uTry.it Turns One! More Macarons…Oh yeah…and a Giveaway

uTry.it turns one today!  Woohoo!  It’s amazing looking back to the past 365 days.  365 days of happy memories because of you, every single one of you, my dear readers and food blog friends. 


When I wrote my very first blog post a year ago, I’ve never expected I would gain so much from writing a food blog (besides gaining the weights from testing out recipes, hahaha…). I’ve made so many news friends and fellow bloggers. I truly cherish all of your friendship, comments, supports, feedbacks and kindness. It’s overwhelming, but in a very positive way.





Did you know, the post that received the most comments and feedbacks in the past year was The Culinary Smackdown Battle-Cookies.  It was such a fun event/contest.  I really love to see all those scrumptious cookie recipes that you shared on my blog.  Maybe I’ll host another similar event again in the near future.  What do you think?


Speaking of cookies, the French Macaron was the type of cookie that got the most recipe posts in the past year from the cookie category.  Probably because it’s a plain canvas that I can create so many different flavor combinations in these little cuties.  What can I say, they are absolutely addictive.  If you haven’t make these cuties before, here’s the post for some basic Macaron making tips. 




To extend my appreciation for your supports of my blog, I’m hosting a Giveaway on uTry.it’s Birthday.  The prizes from the giveaway will help you to a step closer to making these Macarons as well.  That is, if you haven’t make them before. 


This Giveaway is now Closed. Thank you for everyone who participated.


Prize #1: Silpat Non-Stick Silicone Mat 11 1/2-by-16 1/2-inch.  It fits perfectly on my 12 by 17-inch baking sheets.  A must have for Macaron making. Of course, you can use the Silpat when you make any other cookies, breads, meringues, etc.

Product image from Amazon

Prize #2: Bourbon Vanilla Powder 2.5 oz. by Nielsen-Massey Vanillas. A key ingredient for Macaron making.  Adding lots of flavor but not moisture, which is essential for successful Macaron making. 

Product image from Amazon

Rules for the Giveaway:

This giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere in the world.  1 winner will be selected using Random.org and the winner will get both prizes. Must be a uTry.it public follower/member through Google Friends Connect to participate.  (See the right hand side bar under “Follower” with the button “Join this site”).  You have until Wednesday, August 31st, 12 midnight PST to enter this giveaway.  Winner will be contact via email shortly after the giveaway is closed.

Mandatory Entry: 

Leave a comment and tell me what kind/type of recipes you would like to see more on my blog.  Is it desserts,entrée, or entertaining appetizers? Do you like Chinese, Asian, French, Italian or whatever you can think of?

Additional Entries: (you can do any or all of the following, just leave a separate comments for each)

1) “Like” uTry.it’s Facebook page.  Here’s the link. 

2) Share this giveaway with your friends on Facebook.  Please include the link to this post when you share.

3) Follow uTry.it on Twitter.  Here’s the link.

4) Tweet about this giveaway.  Please include my Twitter handle @utry_it and the link to this post in your tweet.

5) Subscribe to my blog via email.  You’ll receive an email to verify the subscription.  

6) Subscribe via RSS feed.

Meyer Lemon Macarons with Blueberry Buttercream and Meyer Lemon Curd:
Printable Recipe

Makes about 30-35 filled macarons

For the shells:
110 gram egg white (3 large eggs), age the egg whites in the fridge for 2-3 day
30 gram granulated sugar
185 gram powdered sugar
110 gram almonds
1 teaspoon vanilla powder
1 tablespoon of finely grated Meyer Lemon Zest

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites to a foam, gradually add the sugar until you obtain a glossy meringue. Then, add the lemon zest and vanilla powder until well combined.
In a food processor, process the almonds and powdered sugar until the almonds are fine.  Pour into a large mixing bowl and whisk to break any lumps. 

Add the meringue into the almond mixture and fold carefully until you obtain a batter that flows like magma or a thick ribbon. The whole folding process should be around 40 to 50 strokes.

Test a small amount on a plate. If the tops flattens on its own after 10 seconds, you are good to go. 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 round (about 1.5 inches) onto baking sheets lined with a Silpat.

Let the macarons sit out for an hour to harden their shells a bit. Preheat the oven to 280F and bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on their size. Let cool completely.

For the Blueberry 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 1/2 a Meyer Lemon
2 tablespoons of Meyer lemon juice
1/4 cup blueberry preserves

In a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk the sugar and egg whites constantly until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like marshmallow cream.

