Cherry Blossom Macarons

Hi there all, it's spring time in Australia and I can't helped but be inspired to make some Cherry Blossom Macarons. I have been wanting to make these for quite some time, ever since I got hold of a cherry blossom flavouring last year. Now with the cherry blossoms in bloom, it's the perfect time to do this blogpost.

Now this recipe is a basic French Macaron recipe which I had learned from a Macaron making class. You can adapt this recipe to any flavours and colouring to suit you by flavouring the ganache and as for the shells, you can use any colouring. Do try to use gel or powdered colours as liquid colouring will change the texture of your shell.

One of the secret to a successful macaron making is, that you have to aged the egg whites. This means that you store your eggs whites up to a week in the fridge to liquify it, the breaking down of the albumen does makes a difference, to a pass or fail. :)

Ingredients:

120g liquified egg whites
125g Almond meal
210g pure icing sugar (NOT Icing Mix)
90g caster sugar

1. Pulse gently in a blender, mix icing sugar and almond meal till smooth, do not let it get hot.
2. Then sift. Set aside
3. Beat egg whites to a soft peak then add caster sugar till dissolved
4. Fold thru almond meal mix with meringue
5. Now pipe to a round shape button and tap tray to ensure no air bubbles trap inside.
6. Let it sit for 40 minutes to form skin. 
7. Bake at 130 degrees for about 15 minutes, check your oven, don't bake them too hot, adjust accordingly.

For the purpose of this post, my fillings will be a cherry flavoured ganache

Fillings:

1. Place the white chocolate in a medium bowl. 
2. Bring the cream to a boil over medium-high heat in a small saucepan and pour it over the chocolate. 
3. Allow the mixture to rest for about two minutes, then stir until the mixture is smooth and the white chocolate is completely melted. 
4. Allow to cool for about five minutes, then add a few drops of cherry blossom essence. Cover the bowl with foil and refrigerate it until the mixture thickens.

Christmas Cookies

Hi all, apologies for long absence. I haven't really had much to blog about, hence the dead silence. This weekend, despite the crazy heat, I am back in my kitchen baking some yummy Christmas cookies because I wanted to gift them to some very special friends that will be moving away next month. Friends comes and go, it is sad when the best ones leave you. This is just a small token of appreciation. Nothing fancy.

I found out that there are so many blog posts out there on Christmas cookies. If you google Christmas cookies recipes, there are no shortage of them on the Internet search engine.

I am loving the Martha Stewart website, for not only her baking and cooking, there are so many crafty ideas as well. I think I spend too much time looking at her home ideas and decorations instead of recipes :)

Isn't Pistachio the most beautiful nut, ever created? I just love the vivid colours on them and they taste so good too. I really do feel sorry for those people that are allergic to nuts. I could finish eating a whole bag all by myself, quite easily too but I must control myself.

There are cookies to be baked needing those such as the pistachio shortbreads.

Plus, I want to make some chewy nutty chocolate fudge with pistachio in it as well. So decadent and rich. How can anyone not like Christmas? So many treats to try.

The photo below shows the nutty fudge. And while that is cooling off on the rack, I will start on a batch of gingerbread family. Sorry, I forgot the link to the choc fudge, will add later if I find it. I didn't bookmarked it.

This is Gingerbread dough mix in the mixer.  I will have to post some photos later, once I have decorated my gingerbread family. I have to warn you, the Father is disabled as I accidentally broke his arm! Drats!

Oh and there's another batch of sugar cookies dough to go into the oven yet. It is commiserating in the fridge at the moment.

I am just taking a short break and thought I'd blog a bit before heading back to the kitchen.

What do you think? Looks pretty good so far. It's pretty yummy too, I have been stuffing my face with warm buttery pistachio shortbreads straight out of oven... mmmmm

Madeleine Cookies

It's winter now in Australia, so I usually hibernate till work day Monday on my weekends. I do my shopping straight after work on Friday so that I can get home and spend as much time watching korean dramas and do some pottering around the house and baking. Okay, not so much the baking part though.

Few weekends ago, I watched a korean drama titled "My name is Kim Sam Soon". It's an oldie, I was watching it for the Danny oppa fix but little did I know, that I was going to be more fixated with the baking in the drama and all the lovely cakes and pastries that was featured on that drama.

I just had to buy myself a Madeleine pan immediately after that. I love that drama, it's a light comical romance with enough soppy parts to make you reached for the tissues and yet with a sudden change of scene, it would have you drooling and pausing the show, just to admire the baked stuff. This drama is so evil! So, if you haven't seen this drama, please go watch it now for the drool factor!! OMO, Danny oppa, you do get my undivided attention though in your scenes!

And so it began, I needed to bake these babies to see what all the fuss is about. Last nite, I made the batter and chill it in the fridge as per the recipe instrution, you can find the recipe and video demo link from http://www.joyofbaking.com/madeleines.html

I am hoping mine turns out edible at least. I do love Joy of Baking website. Stephanie has video demo which is a whole lot easier than reading a bunch of words. I am terrible at following manuals or word instructions, I need visual display. :) Yes, I am a bit special! LOL :)

Err Mah Gerrd!!!! I have eaten two already, second tray is in the oven now.. they taste like lemon cakes, crunchy on outside, nice and warm buttery lemon inside! So good!! So glad I have enough batter for two trays. So simple, sinful and good for you! It's got lemons! That's Vitamin C, right?

Enjoy and have a great weekend everyone! Nomnomnom! Peace out!

Chinese New Year Peanut cookies

I have so many favourites when it comes to Chinese New Year snacks. I love these especially,

• Kuih Kapit ( Love Letters) 
• Kuih Loyang 
• Peanut cookies
• Pineapple jam tarts

Just to name a few here, what are yours?

I have never made peanut cookies before so Charmaine gave me, her recipe from her blog. I want to share a couple of easy recipes with you here. I also found another recipe from Susan of http://www.chocolatesuze.com. You will need to click on the link to get to their blog.

With both recipes to study from, I still manage to forget the grinding of castor sugar...LOL. Next year, will use icing sugar. Never mind, my personal stash, it's alright, still yummy though!

Will be stuffing my face with this while I watch my korean dramas ;)