Lavender Macarons

October 11, 2011

macarons

My first tell-tale signs that Spring is approaching... is when my lavender bushes starts to flower as soon as the weather warms up. I am so thrilled to spot the tiny purplish buds hiding within the greyish green leaves...

Spring has always been my favourite season... I love waking up to sounds of birds chirping... then having a walk round the garden to admire and breathe in the fragrance of the early Lavender bloomers...

Everything comes to life...

New Beginning

Spring... reminded me of a friendship between 2 teenage girls that lived in 2 different parts of the world. One in Canada and the other in Malaysia. They would write to each other, exchanged cards and photos. Good old days...the art of communication...using pens, papers, envelopes and stamps ... and oh!!! and Mr Postman too ...
They were "Penpals" for years until one left to UK to pursue her dreams... she lost contact with her Canadian penpal ...



Then one day, she received a message in her Facebook message box...
Are you the same person, who I was a penpal with in the 1970’s and 1980’s? I lived in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada and the girl I correspond with was from Malaysia?
The Canadian Penpal was cleaning out her stuff and stumbled upon a box from her teenage years... and found a letter from her Malaysian penpal... she still remembers her Malaysian friend!!! ....


lavender macarons recipe

Thank you Cheryl J ... for keeping my letters and keeping in touch again. A toast to our 'Friendship'... with a bite of Lavender Macarons...

I am using the Swiss Method to make these gorgeous Lavender Macarons.

Lavender Macarons Recipe (Love Food cookbook)
80g egg whites
65g lavender sugar
80g almond meal
140g icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
food colouring
dried lavender seeds

Filling
115g soft Philadelphia cream cheese
2 tablespoon lavender sugar

to make lavender sugar
1 cup of caster sugar
2 tablespoon of edible lavender
muslin cloth


Preparation 
~ 2 weeks ahead ~ wrap lavender in muslin cloth, secure with kitchen string. Pour caster sugar in an airtight container, and place the lavender sachet in the container. Give it a good shake everyday.
~ 3 days before making macarons ~ separate egg white from yolk. Refrigerate.

Making Macarons
  1. Egg white at room temperature
  2. Pulse Almond meal with icicng sugar for 5 minutes. Sieve. Set aside.
  3. Mix the egg white and castor sugar in a heatproof bowl.
  4. Making sure that the bowl will snuggly fit the pot, bring the water to boil then lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
  5. Place the bowl on top of the pot, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the simmering water... aka double boil method.
  6. Whisk the egg white mixture until the sugar is dissolved and the temperature reads50-55C on the sugar thermometer.
  7. Transfer the egg mixture into the mixing bowl with the balloon attachment.
  8. Add lemon juice.
  9. Whisk on medium speed until soft peak or 'shaving foam' consistency.
  10. Add in food colouring.
  11. Using a flexible silicon spatula, fold in sieved almond into the meringue one third at a time. And start counting the strokes.
  12. Continue to fold until all dry ingredients are fully incorporated and it forms a shiny batter with a thick, ribbon like consistency...
  13. Pour the mixture into a piping bag fitted with 10mm nozzle, and pipe onto prepared baking sheets.
    Sprinkle with lavender.
  14. Leave the tray at room temperature for 30 minutes or more until the macarons surface are 'drier' to touch.
  15. Pre heat oven to 150C and bake each tray for 15-20 minutes depending on the oven.
  16. Cool for 10 minutes then carefully peel off the baking sheet.
  17. Leave to cool completely before piping in the filling
  18. Filling~ beat the cream cheese and lavender sugar until smooth. Piped the filling onto the shells.
  19. Macarons tasted better...after an overnight refrigeration

Comments

  1. Lisa, thanks for sharing the beautiful photos. Your mac looks perfect, can pass some over :)

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  2. I've often wondered if I could use that version of meringue to make macarons - you've answered my question. Can't wait to give your macaron recipe a go!

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  3. Hi, I just found your blog. It's great to meet a fellow Australian food blogger.

    Your macarons look absolutely gorgeous, and I can imagine how fragrant they are with that beautiful lavender. Beautiful photos too.

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  4. Ohh my Lisa! they look sooo good! and you even got lavender tea cups..how cute!

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  5. Gorgeous macarons and lovely pictures! I love this lavender-inspired post...

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  6. Facebook is amazing tool to reconnect with old friends and I love that part. Who knew we find each other again like this. I'm happy you found friendship again!

    Lisa, your pictures (all of them) blew me away. Seriously. So beautiful that I couldn't breathe properly. I think you will be a great professional photographer (not just food blogger) soon. I know it. I can see it!!!! Your macarons look so pretty. Whole food photography is amazing!

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  7. SO gorgeous!!

    I still haven't mastered the skill yet. Cis!

    I miss u lah dahhlinggg.. miss reading your blog too. Been running around like a headless chicken lately. Rush here rush there. Adui..

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  8. So so pretty! I simply adore the colour.

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  9. Gorgeous post! The pictures and macarons are equally beautiful! So glad to hear you reconnected with your pen-pal. I had a few in my time but have all lost contact.

