Tag Archives: almond

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Coconut-Lime Rice Salad

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A few weekends ago I was coffee-dating and Anthro-browsing with my real-life/blog-life pal, Megan. We wandered into an olive oil/vinegar shop because Megan mentioned that they had a coconut white balsamic…and, I HAD TO try it. Had to, it happens.

So, I tasted the coconut vinegar, and it was so sweet-tart, coconut-y, and delicious…I had to have some. I’ve been daydreaming ways to showcase this vinegar and I kept coming back to fragrant jasmine rice. This salad comes together quickly and can be served warm, room temperature, or even cold. The vinaigrette is a savory-sweet and tart mixture of the coconut white balsamic, some persian lime olive oil, a little shallot, and sea salt. We shake up the vinaigrette in a jar and gently stir it into the still warm rice–for optimum dressing absorption. Toasty (unsweetened) coconut, nutty sliced almonds, and super-fragrant lime zest are fluffed into the rice.  Every bite has texture and flavor and fragrance. I can’t wait to serve this rice alongside grilled seafood…a late summer evening with a cool glass of something boozy will be a totally optional, yet highly suggested, accompaniments.

Coconut-Lime Rice Salad

Serves 4-6

I know coconut white balsamic and persian lime olive oil aren’t the most readily available pantry staples. You can use any vinegar and olive oil you’d like (I like the idea if rice wine  vinegar and a lighter olive oil), just add a little extra lime zest for good measure. For reference, I purchased the oil and vinegar from HERE (the Birmingham location). The man I talked to was super knowledgeable and had great suggestions. PS, I like my dressing/vinaigrettes to be pretty tart and bracing…so, add more olive oil if you prefer a  more smooth and lush dressing. 

1 cup jasmine rice, uncooked

1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut, toasted

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

2 limes, zested and juiced

1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons coconut white balsamic

3-4 tablespoons persian lime olive oil

big pinch of sea salt

Cook the rice. For a rice cooker–follow manufacturer’s instructions. On the stove-top, pour the rice into a medium saucepan add 1 2/3 cups water (I like a ratio of 1 part rice to just under 2 parts water, thus the 2/3 measurement, but if you have a tried and true method, use that). Bring the pot to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, covered tightly, for 15-20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Allow rice to rest, covered, for at least 5 minutes. Scrape the rice into a large mixing bowl and fluff gently with a fork. Set aside.

To toast the coconut and almonds, preheat the oven to 350˚F and spread the coconut and almonds on a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast for about 4 minutes, stirring after the first 2 minutes. Watch the coconut and nuts carefully, as they can go from perfectly toasted to burned in a matter of seconds. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, toss with the lime zest and set aside.

In a small jar combine the lime juice (about 1 tablespoon total), minced shallot, coconut (or plain) vinegar, lime (or plain) olive oil, and a big pinch of sea salt. Fasten the lid on the jar and shake vigorously to combine. Pour the vinaigrette over the rice and fold gently with a rice paddle or rubber spatula to combine. Add the coconut/almond/lime zest mixture and fold in gently to combine. Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled.

 

 

 

 

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Smoked Salt and Almond Shortbread Stars

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Oh, hi!

It’s been a little quiet around here, but baking/sugar cooking has been happening. Next week I’ll have an iteration of my fave caramels, but for today I have these sweet and salty shortbread stars.

I love a shortbread. The dough is easy to put together, it can chill in the fridge or freezer for days, they are super buttery, and they appeal to children and adults alike. I also love that there are multiple ways to shape them–you can press the batch into a round pan for wedges, roll it up and slice as needed, or roll it out and use cutters.

I opted to do a star shape since I got it into my head that I wanted to paint a navy background, and wouldn’t it be cute to put tiny star cookies all over it, so it could be kind of like a magical-cookie-night-sky? Yes, yes it would be and it is.

These cookies are nutty, buttery, smoky-sweet & salty. I coarsely ground the almonds so there would be some crunchy nubbins as well as fine bits throughout each bite. I used smoked salt from Allstar Organics–I love this salt for it’s intense charcoal color, deep smoke flavor, and satisfying crunch. The salt really makes these cookies–it plays so nicely with almond and lots of butter. Since these are shortbreads and shortbreads are a sturdy cookie when well packaged, they travel like a dream. The salty-nutty and just sweet flavor of these cookies make me think these would be just as welcome on a festive cheese plate as they would on a holiday cookie tray.

