Mickey & Minnie Rose Macaron Recipe
November 24, 2015
What is it about nostalgia? Somehow, when I look back at these memories, it's the same few joyful moments looping on repeat like a VCR tape. I have a theory that my brain registers these memories in a warped way that neglects to record any hints of unhappiness.
I used to wish I could select a certain moment in my life and play it on repeat. Some of these include the time I was awarded first place in an art competition as a child, the time when I danced on stage, and my first snowfall. Or that time when we laughed till we cried and I could barely keep myself standing... And that moment on the highway sitting in the passenger's seat as I watched the scenery zoom by and felt like we were leaving the world behind.
However, I know this wish leads to meaninglessness and it only displays my weakness for wanting to escape reality. After all, those memories probably wouldn't be as meaningful as they are to me now. Because as cliche as it sounds, it's the bad times that make one truly cherish the good times.
In fact, there are moments when I look back fondly at my heartbreaks and failures. Reaching that mental stage signifies that I am no longer bitter about the past and I'm proud of how much I've grown.
Rantings aside, these macarons are dedicated to key figures in my childhood - Mickey & Minnie. As a big fan of Disney, I watched its cartoons and movies growing up. One of my favourite places in the world is Tokyo Disneysea because all of my favourite characters are in one place (it's like the Disneyland for adults. Seriously, you won't regret going there).
The Mickey & Minnie macarons are filled with rose swiss meringue buttercream and salted caramel. In this recipe, I will share how to make the macaron shells and buttercream. The rose swiss meringue buttercream is similar to that of Laduree's. I had so many of them in Paris and simply had to recreate the recipe.
A good thing about swiss meringue buttercream as compared to normal buttercream is that they can withstand Singapore's hot temperatures. I also like the lighter texture. If you are making the swiss meringue buttercream beforehand, keep it in the fridge. Before using, whip it up to restore the smooth texture.
I'm really pleased with the taste of these rose macarons. The texture and taste are close enough to Laduree's and that means cheaper macarons for me to indulge in! I'm still trying to find a better rose essence or rose water as I believe it will elevate the taste. Meanwhile, I'm happy munching on these.
I will be sharing the recipe for salted caramel filling in the future, so stay tuned! P.S. Christmas is coming~ how exciting. Can't wait to share my Christmas desserts on Sumopocky!
MICKEY & MINNIE MACARON RECIPE withROSE SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM
Servings: ~ 8 macarons
Time: 1 hour active time + baking time
Ingredients
[For Macaron Shells]
Meringue: 35g of Egg whites + 45g of Castor sugar
40g of Ground almonds
40g of Powdered/icing sugar
A few drops of pink food colouring
[For Rose Swiss Meringue Buttercream]
50g sugar
1 Egg white
70g of unsalted butter (softened)
A few drops of rose essence
A few drops of pink food colouring *optional
Royal icing for decoration
Directions
[For Macaron Shells]
1. In a large bowl, sift the ground almonds and icing sugar.
2. To make the meringue, beat the egg whites on low speed using an electric mixer until it is white and frothy (approximately 1 minute)
3. Gradually add the sugar 1/4 at a time. When the first addition of sugar has completely dissolved (approximately 1 minute later), increase the mixer speed to medium and add until all the sugar has been incorporated. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. At this point, it will be good to add pink food colouring. I like to add it gradually to get my desired colour. It is also better to use gel food colouring as it won't affect the chemistry as much and the colours are more vivid.
4. Add the meringue to the sifted ground almond flour and icing sugar in Step 1. Using a spatula, start the macaronage process until you get a molten-like mixture and drips down like a ribbon when lifted. Read here on how to macaronage.
5. Transfer the batter to a piping bag with a round tip and pipe out macarons. Start by piping a large circle (2.5cm) and two smaller circles for the ears.
6. After piping, knock the bottom of the tray against a flat surface to get rid of air bubbles.
7. Let the shells dry for approximately 30 minutes in an air-conditioned room. You should be able to touch it gently with the tip of your finger without it sticking.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 150°C for approximately 10 - 13 minutes. Let it cool.
[For Rose Swiss Meringue Buttercream]
1. Place sugar and egg whites in a metal bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk continuously until the sugar is dissolved. It is natural for the egg mixture to become thick and sticky.
2. Beat the egg white mixture using an electric mixer with a whip attachment on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
3. Continue beating at medium-high speed while adding small chunks of softened butter gradually. It might curdle, but keep beating until the butter is blended in and the buttercream is smooth. It will be good if you can switch to a paddle attachment at this point, if not, continue beating and switch to a spatula at the end.
4. Add rose essence into buttercream and mix well to combine.
5. As Singapore is quite warm, chill slightly before using. Pipe them between two macaron shells and decorate with royal icing.
Enjoy~
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