Macarons with Lemon Curd Buttercream

From reading other blogs, it seems that creating good macarons is a culinary achievement.  I'm all about achievement of any kind, but like other perfectionists I'm sometimes reluctant to try something I don't think I'm going to be good at.  Case in point: macarons.

I'm going to share with you my first and second attempt at these fussy little treats.  You'll see that I still don't have it down to a science, but my family isn't minding this whole practice-makes-perfect mentality.  They loved the first batch, pointy tops and all.  The second batch--with its crazy good lemon curd buttercream filling--is even better.

First, let me say you might not have every ingredient and tool for macarons in your kitchen, unless you regularly stock a lot of almonds, or almond flour.  Friends, almond flour is not cheap.  This little bag cost about $10 at my local grocery.

The almond flour gets blended with powdered sugar in a food processor, and then sifted into another bowl.  Sifting is fussy. 

You might also end up with these bigger pieces like I did.  I just threw them into the bowl after everything else was sifted, and nothing catastrophic happened.  I'd go with that!

You might also not own a macaron template with perfect circles to slide under your parchment paper.  I improvised, as many bloggers recommended, and traced 1 1/2" circles onto one side of parchment paper, then flipped the paper over on my cookie sheet to provide a guide for sizing.  My son Izaak 'volunteered' to trace circles for me.  I paid him in frosting; he got to lick the beaters.  In a family of four kids, that's a coveted treat!

You probably do have eggs, though.  Egg whites get beaten, and beaten, and beaten with some sugar until they are glossy and clump on the whisk.

 

Here comes the hard part.  At least it was the hard part for me.  That almond flour-powdered sugar mixture gets blended into the egg whites but NOT in a mixer or with beaters.  By hand.  Carefully.  

Unlike an angelfood cake, it's ok to deflate the egg whites while mixing, but what's NOT ok is overbeating the mixture because it will cause the macaron shells to be tough.  In the recipe I followed, the blogger instructed that about 50 strokes of the spatula was all a baker should take if they wanted to avoid that point-of-no-return.  Being a rule follower, I counted 50 strokes and stopped.  My batter didn't run off the spatula like other bloggers indicated it should--in a heavy 'ribbon' of batter--but I didn't want to toughen up the macaron shells.  What happened?  After I piped the batter into my circles, they each had a little peak. 

 I read that peak would flatten as the macarons cooked, but no.  Not so much.  My pretty light blue shells got ugly brown, too, but that's a lesson for another day.

The problem was I didn't mix my batter enough.  It was too stiff, didn't run off the spatula in a thick ribbon, and didn't flatten out while baking.  I had to cut off the tips on half of them when I frosted them so they would sit upright, and not look like tops.

The truth?  My family thought they were fantastic.  I filled them with ganache and ate all those little tips.  They ate everything else and asked for more.  So this time around, I blended the egg whites and flour more than 50 strokes until the batter did make a ribbon.  I found that if I stopped at 50 strokes, then let the batter rest a minute or two, then mixed a few more strokes, then let the batter rest, it relaxed a little on its own.  Lesson here = mix until the batter begins to form a ribbon when poured but not one mix stroke more.

The more liquid batter did cause an unexpected problem, though.  When I piped the circles I did as instructed and held the tip of the piping bag in the center of the circle and squeezed until the batter filled the circle of the template (instead of swirling the batter around the circle).  They looked great, until I realized that they flattened a little, which caused the batter to go outside the circles and some of the batter started touching.  Argh.

Lesson = underfill the circles just a little bit, because they'll flatten out a bit.

A big sign of a well-cooked macaron is that it develops "feet", or a raised crust area at the bottom of each shell after it has been cooked.  I was so excited to see those feet on both batches.

I took them out at the early end of the suggested cooking time because the feet appeared, and I didn't want them to brown like my first batch did.  Macaron shells cool quickly, and I was anxious to frost these puppies.  My lemon curd had set beautifully, and when I added the powdered sugar to make it lemon curd buttercream my eyes almost crossed it was so good.  I love frosting.