*As usual, all opinions are my own. Allstar Organics probably doesn’t even know who I am, I just love their Applewood Smoked salt and thought you should know it.

Smoked Salt + Almond Shortbread Stars

adapted from Martha Stewart

There are many brands of smoked salt, Maldon makes a nice, lightly smoked, flaky one. I like the Allstar salt since it is so dark and contrasts nicely. You could also just use whatever salt you have on hand–there won’t be any smoke flavor, but the cookies will be delicious regardless. The cookies hold their shape best if you chill the cut cookies on the pan before baking–about 10-15 minutes will do the trick.

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup confectioners sugar

scant 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon smoked salt, plus more for sprinkling

1/3 cup coarsely ground almonds (grind in a food processor or chop by hand)

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

With an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, extracts, and salt until smooth and combined. On low speed, mix in the almonds and flour until just combined.

Divide the dough and flatten into two discs. Wrap discs in plastic and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 300*F.

Using one disc at a time, roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Using desired cutter, cut out cookies and transfer to parchment lined baking sheets. Sprinkle a bit of salt onto the tops of each cookie. Chill sheets in the refrigerator 10-15 minutes, bake 22-25 minutes or until cookies are just turning golden around the bottom edges. Remove and cool on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough/cookies. Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 weeks.

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Rocky Road Brownies

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Hey!

I’m totes back…and…I made brownies!

I would apologize for the brief hiatus in the last few weeks, but, truth be told…I’m not super sorry about it since I was living life, soaking in some solid family and friend time, and clocking as much niece time as I could. Twelve days ago my newest niece was born and I just can’t resist snuggling new born babes–they’re a wonder, it’s for real. It was an exciting trip home, but I’m glad to be back with my husband, pups, and cooking in my own kitchen.

Anyway, about the brownies! There’s nothing about Rocky Road that I don’t like–chocolate, marshmallows, and nuts–so much texture. These are a rich, fudgy, sticky, gooey, and crunchy. Instead of the standard marshmallow, I switched it up and made these coffee flavored. I tried to bake the marshmallows into the brownies, but that resulted in a soggy, melted, marshmallow mistake.  Since the mallows were homemade I added them at the end of baking, which lets them melt a bit into the brownie, forming an irresistible topping.

Rocky Road Brownies

I adapted my fave brownie recipe for this, you could probably use whatever one you like best with fine results.

Coffee Marshmallows:

adapted from Chuck Hughes

4 teaspoons powdered gelatin

2/3 cup water

1/2 cup strongly brewed coffee or espresso (I used 6 teaspoons instant espresso dissolved in 1/2 cup water)

1 1/2 cups granulatred sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

powdered sugar for dusting

In a small bowl, soften gelatin in 2/3 cup water for about 5 minutes.

Prepare an 8x8inch pan by lining with parchment and spraying lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan combine 1/2 cup espresso with the sugar, heat over medium high to dissolve and bring syrup to a low boil. Cook 1 minute, remove from heat, and stir in gelatin until it is completely dissolved and combined.

Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the syrup until it become light in color, voluminous, and holds a medium-stiff peak. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and dust the top with powdered sugar. Allow to set up several hours before cutting and rolling each piece in powdered sugar. Can be kept in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.

Brownie:

adapted from Alice Medrich’s Best Cocoa Brownie recipe.

10 Tablespoons unsalted butter

3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, cold

1/2 cup flour

Topping:

1/4 cup chopped almonds

10 marshmallows, cut in half

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350*F. Prepare an 8×8 pan by greasing and lining with parchment. Set aside.

Fashion a double boiler out of a saucepan and a large, heatproof mixing bowl. Add butter, chocolate, sugar, cocoa, and salt–stir to combine until butter is melted and the mixture feels hot to the touch. Set aside and allow to cool to just warm.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in vanilla, then, add eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition. Add flour and combine. Once flour is incorporated, continue to stir vigorously for about 40 strokes. Pour into a prepared 8×8 baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownie comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Remove the brownie from the oven, top with almonds, marshmallows, and chocolate chips. Return to the oven, turn off heat, and allow the topping to melt onto the brownie top for 3-5 minutes in the still warm oven. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.

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Vanilla-Almond Iced Coffee

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Well, it’s beginning to get too warm for hot beverages…which means it’s iced coffee season!

