French Macaron With Lemon Cream

Salam to all,

This is my 2nd attempt at making these little beauties and this time round I am really proud of myself as they all turn out 100% perfect (in my eyes and taste buds lah) *ehemmmsss* :p  Giving my self a pat on the back and hopping on 1 leg, a star jump and errrr I am tired after all that excercises hehehehez.  Before u read further, do bear with me as this is gonna be 1 longggggggggg entry with heaps of photos.  I am entitled to this bragging rights......la la la la la la :D

The story goes.....I had 6 egg whites left over from making the custard sauce so I aged them.  Only made 1 batch, using approx 2.5 egg whites as I wasn't confident of the outcome of the macarons and how they will turn out.  This time round, I wanted to colour them red but was stopped by Jannah when I wanted to add more red colouring gel bcos she wanted them to be pink.  So, pink it is....in her eyes they are still pink but to me they look a little pinky orangy hehehehez.

For the filling, I used this lemon cream recipe which was highly recommended by Rima.  The lemon cream on its own is really not to my liking as I am not a lemonly/citrusy person but........There is a BUT ok.  When it's combined with the macaron shell!!!!  OMG!!!!!  It taste oh so yummmmmmzzzzz nesssssss.  The sourness of the cream really cuts the sweetness of the macaron shell.  Biting into 1 was just so perfect.  Thank u Rima for sharing these 2 wonderful recipes ;)

They all have feets.....

Not a single shell cracked...

No difference baking on a silpat or baking paper. Left - Silfpat, Right - Baking Paper.  They both came off easily.  I removed them from the tray to the cooling rack once they are out from the oven using just my bare, heatproof fingers...ahakkkksss

Source : Rima @ Bisousatoi
Ingredients
Swiss Meringue
80g egg white (at room temperature)
65g caster sugar
80g ground almond
140g icing sugar
1/2tsp lemon juice
yellow colouring powder (I used wilton red colouring gel)

Method
Swiss Meringue Macarons:
1. Line 3 to 4 baking trays with silicon sheet. (I used silpat & baking paper)
2. Use a round cookies cutter, press it into some cocoa powder or flour.
3. Use the cookies cutter to make some round imprint on the silicon sheet and set aside.
4. Sift icing sugar and almond together and set aside.
5. Pour sugar and egg white into a heatproof pan and place it over a saucepan of simmering water.
6. Stir constantly until sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch (about 50 to 55C).
7. Pour the egg white and lemon juice into the mixing bowl with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks then add in the powder colouring.
8. Continue to beat until the egg white has cooled down and it look smooth and shiny. (medium peak but not dry)
9. Fold in the sifted mixture in 4 portions into the meringue. Do not over fold batter until it turn watery, batter should be slightly thicker than cake batter.(I hv tried dumping the sifted mixture all at once.. it works too)
10.Spoon batter into a piping bag and pipe it within the round imprint which had made earlier on.
11.Let the macarons to rest for 30mins.
12.Preheat oven to 150C.
13.Bake a tray at a time for 20-25mins, depend on individual oven. (I baked mine for 20 mins)
14.Remove macarons and cool on a wire rack. (if ur having difficulty removing shell, spray a little water (mist) under baking sheet.. let it sit for a few sec and peel it off)

Source : Rima @ Bisousatoi I only made half of the recipe ~~ For full recipe, pls click the link <-

Ingredients :
6 Tblsp Lemon Juice
Lemon Zest (As much as u want)
2 Eggs
120g Caster Sugar
125g Unsalted Butter - Room Temperature



Method :
To make the lemon cream, place the sugar in a large bowl.
Grate finely the zest of the lemons and add them to the sugar.
Mix with the tip of your fingers.
Add the eggs and lemon juice and whisk well.
Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water without touching, in order to thicken the cream. It is ready when it coats a wooden spoon.
Remove from the heat and let cool a little before adding the pieces of soft butter. Mix well by hand first until the butter is melted, then with a hand mixer to lighten the cream. It can take a few mins

Now, I am just itching to try out more macaron recipes....hehehez.....Ta Ta For Now ;)

Fruit Trifle 2012

Salam to all,

The weather here is still as gloomy with on and off heavy rain just like a few days before.  Lucky that I managed to get my washing dry yesterday when Mr Sun shines his ray for a few hours.  I luv the rain as it keeps the temperature down but its certainly isn't a good day for photos.

Anyway, as promised to hb, I finally made the fruit trifle yesterday nyehahahaz.  It was 8 days overdue bcos I actually promised to make it for him on New Year's day :D  When I came back from sg....hmmmmm let me see how long ago was that.  Like 2 mths ago....he also requested for roti john and curry puffs.  I've already made the roti john for dinner some time back and for now, I still owe hb curry puffs.  Addddeehhh, may Allah give me strength to make them ;)

This year, I didnt cheat 1 bit when I made this trifle.  No store bought sponge cake and I even made the custard sauce myself.....pheewwww that was hard work isn't it.  Hb loves them, he ate most it and took some for his lunch at work today.  Too much cream for my liking.  As for Jannah, she doesn't like this trifle at all cos she said that there's too much fruit in it.  She's still a picky eater when it comes to fruits and veggies....haiiizzz.