I flipped half of the macaron shells over to pipe frosting on them, when I discovered another 'opportunity for growth' (i.e. mistake).  Even though I had read that I should cook one pan of these at a time, my time was short today and I just put both pans in.  Combine that with the shorter cooking time, and some of the shells cooked through beautifully and came right off the parchment...

while shells were underdone and stuck to the parchment.  I had to try to slide them off by running a knife under them.

Fortunately the tops still looked great, and when I frosted them, I had to gloat a little bit.

They turned out so pretty!  I even stacked them in a little tower, because all of the other successful macaron bloggers stacked their macarons in towers.

Sadly, these guys are supposed to sit for 24 hours in the refrigerator before you eat them.  Fussy, right?  But so far, they're worth the trouble!

  
For the recipe and instructions for macarons, be like me and go to Bake at 350.  Bridget (unknowingly) taught me how to make them, and with the tips I just shared, you should be ready to make macarons on your own.  The recipe for the lemon curd buttercream is below!

Lemon Curd Buttercream
Adapted from A Baked Creation blog

3 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
fresh lemon juice from a small lemon (about 1/4 cup)
zest of one small lemon
1/2 cup butter (one stick), cut into tablespoon sized pieces.
1 cup powdered sugar

Fill a saucepan with about 2 inches of water and set to boil on stovetop.  In a heat-proof mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, zest and lemon juice until well combined.  Place bowl on top of the saucepan, creating a double-boiler.  Cook the curd mixture, frequently scraping and mixing with a spatula, for about 10 minutes.  Turn off heat, and add in butter.  Continue to stir until butter is entirely melted and incorporated.  Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold.  When you are ready, beat powdered sugar into the cold curd.  Done!  To use as filling for macarons, fill a piping bag with the frosting.  Snip off the end of the bag, or use a piping tip.  Squeeze frosting into the center of a macaron shell, being careful not to use so much frosting that it oozes out of the sides of the cookie.  You want just enough so when you gently press the two shells together, the frosting fills the circumference of the shells.  And looks pretty.  Of course!  
 
 

Olive Bread

It seems like lately everyone has gone crazy for salted caramel.  We're on a salty kick here, too.  Salty bread, that is.  That probably sounds weird, but it's so good.  And really when you think of it, certainly no weirder than a salty sweet.   

I'm not sure why I got it in my head that we should make a bread with olives--I'd never seen one, or eaten one--and didn't know such a thing existed.  God bless Google and Pinterest, many others have also had this epiphany and have developed great recipes so I didn't have to flounder.  This one comes by way of the Chef MiMi Blog, but I'm also going to get around to this one and this one.  

While this recipe isn't hard, it does take a big commitment of time because it calls for several different rises.  Maybe you could cut corners, but since I'm a rule follower, so far I've just stuck with the script.

First thing you wait for--the yeast to proof.  That takes about ten minutes.

Then the liquids combine with a bit of flour, and you wait for it to rise the first time--about 45 minutes.

More flour gets added, and you wait for the dough to rise again--another 45 or more minutes.

 

Then go in the chopped olives (I like kalamata), and finally you can work and shape the dough.  The dough is pretty wet, and it takes a while to knead a bit more flour into it to get rid of some of the stickiness. 

  Then, of course, bake time.  Only 30 minutes, though.

Chef Mimi instructs that the bread should cool for at least an hour, but that's where my patience ends.  I let it cool about 15 minutes, and then I start slicing.  It's soooooo good!  Definitely salty from the olives.  It goes perfectly with salads, grilled meat, and pasta.  Or in the middle of the day, all by itself.  

I challenge you to make this bread, and some salted caramel, and see which one you have a harder time resisting!

 

Olive Bread

by way of Chef Mimi's Blog

1/2 cup warm/hot water (she suggests 115 degrees)
2 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup milk (I used 2%)
3 T olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
2.5 cups flour, divided (I used unbleached all-purpose)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup chopped olives (I love kalamata)

Sprinkle the yeast, then the sugar, over the half-cup of warm/hot water and let sit for a few minutes.  Then whisk the mixture, and wait for it to almost double in size.  Once it has doubled, combine the yeast mixture with the milk, olive oil, oregano, and one cup of all-purpose flour.  Cover the dish and place it somewhere warm until it has doubled in size--about 45 minutes.  Since it's summer here, I like to put my dough inside my vehicle in our garage (where the dogs and cats can't get it).  It's really warm in there, and doesn't take up my oven space.