I am a big fan of iced coffee and a big fan of coffee dates…but, when I want an iced coffee every-single-day that the weather threatens to be warmer than 80*F, it can get a little pricey…and really, sometimes I don’t want to change from my grungy house wear (yoga pants and t-shirts with paint/mod podge splatters, holla!) to real-deal clothes.

Luckily, cold-brewed coffee saves the day.

I like my iced coffee all kinds of ways–black, creamy, creamy AND sweet, and sometimes flavored. I don’t really discriminate, the flavor of the day just depends on what I’m feeling. Lately, I’ve been mixing up this concoction with a hint of vanilla and almond. It’s the perfect treat for an afternoon pick-me-up when all I want to do is nap the afternoon away, but I can’t because I got schtuff to do.

Vanilla-Almond Iced Coffee

You can mix-up the creamer in advance and keep it in the refrigerator for a week. Feel free to change the flavors and ratios to customize it to your tastes. I love the sweetened condensed milk in the creamer, it lends that flavor that is reminiscent of Vietnamese Iced Coffee, one of my favorites. 

Vanilla-Almond Creamer

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup Half and Half

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Stir together all ingredients in a measuring cup. Pour the mixture into a container to store.

Cold-Brewed Coffee

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

A lot of recipes instruct you to leave the coffee mixture out on the counter. I’ve done it this way before, but I like to just keep it in the refrigerator so it’s already chilled when I strain it. I also like to make this in a 1 litre carafe, so I have plenty of cold coffee on hand for spontaneous caffeine fixes.

1 cup ground coffee (I like to use italian, french, or espresso roast)

4 1/2 cups water

In a large container (a beverage carafe works nicely), stir together coffee and water. Cover and store in the refrigerator or on the countertop for at least 12 hours (I usually go a bit longer). Set a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl, line the strainer with a coffee filter. Strain the mixture, you may have to do this in 2 batches. Alternatively, you can filter the coffee using a french press (I have to do this in batches for this amount of coffee). I personally prefer the coffee filter method so a lot of the coffee-ground-silt is filtered through.

To prepare: Fill a large glass with ice cubes, pour over coffee and as much creamer as you’d like. Add a straw for fun and sip-a-bility.

 

 

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Recipe: Espresso + Toasted Almond Semifreddo

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I really love coffee.

When I was a small child, I would relish visits to my grandparents house…not only for the blackberry picking expeditions and days tromping through the woods surrounding their Sierra foothills home, but, because for breakfast there were often waffles with strawberries and cream AND a mug of sugary milk with a splash of coffee.

That creamy-sweet, slightly coffee flavored mug of goodness was a serious treat. My mom never made it a practice to allow us to have soda, let alone coffee as kids. The only exception (besides trips to grandma and grandpa’s) was when we would go to Baskin Robbins for a scoop–or if we were really lucky, a double–my brother always got a classic kid-friendly flavor, like bubble gum, but I ALWAYS got jamoca almond fudge. Coffee, almonds, and a fudge swirl. So good.

This semifreddo is reminiscent of those childhood days, when coffee-flavored treats felt so mature to my kid-palate. The texture of the semifreddo is somewhere between an ice cream and a mousse–all without the need for a machine to churn it all. It’s flavored with instant espresso, sweet cream, toasty almonds, and creamy almond butter. It’s great on it’s own, but, serving scoops in a puddle of chocolate sauce makes this dessert a touch fancier… Definitely something my young-self would have been into.

Espresso + Toasted Almond Semifreddo

adapted from Pumpkin Semifreddo

I use instant espresso powder in this recipe for ease and because I really like it in desserts.   If you’re feeling fancy, you could definitely brew a few shots, cool, and fold those into the mixture before folding in the almonds and freezing. 

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 Tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder–divided

3 Tablespoons honey

3 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons water

3 large egg yolks

2 Tablespoons almond butter

1/2 cup coarsely chopped, toasted almonds

Sprinkle the 1 Tablespoon of espresso powder over the cream in a large bowl to dissolve. Once dissolved, whip the cream to medium peaks. Set aside in the refrigerator.

Make an ice bath in a clean sink basin or a large bowl. In a large, heatproof bowl whisk together the remaining 1 teaspoon espresso powder, honey, sugar, water, and egg yolks. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and the whisk leaves visible tracks. Remove from heat and continue to whisk over the ice bath until cooled. Fold in the almond butter. Stir in about 1/3 of the prepared whipped cream, then fold in the remaining whipped cream, and lastly fold in the chopped almonds. Scrape the mixture into a container, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for at least 4 hours to set.

