Citrus Yogurt Parfait with Berries and Home Made Granola

I’m sure that many of you are eating lighter and healthier these days after the holiday feasts.  If eating healthier is one of your New Year Resolutions, then I have a special treat for you today!  This Citrus Yogurt Parfait with Berries and Home Made Granola is absolutely tasty and satisfying.  You can serve this parfait as breakfast, afternoon snack, and/or dessert. 



The citrus zests in the low fat vanilla yogurt is refreshing and delightful.  The yogurt is slightly sweetened by the agave, which complement perfectly with the sweetness and tartness from the berries and pomegranate.   The Home Made Granola adds a wonderful contrasting crunch to the parfait.  Not to mention, the granola is a perfect snack on it’s own.  I’ll go over the details in its ingredients in just a bit.



Here is a closer look at the parfait.  Hm….one perfect bite with a little bit of everything!



Let’s take a look at the Home Made Coconut Granola with Almonds, Pistachios, Dried Cranberries, Dried Cherries, and Goji Berries.  It’s a lovely combination of flavors and texture.  Also, each ingredient contains awesome vitamins and nutrition with many health benefits. If you’re not familiar with Goji Berries, I got mine from a Chinese supermarket.  I know Whole Foods markets carry them as well. Or, you can simply order them here.  Below is a picture of the Goji Berries, they are also known as Wolfberry or Fructus Lycii.  They are one of the basic ingredients used in Chinese soups.

According to WebMD, the goji berry are filled with powerful antioxidants and other compounds that may help prevent cancer, protect vision, and other illnesses, including heart disease. Antioxidants may also boost the immune system and lower cholesterol and slow the aging process.  Boy, that sounds like music to my ears.   To read more about the health benefit and side effects of Goji Berries, please click here.   



I usually make a large batch of these granola and store them in an air tight container.  That way, it’s always available when I need to make a parfait, top them on yogurt or ice cream, add into cereal or oak meal, or simply snack on them as is.



Below is a picture of the granola with each of the main ingredient listed.  Check it out.



I hope you’ll try this granola and parfait.  You’re going to love them.  Thank you for stopping by today and wish you a wonderful weekend!


 
 
Disclaimer: No information, ingredient or product mentioned on this site is meant to diagnose, treat or replace professional medical advice.  They are my experience, my journey, and my opinions.  Please consult with your doctor before using any of the ingredients or products mentioned here. 
 



Citrus Yogurt Parfait with Berries and Home Made Granola
(Printable Recipe)
Serves 2


1 cup low fat Vanilla yogurt
zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon of agave
1/2 cup black berries
1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup pomegranate
1 cup Home Made Granola (recipe followed)

In a medium bowl, stir yogurt, orange zest and agave together, set aside.  In another medium bowl, mix black berries, blueberries and pomegranate together, set aside.

Drop 1/4 cup of the mixed berries into each of the 2 tall parfait glasses.  Top with 1/4 cup of yogurt mixture into each glass; followed by 1/4 cup of the home made granola.  Repeat one more time with these layers of each ingredient.  Serve immediately and enjoy!



Coconut Granola with Almonds, Pistachios, Cranberries, Cheeries and Goji Berries:
Makes: 8 cups

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
2 cups sliced almonds
1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
6 tablespoons of coconut oil
2/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
3/4 cup roasted pistachios, shelled
1/4 cup dried goji berries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, toss the oats, coconut, almonds and salt together.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, honey, and vanilla. Pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated.

Pour onto an 12 by 17 by 1-inch sheet pan lined with foil. Bake, stirring every 8 -10 minutes with a wooden spatula/spoon, until the mixture turns a nice, even, golden brown, about 35-40 minutes.

Remove the granola from the oven to cool on a wiring rack, stirring occasionally.  When granola is completely cooled, mix in cranberries, cherries, pistachios and goji berries. Store the granola in an airtight container.


This recipe is linked with:

Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Mingle Monday
Tuesday Talent Show

Mendiant with Fleur de Sel

A mendiant is a traditional French confection composed of a chocolate disk studded with nuts and dried fruits representing the four mendicant or monastic orders of the Dominicans, Augustinians, Franciscans and Carmelites.  Well, or it simply means indulgence to me! 