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  10. What an amazing story. I'm so happy that you guys reconnected! I can only imagine the immense shock (good kind) and blast from the past!! Btw, great way to welcome Spring with this recipe! =)

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  11. Amelia
    Thanks Amelia... sure can pass you some... check your email ;P

    Tabitha
    Glad to hear that.. and happy trying :D

    Jennifer
    Nice to meet you too :D

    Manju
    LOL... matching colour,right?

    Rosa
    :D

    Nami
    Technology and FB are amazing
    awww... Nami, you made me blush :)

    Angie
    :)

    Biren
    Thank you Biren...
    Maybe one day, you are able to re-connect with your pen-pals

    Winston
    :D

    Sylvie
    Thank you Sylvie :D

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  12. Sherie,
    Pelan-pelan... sure jadi Master Macarons nanti :D
    LOL ~ headless chicken! I know how you feel...

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  13. beautiful presentation and colour looks wonderful

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  14. Congrats on getting connected again! I love both your macarons for anniversary for friendship : ).

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  15. Nice spring photos! I love the one of the goose! I used to have a penpal too and that was so long ago!

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  16. Aww such a sweet story. Penpals- wow that concept has just disappeared. I just tweeted about how I suddenly discovered that writing actual words with pen and paper has turned into a labour intensive activity.

    The macaroons are perfection and color is achingly pretty.

    Gorgeous photos as well.

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  17. Torviewtoronto
    Thank you :D

    TasteHongKong
    :D

    Mrs Ergul
    LOL... Penpal~like fairy tales, once upon a time ...

    sliceofmylyfe
    Thank you...
    LOL..I know what you mean by writing... I find it a chore too ;P

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  18. I'm in love with the photos..The color combination is soo sweetttt..

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  19. O yes... I used to have loads of penpals in the day! I would drive my mum crazy as the first thing I would ask when coming home from school is if there was any mail for me.. lol.. good old days indeed. Your lavender macarons are just beautiful!

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  20. The macaron look so good, love the purple colors. my am in love with your tea cup, looks like a classic :)

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  21. Blown away by your amazing photos...and macarons of course! And I like the one with the duck swimming away! Beautiful!!!

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  22. lavender macaroons.... looks so pretty. I had never thought of making lavender sugar, very creative.

    Reminds me of some lavender honey I had in south france.

    Thanska lot for sharing

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  23. Sedap nampak!! I ni jelous la sebab you welcome spring, I ni welcome winter.. :(
    Alamak, masa lalu ngan cepat, ya... aku I memang busy bulan October, sebab tu challenge.. duk looking forward for normal blogging schedule dan blog hopping... :)

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  24. Ribbon Clown
    Terimakasih dear :D

    Junglefrog
    It was an exciting experience... receiving letters from overseas :)

    Ali
    Thank you :)

    foodie
    :D

    To Food With Love
    Thank you

    Helen Dsouza
    Would love to taste lavender honey :)

    Leemei
    I welcome spring but not summer... panas perit dengan lalat lagi... oooh tak tahan :(
    I tabik you la... everyday must comeup with something new.. kalau I sudah lama I gantung that mould jelly :P

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  25. So so pretty! This is my favourite purple colour :)

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  26. Ann
    :D

    Amber
    Thank you :D

    vytran
    thank you :)

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  27. Simply gorgeous Lisa...I love every bit of this post...Nothing beats the joy of reuniting with an old friend over cups of tea and that lovely lavender macaroons u baked with love..Yums!

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  28. Lisa, again what a wonderful post with superb photography. I can never seem to capture quality photos (making a note to attend the next photography course). Would love if you could post some over here. You're amazingly talented.

    love, Iva

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  29. Nishalim
    awwww.... thanks Nish :D

    in my kitchen
    Iva... thank you :)

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  30. these turned out lovely! and what a beautiful colour, too.

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  31. Alana
    Happy to know that these babes turned out lovely for you :D

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  32. Hi there
    Your macaroons look gorgeous - as a lavender grower I just have one concern - I hope you didn't use the lavender that you have in the photographs ): It is variously called French, Spanish ot Italian - correct name Stoechas (pronounced steekas). The variety to use in cooking is angustifolia varieties - like Hidcote or Munstead. If you uses the photographed variety it wouldn't kill you, but if you used the correct variety it would taste much nicer (:
    Ann

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  33. Ann
    Thank you for highlighting and taking time to explain the difference, Ann... much appreciated :D
    I used the edible lavender, bought from the market... not the Italian Stoechas...:D

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  34. Hi Lisa,
    So happy to find a lavender macaron recipe, but the one that you have listed out talks about including green tea powder and not where to add in the lavender seeds. Two things... what are lavender seeds?? and should I just substitute them and put the lavender at that stage?
    Any advice would be greatly appreicated :) Emma.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Emma,
      I am such a noob, did not notice the typo. Thank you for pointing out.
      I will delete green tea powder asap (it was for green tea macarons). I use the lavender sugar n mix it in with the egg white over double boiler.
      Edible Lavender seeds can be purchase from shops that sells baking stuffs.

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