Sumopocky | Custom Bakes: chinese new year

Pineapple Tart Macarons

Celebrate Lunar New Year with Festive Pineapple Tart Macarons

The Lunar New Year holds a special place in my heart. It's a time when the whole family gathers, and the air is filled with the tantalizing aroma of festive treats. This year, I wanted to add a modern twist to our celebrations by combining a CNY favorite, pineapple tarts, with my love for macarons. The result? Pineapple Tart Macarons — a delightful fusion of tradition and elegance.

The Inspiration Behind the Flavors

Pineapple is a cherished ingredient during Lunar New Year, as it symbolizes wealth and prosperity. The Chinese word for pineapple, “feng li” (飞利), sounds similar to “coming prosperity” (幸福來). Its sweet, tangy flavor brings a refreshing burst of brightness to any celebration.

Black tea, on the other hand, adds a layer of warmth and sophistication, grounding the macarons with its earthy and slightly floral notes. Tea is an integral part of Chinese culture, often served as a gesture of hospitality and respect. By incorporating black tea into the ganache, these macarons pay homage to this cherished tradition.

Together, the combination of pineapple and black tea creates a balance of sweet and aromatic flavors, making these macarons the perfect treat to enjoy during the Lunar New Year.

Why Macarons?

Macarons may not be a traditional Lunar New Year dessert, but their vibrant colors and elegant presentation make them a delightful addition to your festive table. Plus, they’re highly versatile, allowing you to customize the designs to reflect the holiday spirit. For this recipe, consider piping the macaron shells in hues of amber and beige to mimic the warm, golden tones of pineapple and tea.

A Thoughtful Gift for Loved Ones

Homemade treats always carry an extra layer of meaning, and these Pineapple Tart Macarons are no exception. Pack them in beautiful red or gold boxes to create thoughtful gifts for family and friends. Not only are they a delicious treat, but they also embody the heartfelt wishes of happiness and prosperity for the year ahead.

Pineapple Tart Macarons

Tips for Success

Plan ahead: Macarons require precision and patience, so take your time and don’t rush the process. Remember to allow the assembled macarons to rest in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. This step helps the flavors meld and creates that perfect balance between chewy shells and the ganache.
Share the joy: Baking is always more fun with loved ones. Turn the macaron-making process into a family activity, letting everyone join in on the fun of piping, filling, and assembling.

Happy Lunar New Year and happy baking! May your year be filled with prosperity, joy, and, of course, delicious treats!

PINEAPPLE TART MACARON RECIPE
by Sumopocky

Yield: approximately 16-18 macarons

Ingredients
[For Macaron Shells]
Meringue: 70g of Egg whites + 90g of Castor sugar
80g of Almond flour
80g of Powdered/icing sugar
Gel food colouring

[For Pineapple Ganache]
20ml of Heavy Cream
50ml of White Chocolate
70g of Pineapple Paste

[For Black Tea Ganache]
20ml of Heavy Cream
2 bags of Black Tea Leaves
60ml of White Chocolate

Directions

[For Macaron Shells]

1. Prepare the meringue:

Beat egg whites on low speed with an electric mixer until frothy (about 1 minute). Gradually add sugar in four parts, increasing the speed to medium. Beat until stiff peaks form.

2. Combine dry ingredients:

Sift almond flour and icing sugar into the meringue.

3. Macaronage:

Fold the mixture with a spatula until just combined.

4. Divide and color the batter:

With 2/3 of the batter, make beige colour. Turn the remaining 1/3 into amber color (yellow + a bit of red food colouring would do the trick). To each of the batter colour, continue the macaronage process until you get a molten-like mixture and drips down like a ribbon when lifted. Transfer to piping bags.

5. Pipe the designs:

Transfer batters into piping bags and pipe onto a baking sheet. Watch my video for detailed piping instructions.

6. Dry the shells:

Allow the shells to dry in a non-humid environment until they form a skin. Touching them should leave no residue.

7. Bake:

Preheat oven to 150°C and bake for ~15 minutes. Allow the macarons to cool completely before removing them from the parchment paper and piping the filling

[For Pineapple Ganache]

1. Melt the white chocolate in heavy cream using a microwave. Put it on high speed for 1 min, stirring each time, and repeating till the chocolate has fully melted.
2. Mix in the pineapple paste till well combined.

3. Transfer to a piping bag when cooled.

[For Black Tea Ganache]

1. Heat up the heavy cream till it boils. Steep the black tea in the heavy cream for 3 minutes.

2. Melt the white chocolate in the black tea heavy cream misture. Put it on high speed for 1 min, stirring each time, and repeating till the chocolate has fully melted.
3. Transfer to a piping bag when cooled.

[To Assemble]

1. Take one macaron shell and pipe a ring of pineapple ganache along the outer edge. This creates a cavity in the center.