If you need a simple last minute dessert to complete your Holiday Meal with a sweet ending, this is it! This is a quick and easy treat to make and unbelievably decadent.  I used roasted pistachios, dried cranberries, roasted almond, and candied orange peels as toppings.  You can simply use any dried fruit and nuts you prefer.  I love these toppings because they add so much vibrant Holiday colors to the mendiants.  The different textures and flavor just complement each other really well. 



This time, I used some Scharffen Berger 70% Cocoa bittersweet chocolate as the base.  If this is not pure indulgence, I don’t know what is.  Use a sharp serrated knife for chopping to make your life much easier in the process.  I chopped about one pound of chocolate (minus whatever amount that mysteriously disappeared) and started the tempering process.    



If you want to learn how to temper chocolate, check out Anita’s site Dessert First for the detail instructions. My mendiants came out nice and shiny, thanks to Anita’s informative post.  I’ll do a summery in my recipe below.



Beside the dried fruit and nuts, I also sprinkled some Fleur de Sel on top to finish these mendiants off.  The saltiness really compliments the dark chocolate nicely and rounds out the flavor.  The Fleur de Sel also adds a subtle crunch while the smooth and silky chocolate melts in my mouth.  hm….



Fleur de Sel ("Flower of salt" in French) is a hand-harvested sea salt collected by workers who scrape only the top layer of salt before it sinks to the bottom of large salt pans.  They are a little pricey compared to your daily kosher salt or table salt, but it worth every penny.  Besides, you’re going to need just a small amount in a batch of mediants. 



If you haven’t decided on your Holiday desserts, or want to add a quick and easy treat to your menu, give this simple recipe a try.  These mendiants will make a lovely addition to your packaged home made gifts as well.  I think Santa will prefer these over the chocolate chip cookies too! 






Mendiant with Fleur de Sel  (Printable Recipe)
1 pound bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 cup dried fruits and nuts (I used dried cranberries, candied orange peels, roasted pistachios and roasted silver almonds)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Fleur de Sel

Melt 3/4 of the chocolate and espresso powder in a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of 1-inch simmering water.  Please make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.  Stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate is melted.  Do not let chocolate exceed 120 degree F.

Removed bowl from heat and stir in the remaining of the chocolate to cool down and thickened.  When the temperature of the chocolate drops to 82 degree F, place the bowl over the pot of simmering water again until it reaches 88 degree F.  At this point, do not let the temperature of the chocolate gets over 91 degree F.  Otherwise, will need to start the tempering process over.

Drop a small spoonful of melted chocolate onto silpat or parchment lined baking sheet.  Gently top melted chocolate rounds with dried fruit and nuts.  When the chocolate started to cool down a bit, sprinkle Fleur de Sel on top.

Place baking sheet in refrigerator until mendiants are set, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Store in airtight container.



This recipe is shared with:


Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Sweets for Saturday
Friday Food
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Tuesday Talent Show
Success U

Meyer Lemon Sandwich Cookies

Many of you know about the famous Meyer Lemon Trees at my in-law’s place.  There are many recipes that I've created, both savory and sweet, using the Meyer lemons that are harvested by myself.  Such as the Meyer Lemon Curd with Vanilla Sugar, the Meyer Lemon Cake, the Seafood Salad with Meyer Lemon and Herb Vinaigrette, and the Meyer Lemon Macarons with Limoncello Buttercream, to name a few.  I'm lucky that I can get my hands on some fresh Meyer Lemons all year round.

With the Meyer Lemon season approaching, I want to introduce you to another wonderful treat using Meyer Lemons.  The Meyer Lemon Sandwich Cookies!

Next time when you see these fragrant Meyer lemons in the farmer's stands or supermarkets,  be sure to take a few home to try this recipe out.  This would certainly be another good cookie recipe for the Holidays and/or gift-giving.



These Meyer Lemon Sandwich cookies are one of my favorite sweet treats featuring these lovely Meyer Lemons.  The cookies had a nice crunch and crumbly texture, with just the right amount of sweetness and buttery flavors.  The almond meal in these cookies adds a new depth of taste with its nutty flavor.  The Meyer Lemon Buttercream in between the two cookies is silky and smooth, while packed with sweet and tangy Meyer Lemon flavor.  You can serve these at room temperature and the buttercream would ooze out when you bite into one.  I love them chilled so the cool and smooth buttercream will melt in my mouth slowly and allow me to savor them a little bit longer.  Either way, you're going to love this special treat.





I'm sharing this recipe with the Holiday Recipe Swap.  Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Chicago Metallic.

Meyer Lemon Sandwich Cookies: Printable Recipe

Makes: 40 (1 3/4-inch) sandwich cookies

Ingredients for the cookies:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
6 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces of almond meal
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Zests of 2 Meyer Lemons

Ingredients for the Meyer Lemon Buttercream:
1/2 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Zest and juice of 1 Meyer Lemon

To make the cookies:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy.  Add the egg yolks, lemon zest and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the almond meal with the salt, baking powder and flour until well combined.  With mixer on low, add the dry ingredients slowly to the mixing bowl and beat until ingredients are incorporated.

Pat the dough into 4 disks, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350° F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat. On a slightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick. Using a 1 3/4-inch round cutter and stamp out cookies as close together as possible. Arrange the cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies about 10 to 13 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom and around the edges. Let cool on the baking sheet.  Refrigerate the scraps until chilled, then reroll, stamp out more cookies and bake.

To make the Meyer Lemon Buttercream:


Put the sugar and egg whites in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes.

Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat the meringue on medium speed until it cools and forms a thick shiny meringue, about 5 minutes.

Switch to the paddle attachment and add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, beating until smooth. Once all the butter is in, add the vanilla extract, lemon zest and lemon juice, beat the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes.  Taste for acidity, add more lemon juice if desired.

To Assemble:
Top half of the cookies with a rounded teaspoon of the Meyer Lemon Buttercream, place another cookie on top of the buttercream and refrigerate until the buttercream is set, about 15 minutes.  Keep sandwiched cookies in refrigerator.  Leave at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.

This recipe is shared with:

Full Plate Thursday
Sweet Treat Thursday
Friday Favorite
Foodie Friday
I'm Lovin' It
Sweets for Saturday
Everyday Sister Sharing Sunday
Melt in Your Mouth Mondays
On the Menu Monday
Home Maker Monday
Tuesday Talent Show

Almond Cookie Crisps

If you’ve been to a Chinese bakery, you would have probably seen these Almond Cookie Crisps.  They are usually packaged in small plastic treat bags going for $4 to $5 for just 10 or 12 cookies.  Yeah, kind of pricy but they are ridiculously good.  I obviously don’t want to pay $5 anymore for just 10 little cookies (although I had in the past, many many times when I lived closer to a Chinese bakery).  Now, I can make my own at home.  Besides saving a whole lots of money, I can enjoy these anytime I want.  *I’m doing a happy dance here when these little cookies are out of the oven!* 

The ingredients in these cookies are simple.  There are egg white, sugar, flour, salt, almond, a little butter and vanilla extract, that’s all. Yes, very simple ingredients, but that can turn into something truly amazing. Here’s a warning, these cookies care ADDITIVE! Super ADDITIVE!  Okay, you’re officially warned.



These Almond Cookie Crisps are crispy, crunchy, nutty and with a hint of vanilla.  I love to hear that crunch when you bite into one.  They’re even semi-see-through too.  They are perfect for Christmas gift-giving as well.  Hm…with a glass of milk, I can easily finish the whole batch on my own... truly some very dangerous stuff!



Not only there are just a few ingredients involved in these cookie recipe, they are super easy to make, too.  All you need is a small mixing bowl, measuring spoons, measuring cups, and a whisk.  Yes, you don’t even need to take out the hand held mixer.  The key to making these cookies super thin and crispy is to spread a small amount of the batter out.  Then, make sure the almond flakes are in a single layer, which do need a little time and patience to get the whole batch done, and so it is worth it.  Or, simply ask your kids to help out spreading them out.  It would be a fun baking project together. 



