Making life sweeter~ (Carrot Cake and Macaron Recipe)

Going to bake Carrot and walnut cake today and macaroons few days later (to allow the egg whites to age in my fridge first for the french macaron) =)

I admit I'm not a person that can bake very well but I believe I'm a person that can give anything a go in cooking. Nothing will go wrong as long as it is edible (n.n)

First, after surveying many recipes and stuff. I love to do foolproof recipes to keep the beginners (defining as first time baking a NEW recipe) right on track and slowly practice each recipe until you become an expert in it.

For the carrot and walnut cake, I will be combining my cake cookbook and a goodold blog from Chocolatesuze as you can click from the top tab of my blog (Recipes and find the Chocolatesuze from there). It seems to be quite a simple recipe to do and fyI, MY FAV CAKE SO FAR --> Carrot and Walnut cake. *It seems that you read my mind* or did you not? :(


Anyway, she mentioned that she took away 1/2 cup of crushed walnuts because she don't like it but I love it so I will be sprinkling them on top of the icing once I'm done with the cake ^_^

Another website that is quite useful is The Cake Mistress (Carrot walnut Cake).

For Almond Shell Raspberry Filling Macarons Recipe, I will be making my first attempt perhaps on Friday and the foolproof recipe that I've gather is this with step-by-step video HERE (curvehappens).

Raspberry and sugar jam for filling (optional)

* I will put those in red as in stuff you will need to prepare*

Preparing the shell you need: 120g almond meal (ground almonds)
120g powdered caster sugar

___________________________________________________________________________

120g (6 eggs) egg whites aged 2-3 few days in fridge (then remove until rtp-room temperature)

Separate til (60g and 60g in 2 bowls)

20g raspberry powder made from freeze dried raspberry (crush them yourselves)

1. Mix the almond meal and powdered caster sugar together until uniform (in a food processor or even hand if you wish)

-- Add raspberry powder until light pink

-- Sift out large lumps 

2. Whisk (1st bowl) 60g egg white until peaks form then slowly add 35g of sugar (Called meringue "pronounce as me'rang")

-- As it mix, you will need to prepare sugar syrup (BOIL 150g sugar and 50g of water BOIL until 121C)

-- Once bubbling remove from heat quickly

-- Then slowly add into the mixing meringue

-- Gradually increase speed once add all the syrup

-- Beat on med-high speed for 10 min until cool down (cream/fluff like)

3. Add remaining 60g egg white to the dry mixture in 1. mix until become--> paste mixture

4. Add 2, meringue to the 3. paste mixture until fold til appear thick and drip slowly (sharp fluff end)

5. Add some red food coloring to boost pink (optional)

6. Put into piping bag

7. Secure parchment paper onto baking sheet with mixture at sides (may spread some butter onto paper making it nonstick)

8. Once piped leaving 1 inch between each of piped shell then dry for 30 min prior to baking

-- Then add into oven for 150 degree for 20 min then cool for few min

-- Match up similar sized macaroon once cool as slowly peel off

_____________________________________________________________________

9. While resting prepare raspberry buttercream, 90g butter and 90g caster sugar

10. 3 rtp egg yolks (from whites)

11. Add in raspberry preserves/jam (as desired amount)

12. Beat egg yolk until pale in color and thickened

13. Boil 1/3 cup of confectionery *icing* sugar into syrup with 10g water

14. Once syrup done slowly add into beated yolks until creamy

15. Add little by little softened butter

16. Then once buttercream form, add jam/preserves

17. Throw in extra raspberry powder (depends)

18. Pipe buttercream into each pair once shell is paired up

Some of the really useful links mentioned:

Food Nouveau

Trissalicious

You Can Do It… At Home

Food Geek – this is the recipe I used for the raspberry macs

Syrup and Tang

Not So Humble Pie – Pictures of batter formation (which is crucial!)

Remember my previous post that I mentioned I will be making Japanese CheeseCake. This was how my first attempt turn out to be. =)

 It may look a bit burned on the top but I guess its the lighting. Actually it's slighly dark brown in color. Hehe!

 Quite uneven but I still call it a success because it tasted good and similar to the ones we buy from bakery

 Can try it out yourselves.

The skin of the cake and the cheesy part at the bottom. ^_^

Stay tune to see my first attempt on Macarons and Carrot Walnut cake in next post! Love!