2. Fill the center of the ring with a dollop of black tea ganache, ensuring it doesn’t overflow.

3. Gently place another macaron shell on top and press lightly to sandwich the ganache fillings.

4. Repeat the process with the remaining shells and fillings.

5. Allow the assembled macarons to rest in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before serving. This resting time helps the flavors meld together and softens the shells for the perfect texture.

January 28, 2025
7 Comments

YEAR OF THE SNAKE MACARONS

Baking

Happy Lunar New Year! In celebration of the Year of the Snake, I’ve created these adorable heart-shaped snake macarons.

Each macaron is hand-piped to resemble a snake curled into a heart, symbolizing love and good fortune for the year ahead. The design features a gold-painted belly for a touch of elegance and festive charm.

YEAR OF THE SNAKE MACARON RECIPE
by Sumopocky

Yield: approximately 20 macarons

Ingredients
[For Macaron Shells]
Meringue: 70g of Egg whites + 90g of Castor sugar
80g of Almond flour
80g of Powdered/icing sugar
Gel food colouring
Edible gold dust

[For Macaron Filling]
Select your desired flavour here

Directions

[For Macaron Shells]

1. Prepare the meringue:

Beat egg whites on low speed with an electric mixer until frothy (about 1 minute). Gradually add sugar in four parts, increasing the speed to medium. Beat until stiff peaks form.

2. Combine dry ingredients:

Sift almond flour and icing sugar into the meringue.

3. Macaronage:

Fold the mixture with a spatula until just combined.

4. Divide and color the batter:

Prepare red as the main batter colour (snake's body), and set aside about 2 tablespoons for yellow (snake's belly), 1 tablespoon for white (spots on snake), 1 teaspoon for black (eyes and mouth), 1 teaspoon for red (snake's tongue, optional)

To each of the batter colour, continue the macaronage process until you get a molten-like mixture and drips down like a ribbon when lifted. Transfer to piping bags.

5. Pipe the designs:

Transfer batters into piping bags and pipe onto a baking sheet. Watch my video for detailed piping instructions.

6. Dry the shells:

Allow the shells to dry in a non-humid environment until they form a skin. Touching them should leave no residue.

7. Bake:

Preheat oven to 150°C and bake for 15 minutes. Allow the macarons to cool completely before removing them from the parchment paper and piping the filling

Tips for Success:

Be patient when mixing the batter; it’s crucial to achieve the right consistency.
Allow the shells to rest before baking to ensure they develop a smooth top.
Store assembled macarons in the fridge for 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors to mature.

These heart-shaped snake macarons are perfect for gifting or serving at your Lunar New Year celebrations. Let’s slither into the Year of the Snake with love and sweetness!

If you try this recipe, I’d love to see your creations. Tag me @sumopocky on Instagram!

year of the snake macarons

January 19, 2025
9 Comments

LUNAR NEW YEAR - DRAGON HELLO KITTY MACARONS

Baking

As Lunar New Year approaches, I can't help but feel the excitement in the air. To usher in the Year of the Dragon, I decided to add a touch of sweetness to the festivities with a creative twist – Hello Kitty Macarons wearing adorable Dragon costumes! The design was inspired by an image I saw online, and I turned them into macarons.

May these Dragon Hello Kitty Macarons add a touch of whimsy and delight to your CNY celebrations.

Here's to a Year of the Dragon filled with prosperity, happiness, and, of course, sweet moments.

Happy Lunar New Year! 🧧🍊🍊❤️

P.S. Did you know that Hello Kitty will celebrate her 50th anniversary in 2024? So, I think I'll be creating more Sanrio characters this year to celebrate. Stay tuned!

DRAGON HELLO KITTY MACARON RECIPE

by Sumopocky

Yield: approximately 15 macarons

Ingredients
[For Macaron Shells]
Meringue: 70g of Egg whites + 90g of Castor sugar
80g of Almond flour
80g of Powdered/icing sugar
Food colouring

[For Macaron Filling]
Select your macaron filling here

Directions

[For Macaron Shells]

1. Make the meringue. In a bowl, beat the egg whites on low speed using an electric mixer until it is white and frothy (approximately 1 minute). 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.

2. Sift the almond flour and icing sugar to the meringue.

3. Begin macaronage. Using a spatula, start the macaronage process by folding and lightly scraping the top of the batter. Continue until the wet and dry ingredients just start to become combined. In other words, you can't see traces/clumps of almond flour/icing sugar in the meringue. At this point, the batter should still be quite tacky.

4. Prepare different colours of batter. For this design, prepare 1 main batter colour - red for the dragon costume. Before preparing the red batter, scoop out roughly 2 tablespoons of batter for white, 1 tablespoon for pink, 1 teaspoon for black, and 1 teaspoon for yellow. Add food colouring to get the desired colours.

5. To each of the batter, continue the macaronage process until you get a molten-like mixture and drips down like a ribbon when lifted. Transfer to piping bags.
6. Watch my video to see how to pipe the shells.