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, lemon juice, and blueberry jam, beat the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, about 6-10 minutes.  Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain tip. 


For the Meyer Lemon Curd, please see recipe here.


To Assemble:
Spoon a dollop of Meyer lemon curd in the middle of a Macaron shell, pipe blueberry buttercream around the lemon curd and top with another Macaron shell.  Enjoy.


This recipe is shared with:

Sweets for Saturday
Foodie Friday
Fresh Food Friday
Friday Favorite
Fat Camp Friday
On The Menu Monday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Full Plate Thursday
These Chicks Cooked
Friday Favorites
I'm Lovin It
Friday Potluck
Sweet Tooth Friday

Chocolate Library Review— To conclude the Hong Kong, Macau and Australia Trip

This is the last part of our trip to Hong Kong, Macau and Australia.  To see the previous posts of the trip, please click here, here, and here.
Before we travel back to Hong Kong, we knew that The Ritz-Carlton—Hong Kong, located in the International Commerce Centre(ICC), was going to open for business right before our arrival.  Of course, Ritz is a fine hotel, but what attracted me the most was one of the restaurants inside the hotel—The Chocolate Library, located on the 103rd floor of the ICC!  As a chocolate lover, how can I not visit them to try their chocolate afternoon tea?  So, are you ready to see the details?  Here we go…

 


The afternoon tea opened between 2:30pm to 6pm, we arrived early and there was already a short line in front of us waiting to be seated.  These empty seats (see above picture) next to our table were filled up in no time. 


  

This was the menu for the Afternoon Tea Set.  We looked at the a la carte menu but there were not as many choices compared to the Afternoon Tea Set.  So, my husband and I both ordered the Afternoon Tea Set.




While we were waiting for the food, we enjoy the beautiful decor around us.  With the soft background music playing along with the simple and elegant decor, the atmosphere was quite relaxing.  Being on the 103rd floor, the best thing to enjoy (besides the chocolate) was the magnificent harbor view.   Unfortunately, the day we were there was a bit foggy and the view didn’t show up clearing on the pictures that I’ve taken.  The fog got even stronger as we waited.  So, I didn’t have another chance to show you the views.  If you’re interested, click here to the Ritz-Carlton’s site and they have quite a few awesome pictures of the harbor view.


 

First food item arrived was the Hot Chocolate made with Valrhona Chocolate.  Boy oh boy, if you are familiar with Paula Deen’s cooking show, you know how she loves to roll her eyes to the back, lean forward to the counter and tell you how delicious something was that she just tasted.  After just one sip of this hot chocolate, I had my eyes probably at the back of my head!  LOL  It was rich, smooth, creamy, decadent, and irresistible.  Yes, very chocolaty!  I can definitely sip this all afternoon long. 

 

Hot Chocolate made with Valrhona Chocolate

Yes, that was me enjoying the Hot Chocolate and the view.

Here comes the Afternoon Tea set.  The serving vessel was so cool and looked just like an encyclopedia.  I was excited and eager to see what’s inside.

 

Ta dah….lovely, isn’t it?

Here are the close ups of each item.

  

Smoked barbarie duck, cantaloupe melon confit on walnut bread

First savory item, Smoked BBQ Duck, cantaloupe melon confit on walnut bread.  Honestly, there was just a tiny little bit of duck in there.  It would be perfect if the portion of the duck was at least doubled.

 

Cocoa nib chocolate bread, duck fois gras terrine

Second savory item, Cocoa nib chocolate bread, duck fois gras terrine.  I loved the rich and creamy fois gras in this dish.  Perfectly matched with the cocoa nib chocolate bread.  Nicely done.

White chocolate berries shot (Ivory white chocolate 35% cocoa)

The White chocolate berries shot was divine.  My husband didn’t like berries at all and he finished the whole thing in no time.  The tartness from the berries balanced perfectly with the sweetness from the white chocolate mousse.  A lovely dessert.  Maybe I’ll try to replicate this in the future.

 

Milk Chocolate apricot (Jivara milk chcolate 40% cocoa)

Not a fan of apricot myself.  This milk chocolate apricot was not bad.  The milk chocolate mousse on top was silky, light and perfectly sweet.  I didn’t care for the cakey bottom though.  A bit too soggy for my liking.

Chocolate framboise tart

Loved this chocolate framboise tart.  Very chocolaty and decadent with a hint of raspberry scent from the framboise. A perfect chocolate tart.

 

Berries cocoa tart, guimauve (Manjari chocolate 64% cocoa)

Another classic dessert with the combination of berries and chocolate.  This berries cocoa tart, guimauve (marshmallow in French) was unique.  I love the little pink marshmallow on top. 

  Chocolate mille-feuille (Caraibe chocolate 66% cocoa)

Up to this point, I was really stuffed.  LOL.  Normally, I could take a lot more sweets.  Maybe because the cup of hot chocolate was really rich, I almost couldn’t continue…almost.  But how could I say no to chocolate?  So, I tried a bit of this chocolate mille-feuille.  It was rich and dense.  I was expecting something flaky and light, like how a typical mille-feuille should be.  Personally, I didn’t like the fudge bottom of this dessert.

Chocolate orange confit macaron (Guanaja chocolate 70% cocoa)

A perfect chocolate macaron, except, I couldn’t taste the orange confit at all!  Did the chef forgot to put it in there? hm….

Marble cheese cake (Coeur de guanaja 80% cocoa)

This was a wonderful cheese cake to end the meal. Again, couldn’t find the marble!  But just think of it as a regular cheese cake.  It was rich and creamy with the perfect amount of sweetness.

The price?  $398 HKD (around $50 USD) for two.  It was a nice experience and a wonderful way to spend the afternoon, especially when the kids were not around.  Special thanks to my in-laws and cousins who baby-sat the kids for us so my hubby and I could have a date together.  I believe it was the very first time we went out on a “date” alone without the kids, ever since we became parents!  It meant a lot to us.  So, thank you!

Now that you've read my review.  I would like to know what you think of this place.  Please cast your vote.  (It's just for fun, no sign up required.)

*Disclaimer

This post is linked to:
I’m loving it
Foodie Friday
Sweets for Saturday
Party Mindie Style

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

Hong Kong, Macau and Australia Trip—Part 3 And a Giveaway

 

Many of you already knew Hong Kong is my home country.  Therefore, we didn’t really go to any site-seeing locations in Hong Kong.  Mainly, we spent our time with friends and family, and planned some fun activities for the kids.  Plus, visiting different places to enjoy food that we grew up with and missed dearly.  Such as authentic Dim Sum at Chinese restaurants; freshest seafood feast, which in some restaurants, you can pick out your choices of live seafood from the tanks right outside the restaurant and the chef prepared your selections right away; street food as shown in the picture below, this particular vender offered fish balls, beef balls, fish cakes, sausages, octopus, stuffed veggies, and mini egg waffles, etc.



My favorite of all time?  This soft-serve ice cream cones from this Mobile Softee (see picture below).  This brand/truck for soft-serve ice cream has been in business for ages.  I think my very first consumption of this Softee was possibly in my mommy’s tummy!  LOL



There’s more I wanted to share with you about the adventure we had in Hong Kong.  But, I’ll save those on another post because there were quite many pictures and details.  For now, let’s do the giveaway!  For those of you familiar with my blog, you probably know I had the logo with the Paper Wrapped Cakes pictures since the day this blog was born.  Here’s the recipe.  Quite a few of you inquired about where to purchase these molds.  Unfortunately, they only sell them in Kong Kong.  So, I thought of all of you while I was there.  So here we go, the giveaway includes….



A)  10 Paper Wrapped Cakes Cake Molds (aluminum)
B)  20 Paper Cups that fitted perfectly with these molds
C)  2 Pairs of Wooden Chopsticks with Cloth Covers
D)  Some of my favorite candies from Hong Kong (Coke Cola flavor mentos—tempting? Frutips—black currant fruit drops, mango flavor hard candies with fructose filling)
Sorry, table cloth not included!  :P

Rules for the giveaway:

This giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere.  Deadline to enter is June 12th by Mid-night PST.  Must be a uTry.it follower to enter.  To enter, simply leave a comment to tell me if you dare to try the street food if you ever travel to Hong Kong.


Extra chance to win: you can do all or any of the following (please leave a separate comment for each additional entry):

1) Like uTry.it on Facebook  (Here’s the link)
2) Sign up and confirm email subscription on my blog (See right hand side bar that said “SUBSCRIBE TO”)
3) Share this giveaway with your Facebook friends
4)  Share this giveaway on Twitter

Winner will be announced shortly after the deadline of the giveaway. Good luck!


