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Tiger Cat Pattern Cake Roll with Stabilized Vanilla Cream

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A fun tiger animal cake roll made from a flexible cake base that is easy to roll without cracking. Tastes delicious and looks amazing!

Tiger pattern cake roll on a long plate decorated with a tiger face.
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Today's recipe for patterned cake roll is a special one for me. It's the first new recipe I posted in a few months because I took some time off to give birth and take care of two new additions to the family.

If you've followed my other blog, Indulgewithbibi, you may remember that my journey towards motherhood was not a very straightforward one. A few years ago, I was so fortunate to have one sweet Bibi girl, then last year when I was lucky enough to become pregnant again, I was shocked and surprised to find out that we were going to have identical twin boys!

To celebrate their birth, I made these tiger pattern cake rolls for my two "year of the tiger" babies using this new recipe. I know many of you have had success with all the recipes in my Swiss Cake Roll Collection so I'm sure you will enjoy this new way to bring the appearance of your cake rolls up a notch. Now your cake rolls will taste delicious and look amazing too. Enjoy!

Xoxo,
Mimi


Why You'll Love this Recipe

  • - Easy to follow for beginners
  • - No separate pattern paste to create
  • - "Pattern paste" is stretchy making it easy to roll
  • - Flexible cake roll recipe prevents cracking
  • - White cake base using no yolks - perfect for adding colors
  • - Neutral flavor is a great base for flavored extracts

How This Cake Roll Differs From My Previous Recipes

This new recipe contains no egg yolks so the cake base is whiter and easier to color making it perfect for pattern cake rolls. It also has a more neutral flavor profile and takes on extracts and certain flavorings wonderfully. Lastly, the "skin" on the cake peels off more readily to reveal the beautiful design on the roll.

TIP: You can also use the techniques in my other cake roll recipes to create different flavored cake bases and fillings.

Can I Use This Recipe for Intricate Patterns?

This is a good beginner's recipe which doesn't require preparation of a separate pattern paste. However, the different colored batters need to be piped and baked in a timely manner, limiting the design capabilities. I recommend using this Fancy Pattern Cake roll recipe instead. Here are other examples of other cakes using the "fancier" separate pattern paste method: gingerbread man pattern cake roll, bear pattern cheesecake roll and Christmas silent night pattern cheesecake roll.

Ingredients for tiger cake roll laid out on a wooden counter top.

How to Prepare Ingredients & Substitutions

Dry Ingredients

  • Cake flour - a low protein flour which will help make this cake softer than if using AP flour. It usually has a protein content between 6-8% while pastry flour, also a lower protein flour, has a protein content between 8-9%. Grocery stores usually sell a combination of cake and pastry flour at 7-9% protein. It can be substituted with all-purpose flour but the cake will be a little tougher than if using cake flour.
  • Sea salt - provides a nice contrast to the sweet taste in the cake and brings out the flavors. Use half the amount if using table salt.

Wet Ingredients

  • Whole fat milk
  • Vegetable oil - neutral tasting oils like canola, grapeseed and avocado are all good choices.
  • Granulated sugar - this first set of sugar is added into the wet ingredients to help add moisture and break up the grains when the dry ingredients are added.
  • Vanilla extract - adds flavor to the cake, this can be substituted with other flavors of extract.

Meringue

  • Egg whites - from large eggs. Egg whites whip better at room temperature so keep it out on the counter for about half hour before whipping.
  • Cream of tartar - is an acid that helps to stabilize the meringue. It can be substituted with double the amount of lemon juice or vinegar.
  • Granulated sugar - adds stability to the meringue and tenderizes the cake.
  • Gel color - gel colors are a potent form of food coloring that doesn't add excess moisture when added to baked goods.

Stabilized Whipped Cream

  • Heavy cream - is a cream with a minimum milk fat content of 36% and above. Whipping cream has milk fat content of 30-35%. Heavy cream yields a more stable whipped cream but whipping cream will work just as well in this recipe since gelatin is being added.
  • Unflavored gelatin powder - when added to the cream, it creates a super stable whipped cream that will prevent the cake from sagging.
  • Granulated sugar
  • Vanilla extract - adds flavor to the cream, this can be substituted with other flavors of extract.
Two slices of tiger pattern cakes on a small dessert plate decorated with ears and tails.