7. Let the shells dry in a non humid place or 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 15 minutes.

9. Let shells cool and pipe with your desired filling.

January 25, 2024
23 Comments

CHINESE NEW YEAR MACARONS - Year of the Tiger

Baking

Happy Chinese New Year! This coming year, we are celebrating the Year of the Tiger 🐯I baked some Tiger, Mandarin Oranges, and Auspicious Red and Gold macarons to welcome the new lunar year.

The Tiger macarons are filled with Earl Grey Ganache, the smiling Mandarin Orange macarons are filled with Dark chocolate Ganache, and the Red & Gold macarons are filled with Cookies and Cream or Raspberry Ganache.

Have a roarin' 2022 everyone 🧧

CHINESE NEW YEAR MACARONS RECIPE (Year of the Tiger)

by Sumopocky

Yield: approximately 20 macarons

Ingredients
[For Macaron Shells]
Meringue: 70g of Egg whites + 90g of Castor sugar
80g of Almond flour
80g of Powdered/icing sugar
Food colouring
Edible gold dust

[For Macaron Filling]
Select your macaron filling here

Directions

[For Macaron Shells]

2. Sift the almond flour and icing sugar to the meringue.

4. Prepare different colours of batter. For these designs, we will be preparing 2 main batter colours, so split the batter into 1/3 portion for Red, and 2/3 portion for Orange. For decoration, we will need - White, Pink, Black, and Green. Watch my video to see my tips on how to pipe the shells.

5. Let the shells dry in a non humid place or an air conditioned room. You should be able to touch it gently with the tip of your finger without it sticking.

6. Bake in a preheated oven at 150°C for approximately 15 minutes.

7. Let shells cool and pipe with your desired filling. Enjoy~
tiger macarons chinese new year

January 13, 2022
52 Comments

Chinese New Year Macarons (Thai Tea Macarons)

Baking

Happy Chinese New Year, wishing everyone a great year ahead! It's the year of the Rooster in the Chinese zodiac, thus I baked these rooster themed macarons 🐔 Featuring chubby roosters, mandarin oranges, and golden ingot macarons.

They are filled with Thai Tea Ganache, which is made with authentic Thai Tea leaves and white couverture chocolate. The Thai Tea taste is distinct but not overwhelming. I am glad my fiancé likes it, and that he can discern the Thai Tea flavour.

This is my second time making Thai Tea macarons, but it's my first time preparing it with real thai tea leaves. I made them using instant Thai Tea powder previously. That method is simpler, but the real thing always tastes better :) Thus, I'll be sticking to this authentic Thai Tea Ganache recipe for now.

Thai Tea Macarons

For an added lucky touch, you can dust the golden ingot macarons with edible gold dust that's been mixed with a bit of rose water or vodka. The liquid helps the gold dust to stick to the macaron shell, and it's fast evaporation rate will prevent the shells from dissolving.

Happy CNY! Gong xi fa cai!

The recipe below is for the 3 designs, but you can stick to one design and prepare only the coloured batters needed. Hope you enjoyed this recipe! 大鸡大利迎新年！

CHINESE NEW YEAR MACARONS

WITH THAI TEA GANACHE

by Sumopocky

Yield: ~21 macarons - 7 per design

Ingredients

[For Macaron Shells]

Meringue: 70g of Egg whites + 90g of Castor sugar

80g of Almond flour

80g of Powdered/icing sugar

Food colouring: Black, Green, Yellow, Red, Brown

Edible gold dust *Optional

[For Thai Tea Ganache]

100g of White chocolate chips

100ml of Heavy cream

1 tbsp of Thai Tea Leaves

Directions

[For Macaron Shells]

2. Sift the almond flour and icing sugar to the meringue.

3. Begin macaronage. Using a spatula, start the macaronage process by folding and lightly scraping the top of the batter. Continue until the wet and dry ingredients just start to combine.

4. Scoop some batter for decoration. Transfer to a piping bag with a small tip.

Colour of batter
White
Black
Red
Pink
Yellow
Green
Light Brown

Amount of Batter
1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon

Food Colouring

N.A.

Black

Red

A bit of red

Yellow

Green

Brown

5. Split the remaining batter into 3 equal portions and continue the macaronage process, until you get a molten-like mixture and drips down like a ribbon when lifted. Transfer to piping bags with a medium round tip.

Design	Colour of Batter	Food Colouring
Rooster	White	N.A.
Golden Ingot	Yellow	Yellow
Mandarin Oranges	Orange	Red and Yellow

6. Pipe out batter onto parchment paper. Please refer to video above for demonstration. Note: let the shells dry slightly before piping on wings for rooster.

7. Let the shells dry in a non humid place or 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.

9. Let shells cool.

[For Thai Tea Ganache]

1. Bring heavy cream to a simmer. Add the tea leaves and let it steep for 3 minutes. Heat the cream up slightly so that it is warm enough to melt the chocolate.

2. Pour heavy cream over chocolate using a sieve. Give it a shake, let it sit for 1 minute, and stir with a whisk till all the chocolate has melted. Let it cool.

3. Transfer the filling to a piping bag.