Pistachio Macaroons Recipe

Who said that to taste a macaroon {sweet and elegant little cookie} you need to find some fancy pastry shop or go all the way to France?? I made them home today!!!! It was fun and not that difficult at all! ..yes, it's true, some came out not perfectly round or a little cracked on top, but the taste.... mmmmmhhh... just divine!!!!

I found the recipe on a book I bought last Christmas, I've been dreaming to make these cookies and post about them since then! I want to share my recipe version with you:

~Pistachio French Macaroons~

{filled with White Chocolate Ganache}

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup roasted unsalted pistachios
3egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
green food coloring
1 1/4 powder sugar
3/4 cup ground almonds

FILLING:
1/4 cup whipping cream
5 oz. white chocolate chips
2 tsps. honey

 

1. Pre-heat the oven at 300 degrees. Line cookie trays with baking paper.
2. Process nuts until finely ground.
3. Beat egg whites with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add a few drops of food coloring and the sugar little by little, keep beating until the sugar dissolves. Fold gently in the egg mixture the ground pistachios, the  powder sugar and the ground almonds.
4. Spoon mixture into piping bag fitted with 1/2 inch plain tube. Pipe 1 1/2 inch circles about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets. Sprinkle the macaroons with a little bit of remaining ground pistachios. Let them stand 15 minutes before putting them in the oven.
5. Bake macaroons for 15-18 minutes. Let them cool down.
6. Meanwhile make the white chocolate ganache.
7. Sandwich the macaroons with the ganache.
8. For the Ganache: Bring ream to boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add the chocolate and honey. Stir until smooth. Stand at room temperature until spreadable.

So, what do you think? Are you going to give it a try? Let me know if you do!!!

Mine didn't come out green because I forgot to buy the food coloring!! So... they are not as pretty a they should be.. next time I'll do better, but I'm happy with the results of my first try... ;)

 

 

Sweet Hugs to you all!!!

 

xoxo,

 

 

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Les Madeleines

What a wonderful day!!!! I accomplished something that I wanted to do in a loooong time... which is to bake Madeleines!! The adorable, super delicious french little cakes! I buy them once in a while at the store, but they are so expensive! I have never had the possibility to make them because I needed the special madeleine-pan and it's found in france or in special/fancy stores. Well, I have been recently soooo blessed in winning a giveaway hosted by the bestest girl Kristine from TheFoleyFam. What I received as a prize was a 25$ gift-card to Williams-Sonoma! The FIRST thing I thought I really needed was the pan to cook madeleines, so I found it and bought it on their web-site! :)

I'm so happy! They came out really really good, so fresh and much better than the ones from the store. I'm making the second batch right now, my children wanted more! {not only them..}..

...here they are! I wish I could give you some..

I have to finish this post speaking about Marcel Proust, a very famous French poet who wrote about these cute little cakes in one of his works.. he was speaking about memories, the type of memory that takes you back to the past through the senses, like the smell of something or in his case the taste of the Madeleines.

"No sooner had the warm liquid mixed with the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary thing that was happening to me. An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses, something isolated, detached, with no suggestion of its origin. And at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me, its disasters innocuous, its brevity illusory – this new sensation having had on me the effect which love has of filling me with a precious essence; or rather this essence was not in me it was me. ... Whence did it come? What did it mean? How could I seize and apprehend it? ... And suddenly the memory revealed itself. The taste was that of the little piece of madeleine which on Sunday mornings at Combray (because on those mornings I did not go out before mass), when I went to say good morning to her in her bedroom, my aunt Léonie used to give me, dipping it first in her own cup of tea or tisane. The sight of the little madeleine had recalled nothing to my mind before I tasted it. And all from my cup of tea."

—Marcel Proust, In Search of Lost Time

Have a sweet rest of the day!!

xoxo,

aaahhh... Food!!

Food... I could never hide my love for food... I love to cook and love to eat! :) But before showing you the delicious dinner I prepared for my family tonight, I want to introduce to you {for those who don't know her} a great polimer clay artist: Valentina from Minibonbons on Etsy. She specializes in miniature food {mostly Italian.. he he}. I admire her creativity and the precision she uses in making her little tiny creations.. so perfect and beautiful!! See for yourselves!! I'll share with you some of my favorite :


French Baguette earrings

Blueberry & Lemon Cake and Cookies

 Sicilian Cassata

Aren't they adorable?? I'm a big fan of Valentina!! I hope you all go visit her shop.. there's much more to see! ♥

And now I'll show you what I ate tonight.. La Quiche Lorraine!!  {I think Valentina should make a mini quiche!!}.. here's what is left of mine.. even the children loved it!

It was very easy to make, I want to share the recipe with you: Enjoy!!!

Quiche Lorraine

Crust:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cold, cut into small pieces
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Filling:
4 ounces thick-sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled (I used Italian pancetta)
3 eggs
1½ cups heavy cream
4 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded (about 1 cup shredded)
Salt and pepper

1. Make the Crust: Whisk together the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Cut the butter and the shortening into the flour mixture with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Using a rubber spatula, stir in just enough water to bind. Gather into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 20 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch tart pan. Gently fit the dough into the tart pan and trim any excess off the edge by rolling the rolling pin over top of the pan. Prick the bottom all over with a fork. Line with parchment paper and fill the tart pan with pie weights. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights and continue baking until the crust is golden brown, 5 to 10 more minutes.

4. Make the Filling: While the crust bakes prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, eggs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. When the crust comes out of the oven, immediately sprinkle the bacon over the bottom crust, and then slowly pour the egg mixture over the bacon to fill the crust. Bake until the quiche is puffed and brown, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Cover leftovers and store in the refrigerator.

{recipe taken from The Brown Eyed Baker newsletter: www.browneyedbaker.com}