Tips For Baking a Great Cake Roll

  • A strong and healthy meringue (whipped egg whites with sugar) is needed to act as one of the leavening agents in this cake. Egg whites should be whipped in a clean and dry non-plastic bowl since plastic tends to trap oil. Egg whites don't whip well in the presence of oil and water. To further remove oils, use a paper towel and wipe down the mixing bowl with lemon or vinegar before you start.
  • Carefully separate the egg whites and yolks when the eggs are cold. Make sure no yolks are present in the egg whites. An egg separator can come in handy.
  • Bring the egg whites to a stiff peak. This is characterized by egg whites that have a beak that points upwards (instead of slumped over) when the whisk is pulled out.
  • Once the liquid is introduced to the flour, do not over mix. This will produce more gluten, making the cake less tender.
  • After pouring the batter into the cake tray, rap it a few times on the counter to get rid of large air pockets, this will make the design show on a smoother surface.
  • Use a gentle folding movement with a spatula to incorporate the meringue into the wet flour mixture. Do not stir, this will prevent the air in the meringue from deflating.
  • Add more cream along the short edge of the cake which is to be rolled first. This will prevent the cake from cracking due to large gaps in between the folds. These angled spatulas will come in handy for even frosting any time of cake. Instead of putting your hands directly onto the cake, use the parchment paper to push the cake onto itself as you roll.
  • Fold gently and do not worry too much about rolling the cake very tightly. As long as the cream is spread out evenly (with a bit more along the short edge as per above), the amount of cream in this recipe will allow the sheet cake to hold up without cracking due to large gaps.
  • Chill the bowl, beaters and whipped cream for optimal whipping volume. They should all be be very cold. Whipping in a stainless steel bowl placed on top of a bed of ice will help keep things nice and cool on a hot day.
  • Gelatin is added to the whipped cream to help stabilize it. Many recipes do not include this step but I prefer it when using whipped cream in a cake roll. It prevents the cream from deflating so the roll stays rounder and looks nicer. You can leave this step out if you plan on serving the cake immediately. If you need further guidance on stabilizing the cream, please read my post on How to Stabilize Whipped Cream with Gelatin.
  • If you find rolling the cake and stabilizing the whipped cream is too time-consuming, try this easy Japanese Peach Cake in a Cup, it has the same great chiffon base but doesn't require rolling or whipped cream stabilization and can be baked in a pan of any size.

Tips to Make Pattern on Cake without Cracking and Using a Thick Paste

In creating this recipe, I experimented with several pattern paste techniques. I found that it wasn't ideal to use a separate "thicker" paste for the pattern because it made the cake harder to roll and was prone to cracking, erasing all that hard work. In this recipe, we use the same cake batter throughout the entire cake. Here are some tips on making the pattern roll without a thick paste:

  • To prevent cracking, use a proper cake roll recipe. Not all cake recipes are meant for rolling because the cake base is not flexible enough. I've tested this recipe many times with various designs and it works!
  • After baking, there is no need to roll up this cake for "muscle memory". You can let it cool down on the wire rack while making the cream. Assembling it right away with the cream eliminates the amount of times the cake is handled.
  • To help the design stay in place without the need for a thicker pattern paste, pipe the colored cake batter onto a silicone mat instead of on parchment paper. The Silpat toaster-sized silicone mat fits perfectly into my 8x12" cake pan.
  • To further set small details, the design portion can be chilled before pouring the rest of the batter and baking. Take the silicone mat with the piped design and place it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. This step can be skipped when working with larger designs that don't need much definition. I did not use this step on this tiger cake roll and you can see that the colors bleed into each other a little bit, resulting in a blended effect.