This post is shared with:
Foodie Friday
Full Plate Thursday
Sweets for Saturday

Mocha Meringue Kisses

You’re right, more meringue cookies.  I really think I need some help over here.  NO, not help with eating my cookies!  I’m officially hooked with meringue cookies, both making and eating them!  Well, I don’t think there are any therapies out there for this kind of addiction, are there?  Why am I hooked?  Probably, it’s because these cookies are so versatile.  I get to make them into different shapes and different flavors, pretty much like French macarons.  On the other hand, they are much forgiving than macarons.  For sure you don’t have to worry if your meringue cookies turn out to have “feet” or not, cracked tops, or worse, sticking on your baking sheet!  Yeah, unfortunately, all of the above issues happened to me during macarons making in the past, they are too temperamental.  Quite the opposite, meringue cookies turn out to be perfect every single time.  Any way you want to shape them, they are willing to play along, just like a good husband or boyfriend should be. hahaha….okay, that’s a bad analogy.



These Mocha Meringue Kisses are crunchy, crispy and airy.  They melt in your mouth and burst with espresso flavor.  Pop a few of these in the morning and you can skip your cup of joe.  Or even better, pop a few of these while sipping your cup of joe, there you go!   :)













Mocha Meringue Kisses:
Makes: 5 dozens 3/4-inch cookies

3 large pasteurized egg whites, at room temperature
a pinch of kosher salt
3/4 cup caster (superfine baker's) sugar
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (for dipping)

Preheat the oven 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt until frothy, about 2 minute. With the machine on medium-high speed, gradually add the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Add the cream of tartar, vanilla extract, and espresso powder. Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is thick, shiny and holds stiff peaks, about 5 to 7 minutes. 

Transfer meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip.  Pipe meringue in 3/4-inch diameter and 1-inch apart onto lined baking sheets. Bake for 45 minutes.  Rotate the pan and bake for another 45 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the meringues to cool completely while still in the oven, about 2 hours.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chip on high.  Stir every 30 second intervals until melted.  Let melted chocolate cool slightly.  Dip the bottom of the meringue cookies into the melted chocolate and place them back onto the lined baking sheet.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until chocolate harden.

This recipe is linked to:
Foodie Friday
Full Plate Thursday
Sweet Tooth Friday

Meyer Lemons Macarons with Limoncello Buttercream

Finally, we’ve moved in to the new house!  I still couldn’t believe we’ve more than 80 cartons of stuffs!  Please don’t ask me what is inside these cartons.  I have no idea... even though I was the one who packed 90% of them.  It took the moving company more than 12 hours to move everything from the old house to the new house!  It’ll take me forever a while to unpack and organize everything for sure.  So, I’m going to keep my post short and sweet.  Of course, I’ll still spend time to write up and post my recipes!  ;)  That’s actually the best method to unwind a long “unpacking” day!




After the huge Thanksgiving feast, I craved for something more refreshing.  I thought of these Meyer Lemons Macarons with Limoncello Buttercream!  Not only they are refreshing and delicious, they are also addictive, dangerously addictive!  They are lemony, creamy, crunchy, chewy, rich, silky, and smooth all in one bite.  Did I mention they are addictive?!  Oh my, maybe my body is telling me I need some alcohol in the system!  If you’re not into limoncello, you can totally opt it out from the recipe.  I’ve made both versions and the kids’ friendly one is just as good. 





Meyer Lemons Macarons with Limoncello Buttercream:  
Printable Recipe
Makes about 30-35 filled macarons

For the shells:
3 egg whites (110 gram) (I like to use 2-3 day old egg whites)*
25 gram granulated sugar
200 gram powdered sugar
110 gram almonds
2 teaspoons of finely grated Meyer Lemon Zest
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites to a foam, gradually add the sugar until you obtain a glossy meringue. Then, add the lemon zest and vanilla extract until well combined.

Process the almonds and powdered sugar in a food processor until the almonds are fine. It will break the powdered sugar lumps and combine your nuts with it evenly. Add them to the meringue and fold the mass carefully until you obtain a batter that flows like magma or a thick ribbon. The whole folding process shouldn't be more than 50 strokes.

Test a small amount on a plate: if the tops flattens on its own you are good to go. If there is a small beak, give the batter a couple of turns. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip with the batter and pipe small round (about 1.5 inches) onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Let the macarons sit out for an hour to harden their shells a bit. Preheat the oven to 280F and bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on their size. Let cool completely.

Limoncello 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
2 tablespoons Limoncello
Juice of 1/2 a Meyer Lemon
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. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like marshmallow cream.

