more chocolate and add using a little of the melted chocolate as the glue.
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:

Or here at fishpond (Aus/NZ)

Sweets on a Stick also available at the Bleeding Heart Brisbane: contact details info@bleedingheart.com.au

Once upon a time....... Strawberry white chocolate pot recipe and Forest tea party

Once upon a time there were 4 gorgeous little girls, they were the prettiest and best dressed girls in the land and one day they happened upon a magical tea party in the forest.

There were cupcakes, strawberry mousse cups, rose and violet macarons, pink cake pops, sweets, lollipop cookies and finger sandwiches and a magical far away tree....

This isn't a fairy tale it's real life (well ok maybe the bit about the magical far away tree's not real) but it wasn't an accident these girls happened upon this tea party.

Strawberry Chocolate Pot recipe at bottom after jump

Elizabeth from LaToriana had a wonderful idea for a photo shoot set in the forest and was kind enough to invite my daughters and I along.

Daneve from Ah Tissue helped set the scene with hanging pom poms and Naomi V Photography took the amazing photo's.

and of course I made the food and styled the little tea table.

It was such fun, and so lovely to meet Elizabeth Murphy of LaToriana in person as I have been a fan and customer of her store for a number of years.

You can see from the photo's just how divine the clothes are I fell in love with the new Little Miss J range, LaToriana sources some of the best brands from Australian and New Zealand. See more pics at her Forest Tea Party La Toriana style blog post.

Chocolate Macarons and making a little macaron tower

 
These chocolate macarons were part of the dessert table for my daughters birthday party and have to say I am a bit hooked. I thought these ones were the best I had tried yet, and I have made quite a few.

Although I did have a bit of a macaron disaster and dropped a whole tray on the floor getting them out of the oven. There's no saving a dropped macaron so I did the only thing possible when faced with this kind of situation.

Please don't judge me. Yup I ate them still warm. Macarons are such a funny thing, the ones that fell rounded side up were kinda ok, but the ones that fell 'feet' first stuck to the floor. I was home by myself and that ended up being my dinner - come on I said not to judge me.

Anyway that disaster had nothing to do with the recipe which is wonderful. Once again it's based on a Pierre Herme recipe.

Also have included a couple of pics of how I made the macaron tower. I didn't invent this they've been doing it in Paris for years and Adriano Zumbo recently showcased this dessert on Australian Masterchef.

Fairy Wand Cookies

These Fairy Wand Cookies I designed and made for my daughter's 6th birthday were inspired by the Funky Fairy cake I recently made at the Debbie Brown workshop. I thought that a smaller and simplified version would look amazing on some wand cookies.

The cookies were loved by all, and because all the little girls had already had enough to eat at the high tea, I wrapped them in plastic cello bags with a ribbon to take home. They looked sooo cute.

For display at the dessert table I  popped them into these mini tin planter like things I got from The Reject Shop (local thift store) for $3, stuck a couple of weights in the bottom (the type you tie balloons to for center pieces), some floral foam and some shredded wood. Viola stylish cookie pop stands.

Special cookie sticks which are food safe and ok for baking in ovens are available through specialty baking stores and cake decorating shops.

Not just cookies, fairy wand cookies are for playing make believe games with as well.

Instructions after jump.