Step By Step - Cake Roll

Line a 8 X 12" rectangular cake pan with toaster-sized silicone baking mat, place animal print template below. Preheat oven to 325 F. In a small bowl, combine all the "wet" ingredients together with a whisk and set aside (this includes first portion of sugar). In a large mixing bowl, sift in dry mix. Stir to combine.

On left is a bowl filled with wet ingredients, on right a big bowl with dry ingredients being sifted.

Create a well in the center. Inside it, add all the "wet" ingredients. Combine until just incorporated, do not over mix as it will result in a tough cake. Set this flour mixture aside.

On left wet ingredients being poured into a well created inside the dry ingredients, on right the wet flour mixsture.

In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar. Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have tightened up, add the second portion of sugar a little bit at a time.

On left is a clear bowl with egg whites being whipped to foamy stage, on right sugar is being added to egg whites that have now become opaque.

Increase speed to med-high, whip until stiff peaks (Note 6). You've now made a meringue.

Two beaters that have meringue on it with pointed beaks.
Soft Peaks: When the whisk is pulled out of the mixture and the peaks fold back/melt into itself.
Stiff Peaks (pictured above): When the whisk is pulled out and the peaks hold their shape and points upwards.

Weigh the meringue and portion out ⅙. Weigh the flour mixture and portion out ⅙. Add gel color into the flour mixture, black for the smaller portion and orange for the larger portion. Take the smaller portion of meringue and fold it into the smaller portion of wet flour mixture in three additions. Next, do the same with the bigger portion as well.

On left is a bowl filled with meringue that is being folded with food color, on right is colored batter being transferred to a piping bag.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #7 round tip with the black batter. Pipe the desired animal print on top of the silicone mat. Remove template. Use a skewer or toothpick to spread out the batter into the desired design.

On left is a piping tip piping black batter onto a silicone mat, on right is a skewer pushing the black batter into a discernible pattern.

Fill another pastry bag fitted with a #10 round tip with some of the orange batter. Pipe the batter into all the areas without black batter. Tap the tray on the counter to help settle the batters.

Optional: To further set small details, the design portion can be chilled before pouring the rest of the batter and baking. Take the silicone mat with the piped design and place it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.

Gently pour the rest of the orange batter into the cake pan over the design, spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula. Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets. Bake for 10-12 min. at 325 F until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center.

On left a spatula is smoothing out the top of a cake pan filled with orange cake batter, on right is the cake pan in the oven.

Let cool in pan for 5 min. Place cooling rack over cake pan. Flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper or mat. The side facing up will eventually become the top of the cake roll. Let it sit on cooling rack while making the stabilized whipped cream.

On left is a cooling rack placed over the cake pan filled with freshly baked cake, on right is the top of the baked cake with pattern showing.

Step By Step - Stabilized Whipped Cream

Place beaters, bowl and cream in fridge to chill. It's important for these tools and ingredients to be completely chilled before whipping. Place water in a heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes. Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.

On left a spoon is sprinkling gelatin into a measuring cup filled with a bit of water, on right is the cup in a pot of hot water.

Immediately start whipping the cream and sugar on medium speed.

On left sugar is being poured into cream, on right bubbles are forming inside cream as it is being whipped.

Whip until the beater starts leaving tracks inside the cream, pour the cooled gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl while continuing to whip. Add extract.

On left gelatin is being poured inside cream being whipped, on right vanilla is being added to cream.

Increase speed to medium-high. Stop beating once the cream turns stiff (Note 6). Do not over whip. Use cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.

On left ridges are forming inside te whipped cream, on right two beaters have cream on it that has stiff beaks.

Step By Step - Assembly

Spread the cream onto the tiger print cake with a bit of extra on the side that is to be rolled first (Note 7). Carefully roll up the cake from the short edge using the parchment paper to help push the cake onto itself. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to set before cutting.

On left a spatula spreads cream onto the sheet cake, on right the tiger cake roll is being rolled up.

Before serving, cut off sides for a cleaner presentation. If you want to decorate the cake, read body of post for different ways to do so. Tiger cake roll can be kept in the fridge in an air tight container for 2-3 days.

