Rosewater Macarons With Vanilla Butter Cream

Every time I think of macaron I think of romance, holidays, weddings and happy events in our lives. When I was making these pink rose water macarons, my heart was filled with happiness and upon completion I felt such a great sense of fulfillment. I had so much fun doing this wedding themed photo shoot for these macarons.

This time, I used a Donna Hay recipe to make these macarons. Her recipe is a simple one using French meringue compared to a much-complicated method of using Italian meringue. I have made Lemon & Strawberry Macarons using Italian meringue before when I  first bought the popular cookbook –The Secret of Macarons. When I compared the two recipes I found DH’s was not as sweet but with similar flavour. Where as by using Italian meringue, much smoother shell texture can be achieved. This time, I also personalized my macarons by painting some pink shimmering powder onto them to make them look prettier and more appealing.

Rosewater Macarons With Vanilla Butter Cream

Macarons (makes 24)

200g icing sugar

120g almond meal (ground almonds)

3 eggwhites

½ teaspoon rosewater

pink food colouring

1 tbs caster (superfine) sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 150 C. Sift the icing sugar and almond into a bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.

2. Place the eggwhites, rosewater and few drops of food colouring in an electric mixer and whisk on high 30 seconds. Add the caster sugar and whisk for a further 10 minutes until stiff peaks form and glossy.

3. Fold through the almond meal mixture in 2 bathes until smooth.

4. Place mixture in a piping bag fitted with 1.5cm plain nozzle and pipe 4cm rounds onto baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper.

5. Lightly tap the trays. This will help to remove any air bubbles from the mixture and ensure a smooth macaron.

6. Allow to stand for 20 minutes (I stand the macarons for 1 hour) until a “skin” forms on top of the macarons. Use  your finger to touch the top of the macarons. I should be dry and does not stick to your finger.

7. Reduce temperature to 130 C and bake macarons for 17-18 minutes. Allow to cool completely on the trays. Pipe the butter cream onto the cooled macarons and sandwich the remaining macarons.

  

Vanilla Butter Cream

125g butter, softened

1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

80g icing sugar

60g almond meal (ground almonds)

1. Place the butter and vanilla in an electric mixer and beat for 6-8 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add the icing sugar and beat for 10 minutes or until light and fluffy.

2. Add the almond meal and beat until combined. Spread the vanilla cream onto half the cooled macarons and sandwich with remaining macarons.

Recipe adapted from : Donna Hay's Magazine, Issue 59, Oct/Nov 2011. pg. 86 

I'm linking this with "Cook Like A Star" blog-hop featuring Donna Hay as the celebrity  for the month of March, hosted by  Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids.  
I'm submitting this post toAspiring Bakers #17 - March Macaron Madness! (Mar 2012)

Cinnamon Panna Cotta with Slow Roast Pear

记得两年前带家婆到Swan Valley一家餐厅庆祝生日时，吃过一次很好吃的panna cotta，那个甜点一直念念不忘。后来上个月请老公到一家日本餐厅庆生，我又点了panna cotta（意大利鲜奶油布丁）这个甜点 （white chocolate， roast tea and berry panna cotta ume plum gelee）因为这个名字有一点看不懂后面三个字，所以很好奇。喔！这甜点这是太好吃了，很有层次感，可以想象有巧克力，又有绿茶香，还有莓的甜酸，真的好到不得了。隔了一周，我们又带了父母去同一家餐厅，我就试了另一个绿茶tiramisu甜点，哎呀，真后悔，早知就不要换plan，所以那个panna cotta的隐就一直这样吊着。过后就看到Min家上了panna cotta，后来又到星星厨房上了，我就更心痒痒了。。现在该轮到我上这道甜品解解隐了吧！

我选择了这个肉桂布丁搭配尾草（sage）墩梨这个食谱，因为现在是梨子的季节，可以买到很甜的梨子。这个布丁入口有淡淡的肉桂香，再搭上鼠尾草墩梨的梨香，好吃好吃！

Panna Cotta:

2 cups (500ml) pure (thin) cream

125ml milk

3 cinnamon quills

½ tsp ground cinnamon

55g caster sugar

2 tsp gelatin powder

2 tbs brandy

Slow-rosted pears:

4 pears (Williams or beurre bosc)

6 sage leaves

110g firmly packed brown sugar

Method : (make 6)

1. Combine the cream, milk, cinnamon quills, ground cinnamon and caster sugar in a small pan over medium heat. Bring to simmer, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 1 hour.