Today marks the very first day of a school year for my little boy, who started pre-school in less than a year ago.  It is also my first "back to school" experience as a Mom.  These cookies are perfect as after school snacks.  I'm sure he'll love these cookies, as much as his Mommy does.  I'm so proud of my little boy!






I'm submitting this recipe to Holiday Recipe Swap.  Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by OXO.



Almond Cookie Crisp: (Adopted from Agnes Chang’s Baking Made Easy)
Print This Recipe
Makes 42 to 45 cookies (depending on the size)

2 large egg whites, room temperature
a pinch of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons castor sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup almond slices
2 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven 325F. Line baking sheet with silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk egg white, salt, vanilla extract and sugar until foamy.  Whisk until sugar is completely dissolved.  Whisk in flour until no lumps.  Then, gently fold in almond slices and butter.

Spoon 1 to teaspoon of batter onto prepared baking sheet and spread batter into a 2 to 3-inch circle.  Make sure the almonds flakes are not overlapping each other.  Spoon the rest of the batter on baking sheet with each cookie at least 1-inch apart. Might need to bake cookies in batches.

Bake 9 to 12 minutes depending on their size, rotate baking sheet once during baking.  Bake until slightly golden brown.  Remove from baking sheet and cool completely on wire rack.  Cookies will crisp up once completely cool.

*Do not over bake them because they tend to turn a little more golden brown after they're out of the oven.

This recipe is shared with:

Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Friday Favorite
I'm Lovin' It
Friday Potluck
Fresh Food Friday
Fat Camp Friday
Sweets For Saturday
Family Fresh Cooking
Savory Sunday
Mingle Monday
Making You Crave Monday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
This Week's Craving
On the Menu Monday
Everyday Sister Sharing Sunday
Tuesday Talent Show

Blackberry Macaron with Meyer Lemon Buttercream

Yeah, I’m on Macaron “madness” lately, LOL.  Seems like a lot of the sweet recipes that I posted lately involved Macarons.  What can I say, these Blackberry Macaron with Meyer Lemon Buttercream are my latest creation and they got me my very first “paid” Macarons order after a “taste test”. 



No doubt that I’m happy to receive my very first Macaron order (without any advertising or marketing efforts); I’m actually more thrilled that someone appreciate and loves my creations.  It really makes me happy if my products can put a smile on someone's face. 



Ha…I guess it’s about time to promote and advertise my products here then!    It really made me want to start a little home bakery and share all kinds of baked goods with more people out there.  Shall I?  Will you purchase from me if you live in my area?  What should I include in my bakery?  Leave me a comment and let me know, would you?  I really want to get your feedback before I get my feet too wet!  LOL.  Thank you and I truly appreciate your supports!









Blackberry Macaron with Meyer Lemon Buttercream: Printable Recipe
Makes: 30 to 35 filled macarons



For the macaron shells:
90 grams egg whites (about 3) preferably aged 3-5 days in the fridge
pinch of kosher salt
30 grams granulated sugar
185 grams powdered sugar
110 grams almonds
8 grams Thrive freeze dried blackberries
A pinch of powdered purple food coloring (optional)



To Prepare the macarons:
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and salt on high, gradually add the sugar until stiff peak forms.

Place the almonds, powdered sugar, blackberries and food coloring (if using) in a food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely ground.  Add them to the meringue. Fold the mixtures carefully until you obtain a batter that falls back on itself after counting to 10. The whole process should not take more than 50 strokes. Test a small amount on a plate; if the tops flatten on its own, the batter is ready. If there is a small beak, give the batter a couple more turns.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip with the batter and pipe small rounds (1 inch to 1.5 inches in diameter) onto parchment paper or silicone mats lined baking sheets. Preheat the oven to 280F. Let the macarons sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour to harden their shells a bit and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, depending on their size. Rotate baking pans once half way through baking.


Meyer Lemon Buttercream:
1/2 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Zest of 1 Meyer Lemon
Juice of 1/2 a Meyer Lemon

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a heat proof bowl, add the sugar and egg whites together. Whisk constantly over a saucepan of simmering water. Keep whisking the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and place the bowl back to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat the meringue on medium high until it cools. Switch to the paddle attachment and add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, beating until smooth. Once all the butter is in, beat the buttercream until thick and very smooth, about 6-10 minutes. Add lemon zest and lemon juice and beat until well incorporated.  


To assemble:
Pipe or spoon about 1 tablespoon of butterceam in the center of one shell and top with another one.  Repeat until all shells are filled.

Note:  For more details and tips on making Macarons, please refer to this post here.


This recipe is shared with:

Sweets for Saturday
Everyday Sister Sharing Sunday
Melt in Your Mouth Mondays
On the Menu Monday

Nutella Macarons—And a confession…

I have something to confess.  A love affair, to be exact.  I guess it’ll be easier to admit it, than try to hide my true feelings.  My husband probably should know by now, after he caught me a few times sneaking out of the bedroom in the middle of the night.



Yes, that is bad. I know, really really bad.  He also noticed I daydream throughout the day, all day long, just to think of this affair.  Of course, the affair is with something sweet.  Don’t you know me by now that I daydream about food all the time?  Well, now you know.



No, my love affair is not with the macarons!   That’s more of a love-hate relationship.  My love is all sweet, soft and gentle.  No fuzziness or attitude like how I described them here. 





Yes, my love affair is with Nutella.  My husband should know when he saw me picked up the extra large, double packed tubs of Nutella from Costco.  Nutella and I go way back to my childhood.  It’s truly my childhood sweetheart.  Back then, I usually get Nutella in a sandwich, a crepe, or by the spoonful (and I still do)!  Now, I love to enjoy it most with salty pretzels!  If you haven’t try that, you just simply don’t know what you’re missing out on.



These Nutella Macarons are heavenly.  I used some hazelnuts along with almonds for the shells to tie back the nutting flavor of the Nutella fillings.  The macaron shells are slightly crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, just how a perfect macaron should be.  I made some Nutella buttercream for the fillings, but I preferred it straight out of the tub.  The hazelnut flavor is more intense.  My hubby love the hazelnut buttercream fillings, which is more fluffy and creamy.  Either way, I’m a happy girl with these Nutella macarons. 



Note: I also used some vanilla powder to add more flavors on the shells.  It works much better than liquid ones since macaron doesn’t like moisture.

For more tips on making French Macarons, please refer to this post.





Nutella Macarons:
Makes: 35 to 40 filled macarons

For the macaron shells:

90 grams egg whites (about 3) preferably aged 3-5 days in the fridge
pinch of kosher salt
30 grams granulated sugar
185 grams powdered sugar
55 grams almonds
55 grams hazelnuts
1 teaspoons of vanilla powder
Nutella for filling



In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and salt on high, gradually add the sugar until stiff peak forms.

Place the powdered sugar, almonds, hazelnuts, and vanilla powder in a food processor and process until the nuts are finely ground.

Add them to the meringue. Fold the mixtures carefully until you obtain a batter that falls back on itself after counting to 10. The whole process takes about 40 to 50 strokes.

Test a small amount on a plate; if the tops flatten on its own after counting to 10, the batter is ready. If there is a small beak, give the batter a couple more folds.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip with the batter and pipe small rounds (1 inch to 1.5 inches in diameter) onto parchment paper or silicone mats lined baking sheets.  Here, I pipped them into heart shape instead of circles.  You can do whichever way you preferred.

Preheat the oven to 280F. Let the macarons sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour to harden their shells and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on their size. Rotate baking pans once half way through baking. Cool completely on wire rack before removing macaron shells from baking sheets.

Fill a shell with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Nutella, top with another shell, repeat until all shells are filled.  If the filling gets too soft (especially here in California during summer time), keep filled macarons in the refrigerator.  When ready to serve, remove from fridge and leave in room temperature for 3-5 minutes.  Enjoy.

This recipe is linked to:

Foodie Friday
Full Plate Thursday
Sweet Tooth Friday
Friday Favorite
Fresh Food Friday
Sweets for Saturday

Tips on How to Make Perfect French Macarons--With Raspberry Macaron Recipe

I know I said it before that the French Macarons are too temperamental!  After all, I did had some bad experiences with them in the past.  But, everybody deserves a second chance, don’t you agree?  Especially with something as irresistible as Macarons.  Honestly, they are really not that hard to master... as long as you follow a few tips.
 

I have a few inquiries on tips and techniques in making these Macarons.  Of course, I’m not going to leave you empty-handed.  From my many successful and some not so successful macaron baking experiences, here are my few tips in summary.

Tip #1:  Get a kitchen scale.  It’s important to follow the exact recipe down to the gram (or ounces.) Take the time to measure and weight out each ingredient.  You’ll be rewarded.  This is the digital kitchen scale that I’ve been using.  It’s not expensive at all and it’s one of my best friends in the kitchen.



Tip #2: Aged the egg whites.  I usually separate the egg whites (save those yolks for crème brûlée!) and leave the egg whites covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for 3-5 days before using.  The aging process dehydrates the egg whites, resulting in a tighter and more stabilize meringue. 

Tip #3: Pay attention during Macaronage—mixing the dry ingredients into the meringues!  If the batter is over mixed, the macarons will turned out flat and cracked.  If the batter is not mixed enough, there will be a peak on top and the feet won’t form.  Just make sure to use a spatula to fold the ingredients together between 40 to 50 strokes.  Testing a small amount of batter on a plate before piping is a smart move.  If the peak falls back on its own in 10 seconds, you’re good to go.
 

Tip #4: After piping the macaron shells, let them sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes to and hour to harden the shells before baking.  That would prevent the tops from cracking. 

Tip #5: Double stacking the baking sheets.  That would help the macaron shells bake up more evenly.  When using double baking sheets, the bottoms of the maracons do not heat up too quickly, resulting nicer and taller feet.

I hope these tips would help you in making some beautiful French Macarons.  



In these Raspberries Macarons, I used some Thrive freeze dried raspberries for the shells.   The freeze dried raspberries really gives the macaron shells a beautiful vibrant color and slightly tart raspberries flavor.  I really couldn’t decide what flavor to fill these shells with, so I made a dual buttercream:  Dark Chocolate and Vanilla Bean.  Both buttercreams match perfectly with the raspberry shells, in a different way. 
I hope you’re inspired and encouraged to make your own batch in the kitchen, soon.  You’ll be happy that you did. 

Reminder for Giveaways:
If you haven’t enter the giveaway for the $50 worth of Thrive products yet, please click here to enter.  The deadline to enter is tonight (June 8th by mid night).  Another giveaway is baking molds and goodies from my Hong Kong trip.  Please click here to enter.  Dead line to enter is June 12th.  Good luck to you all!





Raspberries Macarons with Dark Chocolate Buttercream and Vanilla Bean Buttercream
Makes: 30 to 35 filled macarons
For the macaron shells:

90 grams egg whites (about 3) preferably aged 3-5 days in the fridge
pinch of kosher salt
30 grams granulated sugar
185 grams powdered sugar
110 grams almonds
8 grams Thrive freeze dried raspberries
A pinch of powdered red food coloring (optional)

Prepare the macarons:
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and salt on high, gradually add the sugar until stiff peak forms. Place the almonds, powdered sugar, raspberries and food coloring (if using) in a food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add them to the meringue. Fold the mixtures carefully until you obtain a batter that falls back on itself after counting to 10. The whole process should not take more than 50 strokes. Test a small amount on a plate; if the tops flatten on its own, the batter is ready. If there is a small beak, give the batter a couple more turns.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip with the batter and pipe small rounds (1 inch to 1.5 inches in diameter) onto parchment paper or silicone mats lined baking sheets. Preheat the oven to 280F. Let the macarons sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour to harden their shells a bit and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, depending on their size. Rotate baking pans once half way through baking.
 
Dark Chocolate and Vanilla Bean Buttercream:
1/2 cup (100gr) sugar
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 vanilla bean, split open and seeded
6 ounces of dark/bittersweet chocolate chips
A pinch of Kosher salt
A pinch of instant coffee granulate

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a heat proof bowl, add the sugar and egg whites together. Whisk constantly over a saucepan of simmering water. Keep whisking the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and place the bowl back to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat the meringue on medium high until it cools. Switch to the paddle attachment and add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, beating until smooth. Once all the butter is in, beat the buttercream until thick and very smooth, about 6-10 minutes. Divided the buttercream in two portions.

