I was so excited by the technique I used to make the cottage rose macarons in my last post I decided to keep on going and make something even more whimsical and magical and that's how these woodland toadstool macarons came to be.
How adorably cute are they, and look at the perfect shiny shells! I am smitten with this technique. It's the opposite of textured macarons and I love it to bits.
I made a YouTube video <click here> that's only a few minutes long so you can watch the piping technique. Honestly I am mesmerised by the way the piped mixture falls back into the shells and can watch it endlessly. Once they are piped they look like beautiful necklace pendants sitting on a tray.
The secret to shiny macron shells that withstand the wet on wet piping technique is a recipe with the right consistency, not all recipes will work. My recipe is an Italian Meringue base that I have personally tried, tested and tweaked for 15 years. It was used commercially in my cafe and was no fail time after time for thousands of macarons. You can get it for free <HERE>
and if you know me you know I haven't stopped here. I have a few more designs floating around in my head that I have to try before I move on. If you make your own batch up make sure to tag me on instagram so I can see how they work out 👀
I filled these macarons with a whipped pistachio ganache that is so yummy you can eat it with a spoon, I've included quick instructions at the end of the post below.
Happy Baking
xx Linda
Shopping links
(may have affiliate links which may earn me commissions and contribute to the running of this blog):
Red Food Powder like <AMERICOLOR RED CLICK HERE FOR LINK> I prefer a powder for red as you need to use so much gel food colour it impacts the batter consistency.
Green food colour - any gel type can be used as only a drop is needed I used moss green. You only need a drop or 2 for the soft hue I achieved.
Pistachio Cream - I picked mine up at Costco her is an online link <PISTACHIO CREAM AMAZON> You can make your own or buy any brand you like. Or you can use just white chocolate ganache without adding the pistachio cream to save money.
PISTACHIO GANACHE -I filled the woodland toadstool macarons with a decadently delicious whipped pistachio white chocolate ganache. Mix 3 parts white chocolate to 1 part cream (ie 300g (10+5/8oz) white chocolate to 100g (3+5/8oz cream)) heat in microwave for 2 minutes on high, cool/set, whip in a mixer and then and mix in 1 part pistachio cream (ie 100g (3 5/8 oz))
Linda Mccubbin is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US in 2011 (under my previous name Linda Vandermeer).
Honestly these Cottagecore rose macarons might be the prettiest macarons I've ever made. Are they cottage core? I'm not sure we used to call it shabby chic. Anyhoo those sweet roses are piped into the still wet macaron batter with different coloured macaron batter. I was so happy when it worked and I ended up with super shiny deliciously gorgeous patterned shells.
They are definitely the macarons of my dreams. It is so satisfying when the piped mixture falls back down into the shells.
I was so excited I even made a 5 minute Youtube videoshowing how I made them which includes mixing up the macaron batter so you can easily follow along andmake your own here. Like I said it's a pretty short video and you can see the consistency required for the batter so I recommend watching it if you're going to try make your own macarons (patterned or not).
I filled these ones with a white chocolate rose ganache to match in with the rose decorated shells. I also did a version with a whipped white chocolate buttercream and raspberry puree centre for Mother's Day which was reminiscent of Devonshire tea and totally delicious..
They do require a little bit of work and I'm not sure every macaron recipe will work. Some of the recipes out there are different batter consistency to mine and as a result the piped roses will not fall back into the shells as well, so I've included the exact recipe I used which is the same recipe I've used for 15 years, modified slightly over the years. While I had a cafe I made thousands of these gorgeously delicious treats and fine tuned the recipe until it was no-fail for me.
I've already made up a few more batches of these wet on wet designs to share with you so check back to see all the macaron gorgeousness over the coming weeks.
XX
Linda
Cottagecore Macarons (wet on wet instructions - see also my YouTube video)
Mix up macaron batter. I've included my recipe for Italian meringue macarons below. Just before the batter is ready spoon out a small amount into 2 small bowls around 1/3 cup in one and 1/2 cup in the other.
Colour the large portion sky blue, and then colour the 1/3 bowl green (I used one drop mint green), then colour the 1/2 cup pink (I used one drop) then split a small amount of the pink into another bowl and put another drop of pink to make it a darker hue of pink. Put all the batter into seperate piping bags.
Batter waiting to be piped. I made my own parchment bags for the small amounts
Pipe the main batter onto trays lined with parchment paper. I did one tray at a time so the macarons did not start to form skins.
Once you have the blue macaron shells piped, tap the tray on the counter to remove any air bubbles and then pipe 3 light pink dots (see picture 1 in the collage below).
Using the darker pink pipe a curve or c on top of each light pink dot. (see picture 2 in collage below)
Using a toothpick, skewer or scribing tool swirl in little circles back and forth to look like little rose swirls (see picture 3 in collage).
Pipe little leaves on the sides of each rose by piping a dot then letting go of the pressure on the piping bag and pulling the bag out sideways (see picture 4 in collage below) My leaves fell into the batter, however you might need to pipe a dot and use the scribing tool to pull the 'leaves' outward.
Repeat for remaining batter and then allow to rest on the trays until set (see picture 5 in collage below).
Linda's Macaron Shells makes around 40-50 shells or 20-25 filled macarons. See below macaron recipe for simple instructions for ganache filling.