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, limoncello 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.  If not using right away, refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to 1 month.

To Assemble:
Put the limoncello buttercream in a piping bag and fill the macaron shell. Top with another shell to finish.

*Tips: To age the egg whites, simply place them in a covered container and store in refrigerator for 2-3 days, or uncover at room temperature overnight.

Opera Macarons

I had been wanting to bake up some of these French Macarons for a while before I really put things into actions.  Why was I procrastinating?  Mainly was due to afraid of failure.  I’ve came across so many different recipes and they seemed hard to make and required lots of skills.  However, once I baked up my first batch, I was ecstatic!  I couldn’t wait to bake more, with different varieties and flavors. These French Macarons are not to be confused with the American Macaroons, the later one has shredded coconut as the main ingredient.  Versus the French Macarons, which are made from a mixture of egg whites, almond flour, and both granulated and confectionery sugar.  It’s a blank canvas that you can be creative and put many different ingredients into it.



Did I mention they were hard to make?  Actually, not at all!  As long as you follow a few tips and you’ll be good to go.  First of all, precise measurement is important, as in all baking.  Measure all ingredients with a digital kitchen scale is essential to the success of a perfect Macarons.  You’ll always get a more precise measurement by weight than by volume.  So, if you still don’t have a kitchen scale, what are you waiting for?  Click here to check out the one I use.  I love it.

Second of all, follow each step of the recipe and don’t be lazy (like I am).  There are reasons behind each process.   For example, this recipe calls for aged egg whites and it is important because there’s less moisture in the aged egg whites, in ratio of protein.  If the batter is to runny, your cookies won’t bake up properly.

Last but not least, practice makes perfect.  My skills in using pastry bags was really classified as “beginner” (or worse, don’t even know what class that is) when I first started to make Macarons.  After 4 to 5 batches (forming more than 200 cookies shells), I upgraded my skills to intermediate level.  Yes, I’m still not perfect but it’s much better than before.   




These Opera Macarons are super delicious!  Crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside.  Your taste buds will jump for joy when your tongue come across with the smooth and creamy coffee buttercream.  When you bit into the center, you’ll experience the "melt in your mouth" goodness with the rich chocolate ganache.  Ending with a hint of the hazelnut and almond flavor from the shells.  As I’m typing this post, I’m popping one (and another….and another… X ) in my mouth.  So, don’t just imagine how good it is.  Go make a batch and experience it yourself! 





Opera Macarons:   Adopted from Tartelette
Makes about 30-35 filled macarons
Printable Recipe

For the shells:
3 egg whites (110 gram) (I like to use 2-3 day old egg whites)
30 gram granulated sugar
200 gram powdered sugar
60 gram ground almonds
55 gram skinned and ground hazelnuts
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Espresso Powder

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites to a foam, gradually add the sugar until you obtain a glossy meringue. Then, add the vanilla extract and espresso powder until well combined.

Combine the ground almonds, ground hazelnuts and powdered sugar in a food processor and give them a quick pulse. It will break the powdered sugar lumps and combine your nuts with it evenly. Add them to the meringue and fold the mass carefully until you obtain a batter that flows like magma or a thick ribbon. The whole folding process shouldn't be more than 50 strokes.

Test a small amount on a plate: if the tops flattens on its own you are good to go. If there is a small beak, give the batter a couple of turns. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip with the batter and pipe small round (about 1.5 inches) onto parchment paper baking sheets. Let the macarons sit out for an hour to harden their shells a bit. Preheat the oven to 280F and bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on their size. Let cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache:
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup bittersweet chocolate
In a heavy saucepan set over medium heat, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from the stove and add the chocolate to it. Let stand 2 minutes and then stir until fully combined. Let cool until firm enough to put in a small piping bag.

Coffee 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
1 1/2 Tablespoon Instant Espresso

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. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like marshmallow cream.

Stir in the instant espresso until dissolved. 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 and beat the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes. If not using right away, refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to 1 month.

To Assemble:
Put the coffee buttercream in a piping bag and pipe a circle around the edges of a macaron shell. Pipe a dollop of ganache in the middle and top with another shell

Note: I only make half of the ganache and buttercream from the above recipes and there were enough to fill all the shells. If you make full recipe for the fillings, left over can be freeze for up to 3 months.

Tips: To age the egg whites, simply place them in a covered container and store in refrigerator for 2-3 days, or uncover at room temperature overnight.

This Recipe is linked to:
Sweets for Saturday
These Chicks Cooked