Adriano Zumbo's Candy Cane Macarons

Adriano Zumbo, "Every Christmas, the one lolly that's left in the house is candy canes. I was thinking about how to make them more interesting to eat, so I caramelised them and make them into ganache, and then the ganache became the filling for these macarons."

Adriano Zumbo's Candy Cane Macarons

Adriano Zumbo's Candy Cane Macarons Recipe

Makes about 15 (8cm-long) or 2 (24cm-long) (Adapted from Gourmet Magazine)

Ingredients

• 150 g almond meal
• 150 g pure icing sugar, sieved
• 150 g caster sugar
• 110 g eggwhite (about 3 eggwhites)
• 1/4 tsp red food powder colouring, or to taste

Candy Cane Ganache:

• 125 g white chocolate, finely chopped
• 20 g coarsely chopped crushed candy canes (about 2 small)
• 75 ml pouring cream
• 1/2 tsp peppermint essence
• 45 g butter, coarsely chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 140C. Sieve almond meal and icing sugar into a large bowl, set aside. Combine caster sugar and 40 ml water in a saucepan, stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolved, then bring to the boil and cook until mixture reaches 121C on a sugar thermometer (4-5 minutes). Meanwhile, whisk half the eggwhite in an electric mixer on medium speed, then, whisking continuously, gradually add syrup in two places to avoid syrup pooling in bottom of mixing bowl. Whisk until lukewarm (3-4 minutes), then add to almond meal mixture. Add remaining eggwhite and fold to combine.
2. Divide mixture between two bowls and add red food colouring to one bowl, folding to combine and colouring to your liking. Slap excess air of white mixture with a spatula. Lay a piping bag fitted with a 1 cm plain nozzle on its side, fill one side with white mixture and the other side with red mixture. Pipe half the mixture into 15 x 8cm-long or 2 x 24 cm-long right-facing candy cane shapes on baking trays lined with baking paper.
3. Pipe remaining mixture into 15 x 8cm-long or 2 x 24cm-long left-facing candy cane shapes, firmly tap trays on work bench to expel excess air, then stand until a skin forms and mixture doesn't stick on your finger when touched (45 minutes - 1 hour). Bake in batches until firm and tops are set (10-12 minutes for smaller ones, 14-16 minutes for larger ones), then cool on trays.
4. Meanwhile, for candy cane ganache, place chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set aside. Cook candy canes without stirring in a small frying pan over medium-high heat until caramelised (4-5 minutes). Meanwhile, warm cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, add to candy canes, shake pan until combined (10-15 minutes). Add to chocolate with peppermint essence, stir to combine, then stir in butter. Stand until ganache reaches spreadable consistency (1-1 1/4 hours), spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 9mm plain nozzle and pipe on flat sides of right-facing candy cane macarons and stand until set (10-15 minutes). Candy cane macarons will keep in airtight container for up to 2 days but are best eaten on day of making.

Chocolate Chai Macarons with Bailey's Irish Cream

Oh no, it's macarons again. Oh yes, but how can you resist the beauty of these macarons.

Chocolate Chai Macarons with Bailey's Irish Cream

Chocolate Chai Macarons with Bailey's Irish Cream Recipe

Makes about 16 filled macarons

Ingredients

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 3/4 cup ground almonds
• 1/4 cup Chocolate Chai
• 6 tbsp of egg whites (I use 3 egg whites, 55g each)
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Bailey's Irish Cream Buttercream:

• 2 sticks of unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 lbs confectioner's sugar (more or less)
• 2 tsp Bailey's Irish Cream

Method

1. To Make Baily's Irish Cream Buttercream: Cream butter, sugar and Beiley's Irish Cream together. Use or keep chilled for up to 2 weeks.
2. Grind ground almond, Chocolate Chai powder and icing 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 Bailey's Irish Cream Buttercream.

Matcha (Japanese Green Tea) Macarons

Here is my matcha macaron recipe but I won't publish the ganache recipe here until I have perfected it:

Matcha (Japanese Green Tea) Macarons

Matcha (Japanese Green Tea) Macarons Recipe

(Adapted from Muffinsareuglycupcakes)

Ingredients

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 3/4 cup ground almonds
• 1/4 cup matcha (Japanese green tea) powder
• 3 egg whites
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Method

1. Grind ground almond, matcha powder and icing sugar with food processor to make sure there’s no lumps.
2. 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.
3. You should get a slow moving batter (flow-like-magma consistency).
4. Pipe the macaron batter onto baking paper.
5. Bake at 320F (160C) for 12 mins.
6. Let cool.

Honey & Vanilla Chai Macarons with Chocolate Ganache

Chai is a beverage from the Indian subcontinent made by brewing tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs such as cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, star anise, peppercorn, and cloves.

Honey & Vanilla Chai Macarons with Chocolate Ganache

Chai is definitely gaining in popularity in Australia. So, it's not surprising that Chai Latte is the second most popular drink (after cappucino) at little Miss C's school cafe where I work occasionally. The cafe provides an alfresco seating for school mums, school teachers and staff. I have always had a dream of owning a little chic cafe by the beach. Once a month working as a volunteer gives me an idea of how it is like to work in a cafe environment. I do enjoy the hustle and bustle when the cafe is operating in full swing, but there is so much to do before and after: inventory planning, cleaning, washing up.... which I really don't enjoy that much. I am glad that I have tried it and I know now that it's not easy to run a cafe or a restaurant. A dream is always a dream. The little white and blue beach cafe will always be my dream. In reality, it's not going to happen.