Spiced Chocolate Sauce

adapted from The Perfect Scoop

I only made a small quantity of sauce, this is 1/4 of the original recipe. 

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup good quality cocoa powder

1 ounce dark chocolate, chopped or chips

1/16-1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a small saucepan combine water, honey, and cocoa powder, bring to a low boil, remove from heat and stir in the chocolate, spices, and vanilla. Can be used warm or room temperature.

 

 

 

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Recipe: Chocolate Mendiants

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Tempering chocolate is one of those things that freaks me out.

Not the kind of freak-me-out that spiders induce–you know, the screaming, running, jumping kind–but rather, the kind that looms large on the horizon. The kind that chips aways at my brain, promising disaster, wasted pounds of ingredients, time, and mountains of frustration. The kind that I have always wanted to attempt, but always approached with such trepidation and nerves, that I have avoided it for years now.

The other day, I decided to go for it. It’s one of my goals of the year that I can now check off my list. Not that my list is long and/or difficult, but it feels like an accomplishment nonetheless. Tempering the chocolate gives the finished candies stability, an even, satiny appearance, and delightful snap when broken. I found an approachable technique on Martha Stewart’s website that worked really well for me. Instead of using the microwave–mine is in  an awkward area of my kitchen–I used the double boiler method. The heating pad trick is genius and instantly set my mind at ease, knowing there would be some insurance for keeping my painstaking efforts at temperature. Majorly big sigh.

These little gems are simplistic in composition. A disk of chocolate studded with fruits and nuts. Mendiants are a French confection, generally found around Christmas, but with Easter around the corner, I thought these would make a wonderful, adult-like treat in lieu of (or addition to!) chocolate eggs and bunnies.

Chocolate Mendiants

Technique found on Martha Stewart

Since the ingredient list here is simple, I would encourage using your favorite chocolate for these, as well as quality ingredients for nestling. You could certainly make these without tempering the chocolate, though you may find that you need to refrigerate to keep the candies hard. 

1 pound good quality chocolate–I used Callebaut

assorted nuts, fruits, salt for topping–I used blanched/toasted almonds, toasted hazelnuts, toasted coconut, candied orange peel (recipe here), and smoked sea salt

Cover a heating pad in a clean dish towel and set pad to lowest setting. Using a sharp knife, shave the chocolate. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners.

In a heatproof glass bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt 2/3 of the chocolate while stirring, until the chocolate registers 120F on an instant read thermometer.

Remove from heat and stir in remaining chocolate–I did this gradually–stirring, moving the mixture up the sides of the bowl and back down into the mixture until the temperature reads between 86-89F. To test the chocolate, drizzle a small amount onto a stainless steal surface–the chocolate should harden into a matte finish in about 5 minutes. Place the bowl on the heating pad and working quickly spoon level tablespoons full of chocolate onto lined baking sheets. Allow the chocolate to begin to set before studding with desired fruits, nuts, etc. Once completely set, chocolates can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

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Recipe: Coconut-Almond Macaroons

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I’ve been on a bit of a coconut binge lately. I love the distinct nuttiness and chew. It began with the raised coconut doughnut from DoughBoys. That freaking doughnut dominates my thoughts and I would gladly eat one everyday of the week. But, alas, I cannot if I want to live past the age of 30. My heart thanks me.

To quell my cravings, I decided to make these insanely simple coconut-almond macaroons. Whoa buddy, not only are these delicious (and gluten-free by default), they took minutes to make. You simply whisk an egg white with some sugar, then throw in coconut and chopped almonds. There’s also some vanilla and a pinch of salt, but really…those are minor details.

These cookies are soft and chewy in the center, crisp and nutty on the outside and full of coarse bits of almond. If you were feeling extra decadent, you could dip the bottoms in melted dark chocolate, though I think they are perfect as is.