2. Reheat the cream mixture over low heat. Set aside.

3. Sprinkle gelatine into a small bowl or cup containing 2 tablespoons of hot water, stirring constantly, then place the bowl into a container of boiling water and stir constantly until completely dissolved and transparent.  Add the dissolved gelatin into the hot cream, stirring well to combine.

4. Stir in the brandy, then strain through a fine sieve into a jag. Pour mixture into six ½ cup (125ml) ramekins and chill in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.

5. Meanwhile for the pears, preheat oven to 160 C. Peel, halve and core the pears, leaving the stems intact.

6. Place the sage leaves, brown sugar and 1/3 cup water in a flameproof casserole and stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Add the pears and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3 hours until pears are very tender. Cool.

7. When ready to serve, run a knife around the edge of each mould to loosen. Then, invert the panna cotta onto plates. Divide pears among plates, then drizzle with any remaining pears syrup and serve.

Recipe adapted from: Delicious, More Please, ABC Books, pg.120

Baby Doughnuts With Chocolate Honey Glaze and Strawberry Jam

After reading Jessie's previous post on her Lemony Peach Cake, I found out Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids is holding a blog hop event called Cook like a Star! Donna Hay has been chosen as the celebrity chef for the 1^st blog hop event. Donna Hay is Australia's leading food editor and best-selling cookbook author. Her food, recipes and styling focuses on basic ingredients, simply prepared and beautifully photographed – hallmarks of her work which have set the benchmark for food publishing worldwide and inspired a whole new generation of cooks.

I was very excited after reading Jessie's post and started to look through all my Donna Hay’s cookbooks and magazines to find a recipe to bake for this event. I chose this mini doughnut recipe because when I first saw them I thought they were just the cutest. 

I divided the dough into 2 portions; one for chocolate honey glaze doughnuts and the other for jam doughnuts.  I brought these light and airy doughnuts to share with my colleagues and these little treasures were gone in seconds!

Baby Donuts With Chocolate Honey Glaze
1 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tbsp lukewarm water
1/4 cup lukewarm milk
1 tbsp caster sugar
25g butter, melted
185g all purpose flour
1 egg
Vegetable oil for deep frying

chocolate honey glaze
30g butter
90g honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
110g dark chocolate

jam

store bought strawberry jam
Method :
1.Place yeast, milk, water and sugar in a large bowl and set aside in a warm place for 10mins or until bubbles appear on the surface. Add the butter, flour and egg to the yeast mixture and using a spatula, mix until a sticky dough forms.

2. Turn out into a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.

3. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean, damp cloth and set aside to proof for 45 mins or until doubled in size.

4. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 mins or until smooth and elastic. (I used electric mixer with dough hook attachment). Roll out to 1 cm thickness and using a 3.5cm round cutter  and using a 1 cm round cutter, cut a small hole in the center of the doughnuts. (I used 4cm /1.5cm. I used 6cm ring cutter for jam doughnuts)

5. Place the doughnuts on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and set aside for 10 mins or until risen slightly.

6. While the doughnuts are proving, make the chocolate honey glaze. Place the butter , honey, vanilla extract and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes until melted and smooth. Set aside.

7. Place the oil and sugar thermometer in a large pan over medium heat until 180C. Cook the doughnuts in batches for 30sec each side or until golden. Drain on absorbant paper.

8.  Dip the top of the doughnuts in the chocolate haze and place on a wire rack until set.

9. For jam doughnuts, pierce doughnuts with a knife and pipe in 10ml strawberry jam into the centre of the doughnuts.

 Adapted From Donna Hay Magazine, (Issue 56)April/May 2011; pg.158&161. 

I'm linking this with "Cook Like A Star" blog-hop featuring Donna Hay as the celebrity  for the month of March, hosted by  Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids.