Coconut and Palm Sugar Macarons with Mango Buttercream

I love Martha's macaron recipe. It's very easy and if you follow it closely, you are ensured of success. I learnt a few tips which I like to share with you if you plan to experiment with her recipe:

Coconut and Palm Sugar Macarons with Mango Buttercream

Coconut and Palm Sugar Macarons with Mango Buttercream Recipe

(* Please take note that I have modified the original DB recipe) (Makes about 16 filled macarons)

Ingredients

• Confectioners’ sugar + 2 tbsp light palm sugar (make up to 1 cup)
• 3/4 cup ground almonds
• 1/4 cup dessicated coconuts
• 6 tbsp of egg whites (I use 3 egg whites, 55g each)
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Mango Buttercream:

• 2 sticks of unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/2 cup mango puree
• 2 lbs confectioner's sugar (more or less)

Method

1. To Make Mango Buttercream: Cream butter, and mango. Slowly add sugar until the buttercream is no longer separated by the mango. Use or keep chilled for up to 2 weeks.
2. Grind ground almond, dessicated coconuts, icing sugar and palm sugar with food processor to make sure there’s no lumps.
3. Whip the eggs whites with a pinch of salt and slowly adding in the granulated sugar until soft peaks formed. Add the dry ingredients to the egg whites half at a time and start folding.
4. You should get a slow moving batter (flow-like-magma consistency).
5. Pipe the macaron batter onto baking paper.
6. Bake at 320F (160C) for 12 mins.
7. Let cool.
8. Fill the macaron shells with Mango Buttercream.

Milan-Milano Cookies

Pepperidge Farm - "Ah, the classic Milano cookie. Simple. Elegant. The perfect balance of exquisite cookies and luxuriously rich dark chocolate."

Milan / Milano Cookies Recipe

(Courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network website). Serves: about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups (312.5 grams/ 11.02 oz) powdered sugar
• 7/8 cup egg whites (from about 6 eggs)
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons lemon extract
• 1 1/2 cups (187.5grams/ 6.61 oz) all purpose flour

Cookie filling:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 orange, zested

Method

1. In a mixer with paddle attachment cream the butter and the sugar.
2. Add the egg whites gradually and then mix in the vanilla and lemon extracts.
3. Add the flour and mix until just well mixed.
4. With a small (1/4-inch) plain tip, pipe 1-inch sections of batter onto a parchment-lined sheet pan, spacing them 2 inches apart as they spread.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Let cool on the pan.
6. While waiting for the cookies to cool, in a small saucepan over medium flame, scald cream.
7. Pour hot cream over chocolate in a bowl, whisk to melt chocolate, add zest and blend well.
8. Set aside to cool (the mixture will thicken as it cools).
9. Spread a thin amount of the filling onto the flat side of a cookie while the filling is still soft and press the flat side of a second cookie on top.
10. Repeat with the remainder of the cookies.