Tiger cake roll on a long plate decorated with fondant ears and face.

How to Make Swiss Cake Roll Look Neat and Round

To prevent the cake roll from sagging, stabilization of the cream filling is key. After that, employing an extra rolling technique with plastic wrap will further guide the cake towards a round shape. After assembling the cake with the cream, wrap the assembled cake in plastic wrap. Once it's secured inside the first piece of plastic, place it on a new piece of plastic and start wrapping it again while gently rolling it away from you, making sure you are creating a log shape at the same time. Just use gentle pressure, we don't want to squish the fluffy cake base! Allow the assembled cake to firm up in the fridge for several hours before serving. Doing the above steps will give you a beautiful round cake log at home.

How to Decorate the Tiger Cake

Now to the fun part - decorating! For this particular design, I made little tiger ears and facial elements out of ready-to-use fondant. You can also recreate this look with colored whipped cream instead. However, I found that the black color from the face tends to bleed into the white cream filling so I recommend applying these elements right before serving. Because I wanted to show off the inside of the cake roll for the purpose of this tutorial, I used separate facial elements but if I was serving this at a party, I would probably use an animal face made entirely of fondant to prevent the color bleed into the cream. Lastly, in another recipe, I used a cake painting to add finer details to the cake roll, take a look here, bear pattern cake roll & Silent Night Christmas Cake Roll.

Animal Cake Roll Templates

Here are some animal print cake roll templates I made for you.

Animal print templates for cake roll in tiger, cow and leopard print.


Recipe

Yield: 8 slices

Tiger Pattern Cake Roll

Tiger cake roll on a long plate placed on a table top.

A fun tiger animal cake roll made from a flexible cake base that is easy to roll without cracking. Tastes delicious and looks amazing!

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

Dry Mix

  • 70 grams cake flour (Note 2)
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Wet Mix

  • 90 ml whole fat milk
  • 20 ml vegetable oil (Note 3)
  • 30 grams granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Meringue

  • 6 egg whites, room temperature
  • 55 grams granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (Note 4)
  • Gel color in desired colors

Stabilized Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup heavy cream (36% M.F.) (Note 5), chilled
  • 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoon granulated sugar to taste
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
  • 4 teaspoon water

Instructions

    Tiger Pattern Cake

    1. Line a 8 X 12" rectangular cake pan with toaster-sized silicone baking mat, place animal print template below.
    2. Preheat oven to 325 F.
    3. In a small bowl, combine all the "wet" ingredients together with a whisk and set aside (this includes first portion of sugar).
    4. In a large mixing bowl, sift in dry mix. Stir to combine.
    5. Create a well in the center. Inside it, add all the "wet" ingredients.
    6. Combine until just incorporated, do not over mix as it will result in a tough cake. Set this flour mixture aside.
    7. In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar.
    8. Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have tightened up, add the second portion of sugar a little bit at a time.
    9. Increase speed to med-high, whip until stiff peaks (Note 6). You've now made a meringue.
    10. Weigh the meringue and portion out ⅙.
    11. Weigh the flour mixture and portion out ⅙.
    12. Add gel color into the flour mixture, black for the smaller portion and orange for the larger portion.
    13. Take the smaller portion of meringue and fold it into the smaller portion of wet flour mixture in three additions. Next, do the same with the bigger portion as well.
    14. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #7 round tip with the black batter. Pipe the desired animal print on top of the silicone mat. Remove template. Use a skewer or toothpick to spread out the batter into the desired design.
    15. Fill another pastry bag fitted with a #10 round tip with some of the orange batter. Pipe the batter into all the areas without black batter. Tap the tray on the counter to help settle the batters.
    16. Optional: To further set small details, the design portion can be chilled before pouring the rest of the batter and baking. Take the silicone mat with the piped design and place it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
    17. Gently pour the rest of the orange batter into the cake pan over the design, spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula.
    18. Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets.
    19. Bake for 10-12 min. at 325 F until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center.
    20. Let cool in pan for 5 min.
    21. Place cooling rack over cake pan.
    22. Flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper or mat.
    23. The side facing up will eventually become the top of the cake roll. Let it sit on cooling rack while making the stabilized whipped cream.