Thanks to Rachel from Polarity Consultants who has sent me a twin pack of PURE Chai, I was keen to find a recipe and incorporate this ingredient into it. Since I was in macaron making mode, Chai Macarons became a natural choice.

Honey and Vanilla Chai Macarons Recipe

(Adapted from Muffinsareuglycupcakes)

Ingredients

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 3/4 cup ground almonds
• 1/4 cup PURE Honey and Vanilla Chai
• 3 egg whites
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Method

1. Grind ground almond, honey & vanilla chai and icing sugar with food processor to make sure there’s no lumps.
2. 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.
3. You should get a slow moving batter (flow-like-magma consistency).
4. Pipe the macaron batter onto baking paper.
5. Bake at 320F (160C) for 12 mins.
6. Let cool.
7. Fill the macaron shells with chocolate ganache (recipe below).

Chocolate Ganache

(Adapted from Trissalicious)

Ingredients

• 200 grams dark chocolate
• 200 ml cream

Method

1. Chop the dark chocolate into even pieces (the smaller the better) and place in a bowl.
2. Heat the cream until it starts to boil.
3. Pour the cream into the bowl of chocolate and let rest for 1 minute.
4. With a rubber spatula, mix the ganache fully.
5. Cool and let it set in the refrigerator (around 1 hour)

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.

Adriano Zumbo's Candy Cane Macarons

When I brought home the latest issue of Gourmet Traveller magazine, I knew I was up for a challenge. Look at the pictures of those cute candy canes from the magazine. They are not ordinary candy canes. They are candy canes macarons made by the talented Sydney based patissier Adriano Zumbo:

I set myself up for two challenges:

Making macarons the Italian way: I have always been making my macarons with the French method because I didn't have a sugar thermometer that is required in the Italian method. Not until the ever generous Trissa bought me one (Thanks, Trissa!).

Piping the perfect J: I found a perfect stencil - the giant candy cane that was given to me by the ever cheerful Kath (Thanks, Kath!).

I don't call making these candy cane macarons a challenge if there is without failures. I came close to giving up but I am glad that I persevered.

First attempt: I used red liquid colouring because I didn't have the red powder colouring. I guess I was stubborn and it failed horribly.

Second attempt: I used the wrong size eggs (XL jumbo size). Again I was stubborn. I took three eggs out from the fridge without weighting them.

Third attempt: I over-processed the almond meal and icing sugar in the food processor. I let the food processor runs while busy doing other chores. The food processor was over-heated and melted the icing sugar and caused some wet lumps. I didn't realised it until after I poured it in the meringue.

Fourth attempt: I put all my stubborness aside and followed all the basic rules to a T! And the fourth time is the charm. So let's celebrate!

Adriano Zumbo, "Every Christmas, the one lolly that's left in the house is candy canes. I was thinking about how to make them more interesting to eat, so I caramelised them and make them into ganache, and then the ganache became the filling for these macarons."

Adriano Zumbo's Candy Cane Macarons Recipe

(Adapted from Gourmet Magazine December 2009 issue) Makes about 15 (8cm-long) or 2 (24cm-long)

Ingredients

• 150 g almond meal
• 150 g pure icing sugar, sieved
• 150 g caster sugar
• 110 g eggwhite (about 3 eggwhites)
• 1/4 tsp red food powder colouring, or to taste

Candy Cane Ganache:

• 125 g white chocolate, finely chopped
• 20 g coarsely chopped crushed candy canes (about 2 small)
• 75 ml pouring cream
• 1/2 tsp peppermint essence
• 45 g butter, coarsely chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 140C. Sieve almond meal and icing sugar into a large bowl, set aside. Combine caster sugar and 40 ml water in a saucepan, stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolved, then bring to the boil and cook until mixture reaches 121C on a sugar thermometer (4-5 minutes). Meanwhile, whisk half the eggwhite in an electric mixer on medium speed, then, whisking continuously, gradually add syrup in two places to avoid syrup pooling in bottom of mixing bowl. Whisk until lukewarm (3-4 minutes), then add to almond meal mixture. Add remaining eggwhite and fold to combine.
2. Divide mixture between two bowls and add red food colouring to one bowl, folding to combine and colouring to your liking. Slap excess air of white mixture with a spatula. Lay a piping bag fitted with a 1 cm plain nozzle on its side, fill one side with white mixture and the other side with red mixture. Pipe half the mixture into 15 x 8cm-long or 2 x 24 cm-long right-facing candy cane shapes on baking trays lined with baking paper.
3. Pipe remaining mixture into 15 x 8cm-long or 2 x 24cm-long left-facing candy cane shapes, firmly tap trays on work bench to expel excess air, then stand until a skin forms and mixture doesn't stick on your finger when touched (45 minutes - 1 hour). Bake in batches until firm and tops are set (10-12 minutes for smaller ones, 14-16 minutes for larger ones), then cool on trays.
4. Meanwhile, for candy cane ganache, place chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set aside. Cook candy canes without stirring in a small frying pan over medium-high heat until caramelised (4-5 minutes). Meanwhile, warm cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, add to candy canes, shake pan until combined (10-15 minutes). Add to chocolate with peppermint essence, stir to combine, then stir in butter. Stand until ganache reaches spreadable consistency (1-1 1/4 hours), spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 9mm plain nozzle and pipe on flat sides of right-facing candy cane macarons and stand until set (10-15 minutes). Candy cane macarons will keep in airtight container for up to 2 days but are best eaten on day of making.