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Vanilla Macarons with Cream Cheese and Jam

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Oh, sweet macaron!
There isn’t much say about these sweet sandwiches that hasn’t already been said.  I love them and fully admit that I have fallen for their cute, round shape and rainbow of color and flavor options. Despite their famed trickiness, I have made many batches of macarons over the years. Some were a great success and some were epic fails, ending with me flinging sheets of imperfect macarons into the trash between fits of tears and foot stomping. Glamorous…I know. I also  know that with things like this, practice makes perfect and technique can make or break your efforts. That being said, I have learned a few things about macaron baking.
“Liquify” or “Age” your egg whites. If I plan on making macarons the next day, I will leave the whites in a bowl, covered with plastic wrap, on the counter overnight. If this grosses you out and you fear contamination, go ahead and put them in the refrigerator for a while…like a week…in a bowl, covered with plastic wrap.
Food coloring. Powdered food coloring is preferable, as it doesn’t add moisture, but liquid or gel color can be mixed into the granulated sugar if that is what you have. I usually only have gel color on hand, and I have had good results using this method.
Allow your piped, unbaked shells to dry at room temp for a bit, allowing them to create a little crust, which encourages the much coveted foot to form.
Also, use 2 baking sheets in the oven…again, gentle encouragement of the foot.
Oven temp. I have a crazy oven that runs about 30 degrees hotter than the dial suggests. Your oven may be weird too, so I suggest purchasing an inexpensive oven thermometer so you can be sure what your oven temperature really is.
My favorite macaron making resources are the blogs, Cannelle et Vanille and Tartlette, as well as the book I Love Macarons by Hisako Ogita.

Hopefully none of this scares you and discourages you from making macarons. I’m simply a home baker and I’ve managed to pull it off a few times. I think the most important thing is probably just trying it out. And then, trying again.
Vanilla Macarons
adapted from I Love Macarons
Almond meal can be found in the baking section or natural foods section of many grocery stores. You can also make your by grinding blanched almonds with the powdered sugar. I filled these with cream cheese frosting and jam. I used store bought jam this time, I like Bon Maman.

3 oz. almond meal
5.25 oz. powdered sugar
3 large eggs white, brought to room temperature
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean seeded

food coloring, optional

Line a baking sheet with either a silicone baking sheet or parchment. If you are using parchment, you can trace 1-inch circles onto it and use that as a guide as you pipe the shells.

Mix granulated sugar w/ food coloring, if using, set aside.

Place almond meal and powdered sugar (and vanilla bean, if using) into the bowl of a food processor and grind into a fine powder. Sift the mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Set aside.

Either with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or beater, beat egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar to egg white with the mixer on medium speed. Stir in vanilla extract if using. Continue to beat on high speed until glossy and firm, but not dry.

Add half of the sifted flour mixture to egg whites. Stir with a spatula while scooping it up from the bottom of the bowl. Add the rest of the flour and mix lightly in a circular motion. Once the flour is incorporated, press the batter against the side of the bowl, spreading it out. Scoop the batter from the bottom and fold it over. Repeat this step 15 times. The batter should be thick and drip in a slow ribbon from your spatula.

Fit a pastry bag with a round tip and fill bag with batter. Pipe rounds onto baking sheets, leaving plenty of room between each. The batter will spread as you pipe, so pipe small circles. Rap the sheet against the counter to release any bubbles. Dry shells on the sheet pan until a crust forms, 15-30 minutes depending on the humidity in your area. If the batter doesn’t stick when you touch the shells, they are done.

Heat oven to 375 F. Stack the baking sheet on another, empty sheet. Place onto the middle rack in the oven. Bake 14-15 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through. If the insides are still too soft after 15 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 300 F and cover the tray with foil (so shells do  not brown) and continue to bake for 2-3 minutes more. Cool completely on a wire rack before removing and filling.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese at room temp.
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine cream cheese and vanilla. With a stand mixer or electric beater, beat until light and creamy. Add powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Use immediately or refrigerate. If refrigerating, bring to room temp and beat again until it becomes light and spreadable.

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success!

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i like to think of macarons as the little darlings of the pastry world. maybe a little fussy, but so cute that the effort and (many) failed attempts are worth it. i don’t really know how to describe the satisfaction of pulling a tray of lovely ruffled macaron shells from the oven. it’s pretty much pure joy.

maybe that sounds like an exaggeration, but after failing at every attempt of macaron making in the last 6 months or more, these beauties brought on the joy. i made a second batch a few days later…and lovely still! imagine me clapping vigorously and then running around the house squealing with delight. yup. that’s me getting excited about successful baking endeavors.

i have plans to make another batch this weekend since sean turns 25 on monday. i like to shower him with sugary delights and really, birthdays are just an excuse to make things extra special.