After that first rise, mix in a cup of the whole wheat flour.  Cover and allow the dough to rise again, another 45-60 minutes until it has almost doubled.  When that's done, preheat your oven to 400.  Add the roughly chopped olives to the dough and the final cup of all-purpose flour.  I sprinkle a half-cup of additional flour on my countertop and scrape the dough out of the bowl to knead that last addition of flour and olives.  It's super sticky, so be warned.  Once the flour is incorporated and the dough loses some of its stickiness, shape into a rough circle on a pan.  

Bake the bread for about 30 minutes.  Chef Mimi recommends you wait for an hour after the bread has finished baking to allow it to cool before you slice it.  In the multiple times I've made this olive bread, I've not managed that hour wait.  But see if you have more willpower than me.  When you're ready, slice the bread in quarters, and slice each wedge into pieces for serving.  Enjoy!

Pear Crisp

It's summer, which means I've got loads of good fruit in my fridge.  Unfortunately, I seem to be the only one who chooses voluntarily to eat it.  Aside from bribery and threats (you EAT this orange or you're losing your phone!), I've found that disguising it as a baked good is somewhat effective.

Case in point, these pears.

I only like them when they're crunchy.  When they start to get sloppy (my husband's preference), I won't eat them anymore.  These six were just at the turning point, and I knew it would take an act of God to get anybody to eat them quickly.  Though we're all about acts of God here, I thought I'd save my prayers for more important things and make a pear crisp instead.

Generally if a recipe calls for peeling something, I'm not that excited about it.  Peeling and coring--for sure not.  I'm all about potato dishes that call for unpeeled potatoes, and citrus dishes that require squeezing instead of segments.  No way around it for pear crisp.  

No lie, there is sugar in this, but I used much less than many other crisp recipes I've got stocked up on my Pinterest boards.  Still, sugar does wonderful things to fruit.  And just about everything else. 

To sneak in more healthy ingredients my family wouldn't usually eat, I added chopped walnuts to the oats and flour.  Walnuts are super healthy.  And they taste good.

While fruit crisps require peeling and coring and slicing, they don't require rolling a crust.  A definite nod in their favor.  Just sprinkle on the crumble part, and you're good to go.

Oh, are you good to go.  The pear-haters in this house didn't complain about this one.  Particularly when I served it warm, with a scoop of vanilla.  

It's good friends.  And it just might help you get your 5 servings in today.

Pear Crisp
My own concoction
 
For the fruit layer:
6 pears, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

For the crumble layer:
1 cup old-fashioned oats (not quick cook)
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350, and butter a 9 x 13 (or thereabouts) casserole dish or cake pan.  Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg well.  Place the sliced pears in a large bowl, and toss with the sugar mixture.  Transfer to the greased pan.  In the now-emptied bowl, combine the oats, walnuts, flour and cinnamon.  Add melted butter, and mix until it's well incorporated.  Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the top of the sliced pears.  Bake for about 30 minutes, until the crisp is browned and bubbly.  Allow the crisp to cool a bit before serving, and definitely add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the top before serving.  Enjoy!   

Salted Nut Roll Bars

You know how candy corn isn't that great, and peanuts aren't that great, but when you mix candy corn and peanuts in a bowl somehow they become magic?

That's what happens with these bars.

Way back when I was a new bride my Aunt Mary made them for us when we visited her in Nashville.  I remember sitting in her beautiful kitchen, copying the recipe onto a recipe card she had given me, quietly THRILLING that I was married and was actually sharing recipes now.  Like a total milestone.  I'm an adult, because I shared recipes!  Almost as fantastic as the first teaching job I was starting a month later.

See how I dated it and wrote down her name?  I was anal retentive way back then.  Just slays me!

