Early Valentine treats of espresso and macarons for afternoon breaks are a wonderful break from the usual.
Valentine’s is coming soon. Do you have something special planned?
Aren’t these macarons pretty? Dainty and romantic too.
Homemade macaroons in our kitchen
Both my girls like to bake. Amy made these sugary delights 2 nights before she left to return to school. Snow storms had held her up. When you go to a university in the snow belt, you watch the weather in the winter months very carefully before traveling.
I set some aside for later.
They didn’t last. Do delicious sweets last long in your house?
TIP! If you don’t bake you can buy macaroons at bakeries and COSTCO. Meringue cookies that are similar but without the filling are available in most grocery stores in the cookie aisle.
afternoon ESPRESSO break
Jim made espressos for us yesterday afternoon. Sweets are a perfect pairing. He found the macarons I had hidden in the fridge (most store in air tight containers).
I was planning a special Valentine post using the macarons. Turns out yesterday was the special time!
Adding a small sweet tops it off! A mini biscotti or macaroon is perfect.
connections in the kitchen
Often, when Amy and Meg are both home at the same time, the kitchen is the place they connect. It makes my heart sing.
When kids begin to drive, go to school, college and work, the kichen is often where connections are maintained. Often it is at random times. Normal dinner times somehow are not normal times any more. They are growing-up. If it takes sitting in the kitchen at weird times and it seems to be a good time; Jim or I will join them together or separately.
It’s the same today!
When the girls are around, the Kitchen Aid Mixer gets a lot more use. It’s oldie but goodie… for over 30 years.
Make it SPECIAL with pretty china and cups
Do you look for reasons to use your special dishes and silver? Look no further! Afternoon breaks are made for using your special dishes.
There were only 2 heart shaped ones. The filling is puréed fresh raspberries and cream chesse mixed together with powdered sugar.
Totally decadently delicious!
Remember, we are definitely worth it!
Pretty in Pink!
Pink Macarons
Equipment
- Food processor, baking sheets or parchment paper, cookie sheets, 2 pastry bags with round tip, sieve, electric hand held mixer with whippimg attachment, cooling racks, 2 mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup almond flour, finely ground
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon added at two different times
- 3 egg whites, separated must be room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teas vanilla
- 2 drops pink food coloring gel a little amount of color goes a long way! Substitue liqiud red dye with one drop. Take care to not add too much liquid.
Filling to make while macarons are baking
- 1 8 oz block of cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted No lumps please
- 1 teas vanilla
- 1 teas appx raspberry jam or preserves
Instructions
- MAKING THE MACARONS
- Prepare baking sheets with silicon baking sheets or parchment paper
- Mix powdered sugar, almond flour and salt together 1/2 teas salt in the food processor on low speed until super fine
- Sift through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl
- In a seperate bowl, beat the egg whites in a seperate bowl until and other 1/2 teas salt with the hand mixer until soft peaks are formed. Gradually add the granulated sugar beating until fully incorporated. Beat until stiff peaks form. If in doubt, check by turning the bowl upside down without anything falling out!
- Add the vanilla folding in until mixed
- Fold in food coloring until just combined. You dont want the egg whites to fall.
- Using a spatula, add 1/3 of the alomnd flour mixture at time to the beaten egg whites gently folding it in until all is combined. After all almond flour is combined, slowly continue to fold until the batter falls into ribbons and you can make a figure 8 while holding the spatula up.
- Add batter to pastry bag with round tip
- If using parchment paper, put a dot of the batter on each of the 4 corners, then put the parchment paper pressing it down. This will keep the paper from slipping. The silicon sheets don't slip so skip this step if using them.
- Pipe the macarons onto the parchment paper / silicon baking sheet in 1½-inch (3-cm) circles, spacing at least 1-inch (2-cm) apart. Tap the baking sheet on a flat surface 5 times to release any air bubbles.
- Let them sit to dry to the touch at room temperature about 30 minutes to one hour.
- Preheat oven to 300 F
- Bake in preheated over for about 17 minutes until the puffs in the corners rise. Macarons should not stick to the prepared baking sheets
- Transfer macarons to cooling rack. Cool fully before filling
- MAKE FILLING
- Sift powdered sugar to remove lumps
- In the 2nd mixing bowl mix the block of cream cheese until totally soft and mixed
- Add sifted powdered sugar very slowly, a little at a time while beating into the filling
- Stir raspberry perserves or jam into filling mixture
- Add the vanilla and mix throughly. Add small amount and mix to check thickness. Only add a little more if needed so the filling is a good consistancy to pipe on to the bottom. Take care to not make it to soft or soupy
- Prepare fresh clean pastry bag and fill it with the filling
- The macarons will split natuarally. Pipe on to the bottom of each macaron dollop. Put top on.
- Store in air tight container for 24 hours to set. Store up to 2 weeks in the refridgerator
enjoy your afternoon breaks
Go ahead! Enjoy a cup of rich espresso, coffee or tea with a special treat.
Don’t wait for Valentine’s Day! Have that special coffee break now. Happy Valentine’s Day!
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They look delicious and pretty. I have never made them or Pavlova. I might try this year. I am happy to feature your lovely Macarons at Love Your Creativity. Happy New Year Linda.
Good Morning! Thank you Linda for featuring my post I am delighted.
These look delicious! I don’t drink coffee so I’d have to have hot chocolate with mine!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Meg, our daughter would totally agree with you!
These look so good, my mom use to make them. Thanks for the recipe, perfect for this bad weather we’re having.
And so good!
Linda
I love Macrons and Pinned this. Hoping, they are easy. I’m a big baker but never made these.
Wish me luck! How great to have the girls bake.
They have made me a lazy baker!
Ooh! I may have to try these! Love that those girls gather in the kitchen. Makes my heart so happy there were feet under your table!
Like you I love many feet under our table!
On my next visit, these need to be greeting me. I love macarons.
I will let the girls know!
Great Valentine’s Day idea!
Thank you for stopping by!
Yum!! These macarons look so good! Thanks for the recipe!
You are welcome!
So yummy and perfect for Valentine’s Day. Love that you can make them into a heart shape as well. It’s really cool that you’ve had the same kitchen aid mixer for 30+ years!
And rare something lasts that long! Thanks for coming by.
These sound absolutely delicious. My kids are completely grown now but the kitchen is still the place that everyone seems to congregate whenever they’re home.
Mine too. And I love it!
Linda,
This post just makes me heart happy! When my grown daughters are home together it makes my heart sing!
Happy February!
Whne they all are here…so happy!
These look so cute. I’ve never tried to make macaroons – maybe it’s time I did. Thanks.
Not quite as hard as you would think. Do you make Pavlova?