    Stabilized Whipped Cream

    1. Place beaters, bowl and cream in fridge to chill. It's important for these tools and ingredients to be completely chilled before whipping.
    2. Place water in a heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes.
    3. Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.
    4. Immediately start whipping the cream and sugar on medium speed.
    5. Whip until the beater starts leaving tracks inside the cream, pour the cooled gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl while continuing to whip.
    6. Add extract.
    7. Increase speed to medium-high. Stop beating once the cream turns stiff (Note 6). Do not over whip.
    8. Use cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.

    Assembly

    1. Spread the cream onto the tiger print cake with a bit of extra on the side that is to be rolled first (Note 7).
    2. Carefully roll up the cake from the short edge using the parchment paper to help push the cake onto itself.
    3. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to set before cutting.
    4. Before serving, cut off sides for a cleaner presentation. If you want to decorate the cake, read body of post for different ways to do so. Tiger cake roll can be kept in the fridge in an air tight container for 2-3 days.

Notes

1. Some ingredients are repeated, use them in the same order as outlined in instructions.

2. Cake flour is preferable for a soft fluffy texture. It can be substituted with All-Purpose Flour.

3. Neutral oil choices: canola, grapeseed, avocado

4. Cream of tartar is an acid that helps to stabilize the egg whites, it can be replaced with double the amount of lemon juice or vinegar.

5. Heavy cream is cream with milk fat content of 35%+ (also labelled as 35% M.F.) It can be substituted with whipping cream which has milk fat of 30%+. Heavy cream is preferred for it's stability.

6. Stiff peaks are characterized by egg whites that have a pointed peak when the whisk is pulled out. It points upwards and doesn't droop on itself.

7. Depending on the volume your cream attains once whipped, not all of the cream may be needed. A layer about ½" is recommended, with a bit more on the edge that will be rolled first.

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Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 213Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 35mgSodium 127mgCarbohydrates 18gFiber 0gSugar 13gProtein 5g

This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

© mimi
Cuisine: japanese / Category: Cakes

Pink Cotton Candy Meringue Cookies - Easy French Method

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Easy pink meringue cookies made using the French method - sugar syrup not required! It's light and crisp, perfect for Valentine's Day gift giving, bridal and baby showers, afternoon tea and decorating cakes and cupcakes.

Pink meringue kisses on a small cupcake stand with other birthday treats in the background.
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I made these pretty pink cotton candy meringue kisses for Bibi's second birthday party that conveniently doubled as party favors and sustainable table decorations. I really love them because they made the dessert table look fantastic and they could be packed up afterwards in little goodie bags for Bibi's friends who came to do contactless present drop offs. After making white meringues in a mushroom shape with vanilla extract flavoring, I thought it would be nice to try a fun flavoring this time for these pink candy kisses. I was gifted a specially formulated bottle of cotton candy extract by Jenna Rae Cakes and thought it would be perfect for this occasion.

Why You'll Love Making French Style Meringue

  • Easy to Make - French method meringue technique requires no heating of sugar syrup.
  • Multiple Uses - perfect for topping off Valentine's Day cakes & desserts or for gift giving by itself.
  • Minimal Ingredients - utilizes simple pantry ingredients that are easy to stock.
  • Prepare in Advance - save time by making these Valentine's goodies up to weeks in advance.
  • Creative Uses - meringue can be piped into various shapes and sizes. Once you prepare the batter, you can experiment with a variety of designs like hearts, meringue lollipops etc.

Ingredients You'll Need & Substitutes

  • Castor sugar - also known as 'fine granulated sugar' or 'berry sugar'. Can also be substituted with regular granulated sugar but castor sugar is preferable.
  • Egg whites - make sure egg whites are at room temperature before whipping for maximum volume.
  • Cream of tartar - is an acid that adds more stability to meringue. It can be substituted with double the amount in lemon juice or vinegar.
  • Cotton candy or pure vanilla extract - these flavorings can be substituted with a few drops of your favorite extract. Use ⅛ teaspoon a more subtle flavor and increase to ¼ teaspoon for a more potent flavor. See below on where I bought my cotton candy extract.
  • Gel Food Color - I used Americolor brand here. Gel colors are great because they provide vibrant color with just a small amount. (Excessive use of liquids can cause meringues to deflate.)