Source : Bro Rozzan

Swiss Roll/Sponge Cake Ingredients :
6 grade A eggs (I used 6 sized 7 eggs)
4 oz caster sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 tablespoon ovalet
3 oz plain flour
1 tablespoon milk powder
4 oz butter (melted)

Method :
1. Beat eggs, sugar, ovalet, baking powder, vanilla essence, flour and milk powder on high speed until thick and fluffy (5-7mins).
2. Add melted butter and mix / stir.
3. Pour batter into the pan and then just smooth the surface.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes with a temperature of 170 degrees Celsius.

Note : I baked the batter in a 32 x 24 cm swiss roll pan and got 2 pieces of cakes from the mixture above. One was rolled into swiss roll with strawberry jam filling. The other was cut into half for the trifle layer.

Source : Taste.com.au

Vanilla Custard Ingredients :

1 vanilla bean, halved lengthways

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup thickened cream

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup caster sugar

2 teaspoons cornflour

Method :

Scrape seeds from vanilla bean. Place milk, cream, vanilla seeds and bean halves in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 10 to 12 minutes or until almost boiling. Set aside for 10 minutes to infuse. Strain into a heatproof jug. Discard vanilla bean halves. Wash and dry saucepan.

Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks, sugar and cornflour together in a bowl until thick and creamy. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture. Return to pan. Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes or until thick enough to coat back of a spoon. Serve.

Note : If not serving immediately, cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin forming.

Other Ingredients :

Strawberry or raspberry jam
2 Cans of canned fruits of your choice
500ml fresh cream

Garnish :
Grated Chocolate/Cherries or anything that fancies you ;)
Toasted slivered almonds

Fruit Trifle Method :

1. Cut the sponge into half and spread with jam and place in the base of a large serving bowl.
2. Pour over the fruit juice until the sponge cake is wet.
3. Spread the half canned fruits on top of sponge cake.
4. Whip the cream until soft peaks form and blend 2/3 the whipped cream with the custard. Spread half of the custard evenly over the fruit and sponge.
5. Spread jam on the remaining half of the sponge and place it on top of the custard.
6. Repeat step 2-5 for 2nd layer.. Spread the remaining whipped cream over the top of the custard and refrigerate one hour before serving.
8. Decorate with grated chocolate/cherries and toasted almonds before serving.

Wonderfully Soft Bread

Salam to all ;)

Yesterday morning, I had an early phone call from Aunty Eton.  She said she wanted to drop by my place on her way home from Tauranga to Hamilton.  Since it was raining crazily for summer this year, she decided to chill out at my crib....cheh cheh hehehez chill out....crib......siakss :ppp  Yup yup chill out while waiting for the rain to subside before continuing her journey home with her hb, uncle David.

She told me not to go through any trouble preparing lunch and will arrive here at abt 11am.  While waiting for her, I did a little clean up and forced Jannah to eat her breakfast which she took almost an hour to finish bcos she was so engrossed watching her kid's programme on tv.  I turned the tv off and in my mind thinking, what should I whip up for my guest.  Although Aunty Eton, said not to prepare anything for them, I just can't welcome my guest with plain water. 

So, I made this wonderfully soft bread.  True to its name, just like what Yat said....it is wonderfully soft alright.  Jannah had her lunch which consist of rice, fried fish & cabbage and still managed to eat 2 pieces before aunty and uncle came over and had another 1 when they arrived.  She wanted more when she saw I packed 3 pieces of the leftover bread for aunty.  She even asked me to make them again today....yikkesss next time ok my baby ~~ she doesn't like me calling her baby now.  She's a girl she said ;)

Well, I had lots of time to make the bread, proof it, baked it and even eat it while waiting for them to arrive.  Guess what time did they arrive....????  Jeng jeng jeng.......after 2.30pm!!!  Janji melayu betol!!!  What can I say abt the Malays when they make promises aye??  They are either 5 minutes early or 1 day late ;pppp Ooopppssiiiee, that includes me bcos I fall under the Malay category.....la la la la la la la *whistle* *whistle* *whistle*

Source : Yat @ Easybakes
Ingredients :
310g bread flour
60g cake plain flour (I used standard flour)
40g Nestle CoffeeMate powder (I used milk powder)
115ml skim milk (I used fresh milk)
20g condensed milk
55g caster sugar
3g salt
7g instant yeast
1 egg + 2 egg yolks (I used 2 large eggs)
40g butter (room temperature)

Egg Glaze : 1 egg lightly beaten with 1 tblsp fresh milk

Method :
1. Sieve flour mixture into a large mixing bowl.
2. Make a well in the middle of flour mixture and add in all the rest of ingredients except butter.
3. Mix till a dough is formed and knead in the butter till you get a smooth dough.
4. Proof dough for 50 minutes or till double in size.
5. Divide dough into 12 portions of 60g each and shape it or wrap in the filling. Proof for another 50 minutes or till double in size.
6. Brush with egg wash and bake at 190C for 15 minutes or till cooked.

Note :
I used my breadmaker to do the job for me and sprinkled sugar after glazing the buns.

10.18pm, lights and tv already off.  Jannah and hb already asleep *yawwwnnss* my turn to join them ZZZZzzzzzz.