150 gram (5 +1/4 oz)almond meal (almond flour) 150 gram pure icing sugar (5 +1/4 oz powdered sugar) 150 gram granulated sugar (5 +1/4 oz) 37 grams water (1 +1/4 oz) 110 gram (3 + 7/8oz) egg whites aged split into 2 lots of 55grams each (2 lots of 1 + 7/8 oz each) food color of choice (I used sky blue, pink and mint green gel type food colour)
*ageing egg whites refers to separating the yolks from whites and then leaving the whites to age for a few days. This can be done on the counter if your countries climate permits or in the fridge, wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and then pop a few holes in the top. Alternately you can pop fresh egg whites in the microwave on high for 10 seconds or so - I used the aging on counter method in this batch pictured.
1. Mix the ground almonds and icing sugar together and pulse a few times in food processor to make almond meal finer. Do not over process as the meal can become oily. Sieve into a large bowl. Add colour and 55g (1 + 7/8 ounce) of the egg whites to the sugar/almond mixture but don’t mix in.
2. Place remaining 55g (1 + 7/8 ounce) of egg whites in bowl of mixer fitted with the whisk.
3. Pop granulated sugar and water into saucepan, stir to combine and cook without stirring to 118 C (245F). Brush down the sides of the saucepan with a pastry brush dipped in water as required to avoid sugar crystallising. Make sure you have a pouring shield on your mixer, once the syrup has reached 118C pour in a thin stream down the side of the mixer bowl continuing to whisk on medium low.
4. Continue to whisk the meringue on high until the side of the bowl is only a little warm to touch, around 50C (120 F).
5. Add meringue mixture to almond mixture and using a large spatula fold the mixture together until it starts to shine and forms. If you run the spatula through the mixture it should form a ribbon that disappears back into the mixture after about 20 seconds.
6. Add the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a plain tip (or just cut the end of a disposable piping bag, that's what I do) and pipe in lines onto parchment lined baking sheets. To make the macarons as even as possible I apply a constant slow pressure to the piping bag and count a few numbers like up to 3 for each one.
7. Set aside for about 30 minutes or until the macarons have formed a skin so that the macaron mixture does not stick to your finger when gently touched. If the weather is humid this step may take longer up to 2 hours. I pop on the aircon if it's humid at my house.
8. Meanwhile preheat oven to 130-135C (275 F) fan forced. Once ready bake the macaroons for around 19-23 minutes depending on size, it may take less of longer, all ovens are different. If they are baked and you gently push on the side the tops will not move, if the tops do move bake for another minute or 2. Also they should not be browned if they are reduce the heat for the next batch or bake for less time.
9. Once baked remove the baking trays and immediately slide off the macarons and the parchment onto the work surface and let cool completely before removing the shells.
10. Once cooled match disks into like sizes and sandwich together using the ganache.
Ganache Recipe
To make ganache melt white chocolate with cream in the microwave for 2 minutes on high and mix gently until combined, use a ration of 3:1, so for example 240 grams (8+1/2 oz) white chocolate to 80 grams (2 + 7/8 oz) cream. Add some gel color and rose oil/flavor to taste.
You will not believe how easy these muffins are. No special equipment or fancy ingredients for the basic mixture and you can pop in any type of add in you like. I first published them on the blog here back in 2014 as raspberry and there is no way to keep track of how often I've made them. The recipe is still almost too good to believe.
If your household is anything like mine, the kids will be eating bananas by the truckload and then all of a sudden stop. It used to drive me crazy but now I don't mind at all, I just make muffins. Also no big deal if you don't have time to cook right now, just peel the banana, wrap them in cling film and pop them into the freezer. When you're ready to cook pull them out defrost and use them, the mushier the better in this case.
Plus they are a gateway muffin to healthy eating and home cooking. They are not actually a health food, but if you have someone who eats too much processed packet foods, chances are you can win them over with these muffins and actually get a bit of hidden fruit into their diet. I sometimes made them with wholemeal (wholewheat) flour and they still taste great.
I made a YouTube video here which is only just over 4 minutes long from start to finish which shows just how fast and easily you can whip up a batch of home made deliciousness.
This is consistently one of the go to recipes I have used over the years. You can have them plain banana or add in chocolate, blueberries, raspberries, pretty much anything at all.
If there is one recipe on the blog I recommend everyone have up their sleeve, it's this one, trust me you won't regret it.
Happy Baking
Linda
XX
Super Easy Mix Banana Muffins
makes 9 muffins. I often make a mix of different muffins by mixing all the ingredients up to the add in stage, scooping the batter into the muffin tins and then adding different add ins so I end up with a mixed variety of muffins. ie 3 blueberry, 3 chocolate and 3 white chocolate and raspberry.
3 very ripe bananas 1 egg 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/3 cup oil (I used olive oil)
Optional add ins:
3/4 cup raspberry (fresh or frozen) and 1/4 cup white chocolate;
or 1/2 cup chocolate chips;
or 3/4 cup blueberries
Preheat oven to 160C (325F) and line a regular muffin tin with baking papers (you will only need to line 9 of the 12 holes)
In a large bowl using a fork, mash the bananas well.
Add the wet ingredients and mix well.
Add all remaining ingredients except the optional add in's and mix until just combined.
Divide mixture evenly between the 9 paper cases filling up to the top of each cupcake paper.
**Add in extra 'add-ins' at this stage. You can make all one flavour or make a mixture. Some ideas are chocolate chip; raspberry/white choc chip; blueberry. Just push the ingredients into the mixture.
Bake until the top is golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean (around 30 minutes).