i’ve been thinking that this is a new year and that in a new year we should do new things. like…adding an “i’m listening to…” to each post. i was inspired by cindy, of the blog quaint handmade (check out those fantastic calling cards…i want!). she posts a link to a song that she’s fond of in each of her posts. i love this since i love to discover new tunes and baking in my kitchen is usually a one-woman-sing-a-long performed by yours truly. plus, you can share with me what your listening to! oooh, interactive ;) i’ll be adding this feature beneath the bottom of the last photo on each post.

listening to… you and i misbehaving – tilly and the wall

PS. i’m thinking that with all the devastation in haiti, sean and i live a pretty cushy life. a small donation is the least we can do and i know a lot of others are expressing the same sentiments. we gave to the american red cross via text. which is, to me, an ingenious way of getting people involved in this tech driven time.  very simply text 9099 for a $10 donation, charges are applied to your phone bill.

lemon-lime filled macarons

macaron shells

this recipe is adapted from the book “i love macarons” . i recommend it. it has great tips for macaron making success! i also age my whites since that’s what aran recommends and the lady can make a macaron.

85 grams almond meal

150 grams confectioner’s sugar

3 large egg whites at room temp, that have been aged in the refrigerator over-night or longer

65 grams granulated sugar

1 vanilla bean seeded

green food color (if desired)

cut parchment to size of your sheet-pan or use a silicone baking mat. draw 1-inch circles onto parchment (if using) spacing at least 1/2 inch apart as the batter will spread some.

in a food processor, grind almond meal and confectioners sugar together. if using a seeded vanilla bean, add that to the mix as well. sift the misture through a fine mesh sieve (the book says twice, i did it once with good results).

beat egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachments or with a hand blender in a stainless steel bowl, until foamy. gradually add granulated sugar to the whites while beating, being sure to scrape down sides after each addition. when the meringue is stiff, firm (not dry) and has a glossy sheen it is done (add food color before this stage is reached).

add half of the sifted almond mixture to the whites. stir w/ a spatula while scooping up from the bottom of the bowl. add the rest of the meal and mix lightly. when the almond mixture is incorporated, spread and press the batter along the sides of the bowl. scoop the batter from the bottom and turn upside down, repeating about 15 times. when the batter becomes firm and drips in a slow ribbon as you scoop it up with your spatula, the mixture is done.

fill a pastry bag fitted with a 0.4 inch tip.  pipe small circles of batter onto your parchment or silicone mat…be sure to make them small as they will spread. rap the sheet firmly against the counter. dry the macarons at room temp for about 30 minutes or until the batter is no longer sticky when touched. the tops should be smooth and any tips on top should have settled into the batter.

place a second sheet pan under the one with the piped macarons. this encourages the pied/foot to develop. place the baking sheets on the center rack of a preheated 350F oven. bake for 12-13 minutes until crisp on top. you may need to rotate your tray halfway through for even baking. the shells should not brown or take on any color from baking. cool on a rack and remove. i like to match up similar shell sizes before filling.

shells keep for 1 week in the refrigerator and can be frozen as well.

lemon-lime cream

adapted from “baking: from my home to yours”.

1 cup sugar
grated zest of 2 lemons and 2 limes
4 large eggs
3/4 cup fresh lemon-lime juice (from 2 lemons and 3 limes)
2 sticks plus 5 tbsp butter, cut into pieces at room temp.

makes about 2 1/2 cups

have an instant read thermometer, a strainer, a blender (preferred, but a food processor will work fine). bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a saucepan.

put sugar and zest in a medium-large heatproof bowl that can be set on top of saucepan of water. off the heat, rub zest into the sugar until the sugar is fragrant. whisk in eggs followed by juice.

set the bowl over the pan of water and whisk constantly. cook until the temperature reaches 180 F being sure to whisk constantly. at first the mixture will be light and foamy, but as it heats more large bubble will appear and as it reaches 180 F, the whisk will leave tracks and the mixture will thicken. do not stop whisking or checking the temperature, be patient it could take as long as 10 minutes depending on how much heat is being given.

as soon as it reaches 180 F, remove from heat and strain into the blender. discard zest. let it cool at room temperature, stirring occaisionally, for about 10 minutes, or 140 F.

once it has cooled down, turn the blender on high and begin adding butter, 5 tbsp at a time, scraping sides as needed. once all of the butter is incorporated keep the machine running for another 3 minutes. this will ensure a light and luscious cream.

pour the cream into a container and press plastic wrap onto the top. chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. stir before piping to loosen.


pipe cream onto macaron shells and sandwich. the filled cookies store wonderfully in the freezer.