For the dark chocolate buttercream:
In a small microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips, salt and coffee until melted. Stop and stir mixture in 30 second increments until smooth and shiny. Let cool slightly before folding it into the buttercream.

For the vanilla bean buttercream: add the seeds from the vanilla bean to the buttercream and fold with a spatula until fully incorporated.

To assemble:
Pipe or spoon about 1 tablespoon of butterceam in the center of one shell and top with another one.


This Recipe is linked to:
Mouth Watering Monday
Melt In Your Mouth Monday
Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
These Chicks Cooked
Full Plate Thursday
Thrilling Thursday
Made it on Monday
Foodie Friday
Friday Potluck
Pink Saturday
Fun With Food Friday
Sweets for Saturday
A Theme Bakers Sunday
This Week’s Cravings
Sweet Treats Thursday

Homemade Granola

There is no doubt that Spring is here and Summer is approaching fast.  At least, that’s how it feels in Southern California.  With the temperature rising, I crave for cool treats in the afternoon as a pick-me-up.  However, I’m kind of watching my waist line (if there’s one) because I want to get ready for the bikini season.  Hahaha…who am I kidding!?  Let me rephrase it.  I guess I just don’t want to look too over-weight when I have to wear short sleeves.  Fact: I’ve never put on my bikinis after having my kids.  I don't dare to look at, or imagine, the “before and after” pictures. Yike…Hopefully, someday in the future, my bikini collection will see the sunlights again! 




Who said healthy snacks can’t be tasty?  After today, I hope you’ll change your mind on that.  At least, my family and I did.  These Homemade Granola not only are super duper easy to make, they are to die for.  I love the flaky and crunchy texture of the toasted coconut, oats and almonds.  The honey adds a lovely sweet tone, but not overly sweet.  The vanilla extract accentuate these granolas with a lovely sweet aroma.  When these granolas are baking, your whole house would smell sweet and wonderful.  I say, it’s even better than breads or cookies baking in the oven!  You’ve got to give it a try to find out.



In this recipe, I added the Homemade Granola on the bottom of the mini martini glasses.  Top with fresh raspberries and strawberry yogurts, and of course, MORE granolas on top!  This granola is also a wonderful topping for ice cream, gelato or sorbet.  Simply add them to your favorite bowl of cereal or oatmeal would take your morning breakfast to a whole new level.  They are definitely perfect with any cool treat!  But before you add them onto anything, try to refrain yourself from eating the whole batch right out of then oven!  Yes, they are really that good!   :)

Homemade Granola:

Makes: 4 cups 

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
pinch of kosher salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted (Vegan option: substitute with vegetable oil or coconut oil)
1/3 cup honey (Vegan option: substitute with 4 tablespoons of agave)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, toss the oats, coconut, almonds and salt together.  In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, honey, and vanilla. Pour the butter mixture over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated.

Pour onto an 11 by 17 by 1-inch sheet pan lined with foil. Bake, stirring every 5-7 minutes with a wooden spatula/spoon, until the mixture turns a nice, even, golden brown, about 15-20 minutes*.

Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally.  Store the cooled granola in an airtight container. 

*Note: I've made many more times of these Granola after this post.  If you're using a larger sheet pan, the baking time might be less.   As soon as the Granola turn golden brown, remove them from the oven.  they will crisp up as they cool.  

Serving suggestions:

1) I munch on them as snacks!  Yeah, 4 cups isn’t really a lot.

2) Spoon a tablespoonful on the bottom of a mini martini glass (or a bowl), top with fresh berries (I used raspberries here), then, spoon your favorite yogurt (I used strawberry yogurt) on top.  Top with more homemade granola goodness and enjoy! 

3) Simply sprinkle over ice cream, gelato or sorbets.

4) Add to your favorite breakfast cereal or oatmeal

This recipe is linked to:
Sweets for Saturday
Mouth Watering Monday
Fresh, Clean and Pure Friday