This is a super-duper easy recipe.  It's perfect for summer because it doesn't require any baking at all, and it's likely you have the ingredients in your pantry.  If you live in a small town like me, you can bet your grocery store will have them if you don't.

You will need a microwave though, to melt butterscotch (or peanut butter) chips.  My Aunt Mary's recipe suggests peanut butter, but I've used butterscotch and actually prefer them.  Up to you.  How could you go wrong with either?

And then there's the sweetened condensed milk.  Seriously, you know how I feel about sweetened condensed milk.

Then mini marshmallows and peanuts.  That's the part I'd usually be meh about.  But no.  Oh no.  I could definitely turn down marshmallows, and I could definitely turn down peanuts (peanut butter doesn't count--could eat that by the spoonful), but for some reason when you cover them in butterscotchy goo, they are transformed.

These bars are scrumptious and easy.  Take them to a family reunion this summer, and make sure you copy the recipe onto a recipe card to share.  There might be a new bride there, and you might just make her day.  

Salted Nut Roll Bars
from my Aunt Mary

3 T butter
1 12-ounce package of peanut butter or butterscotch chips (I like butterscotch)
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 10-ounce package miniature marshmallows
1 16-ounce jar dry roasted peanuts

Line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with nonstick spray.  In a microwave safe bowl, microwave butter and chips for a minute or until they begin to melt.  Gently stir in sweetened condensed milk until well combined.  Stir in marshmallows, then peanuts, and mix until well combined.  Spread into prepared pan, then chill until they become firmer.  Cut into bars and enjoy!

Colombian Headband

Nope.  She's not a Colombian.  But she could pass for one!  That's my daughter.  

This precious chica, though, she's Colombian.

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you'll know my sister and her husband let me be her auntie.  And she is heaven!  My mom and I were fortunate enough to travel to Bogota to meet this little sweetheart, and to help my sister and her oldest daughter Zahria bring her home to the states.  I know Colombia sounds scary--I'll be honest and say I was prepared to be nervous the whole time I was there--but it's amazing.  The people were warm and friendly, and the culture is beautiful.  I'd go back in a heartbeat.

My sister's family lived in Colombia for more than a month while the paperwork was processed for the adoption, and they picked up the most terrific Colombian habits.  Like a morning latte with Bailey's, and afternoon ice cream.  

My sister colored her hair brown, and Zahria had her hair done like many of the other Colombian girls.  (Forgive the cell phone picture....)
  

Among other things I've had on my 'want-to-recreate' list from Colombia, making a "hairband headband" like this on my daughter was one of them.  I'll need some practice to achieve Colombian standards, but our first attempt works pretty good in Iowa.  My steps are below!

Part the hair from just behind one ear to just behind the other, and secure the back into a pony.

 EEK!  Cousin It?

My daughter is patient, but little elbows and necks get tired fast in uncomfortable positions, so we started off laying down on the floor.

Make an 'outie' French braid, but only take hair from the right (face) side.  That is, usually when you do a French braid you take a piece from each side and then braid.  For this one, only gather from the front, then braid, gather from the front, then braid, etc.  Try to use SMALL pieces.  It will end up like this. 

 I stopped French braiding behind her ear, then secured the braid in two spots at the nape.

You'll need a length of ribbon about three times the circumference of the head you're working on, as well as a big needle with a big eye.

Using the needle, thread the ribbon under the braid near the ear where the braid started, and tie to secure.  You want about 1/3 of the ribbon to hang down to the neck (for now), and you'll need to 'weave' with the other 2/3.

The trick is to loop around each section of hair you pulled into the braid.  You want to go over the section, then slide the needle (GENTLY!) back toward the ear.

 Repeat, over and over, so you end up with this.

Once I reached the bottom of the French braid I slid the needle inside the hair that was gathered to hide it.

I'm sure there are other ways to finish this off, but I was trying to work from what I remember of Zahria's....  Tie the loose ends of the ribbon together around the end of the braid, so they form a headband.  Secure with a double-knot, but clip any loops so they don't get stuck in hairbrushes.

 And that's it! 

 You have a Colombian hairband.

Now we'll see how long it lasts!