Where to Buy a Good Cotton Candy Extract?

To make these special cotton candy meringue kiss, I used a cotton candy extract that was specially concocted by Jenna Rae Cakes to have that unique spun sugar taste. It's the same flavoring that is used in the cotton candy products sold in their popular bakery chain in Canada. Updated, January 2023: I liked it so much that I decided to use it again to make a pink Japanese cotton candy cake roll for Valentine's Day.

I also think Cotton candy is a great flavoring for those times when you can't decide what rainbow colored goodies should taste like 🙂 I will make a note to use it next time for my rainbow crepe cake or 3D rainbow macarons.

Pink meringue candy styled with other birthday treats like cupcakes and cake logs on a table.
Colorful meringue cookies make for a sustainable and delicious table decoration.

What is Meringue and How to Use It

Meringue is made from a mixture of whipped egg whites and sugar, this mixture can be baked or left unbaked. If left unbaked, it's soft and fluffy and is usually reserved as toppings on desserts like lemon meringue pie and Baked Alaska (Note: for food safety, usually these meringues are prepared by heating the egg whites and sugar to a temperature that can kill any harmful bacteria inside the eggs). If baked, it becomes a wonderful treat all on its own. It's sweet and crispy with a light texture. Cotton candy meringue kisses make a wonderful homemade candy using minimal ingredients.

The Differences Between French, Italian and Swiss Meringue

This recipe uses the French method for preparing meringue. In this method, sugar is simultaneously added to egg whites that are being whipped. Whereas in the Italian method, the sugar is first heated with water to create a syrup that is then added to egg whites that are being whipped. In the Swiss method, the egg whites and sugar are heated together in a bowl until it reaches a temperature that can dissolve the sugar and kill bacteria inside the eggs.

The French method is especially suited for beginners and many of you may already have experience making a French meringue from my Best Macaron Tutorial. You will find all that practice you had making a strong and healthy meringue for macarons will now come in handy for these meringues cookies. For those of you who are new to making meringues, here are some tips below for mastering this little cookie.

A whisk is shown with stiff peaked meringue hanging off it.
Beat the meringue until stiff peaks. This stage is characterized by a pointed beak that stands up straight without drooping on itself.

Tips for Making French Meringue

  1. Meringues don't whip up well when mixed with oil or water. Use a non-plastic bowl like glass or copper and wipe it down with some vinegar or lemon juice to remove leftover oils. (Plastic bowls are porous and may contain leftover traces of oil.)
  2. Wash and dry hands completely then separate egg whites straight from the fridge. They are easier to separate when cold. You can use an egg separator to help you do it.
  3. Make sure no yolks are present in the egg whites. If a trace amount comes into contact with the whites, you can scoop it out with the egg shell.
  4. Bring egg whites to room temperature before whipping.
  5. Always start on low speed when whipping egg whites and then gradually increase the speed. This will help the egg whites develop a more stable structure.
  6. Add cream of tartar or any other acid to stabilize the egg whites. Lemon juice or vinegar in double the amount can be used as substitutes.
  7. If possible, use castor sugar a.k.a berry sugar or extra fine sugar. This fine sugar will dissolve more readily than regular granulated sugar.
  8. Add the sugar slowly so it has time to dissolve.
  9. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks has been reached. Stiff peaks is characterized by egg whites that have pointed peaks that don't collapse on itself (See photo above). A method to test stiffness is to tip the bowl upside down, if the egg whites don't slip, it's ready.
  10. If available, pipe the meringue onto silicone mats instead of paper since it's easier to pull the piping bag away quickly to stop piping without dragging the paper up with the meringue.
  11. To prevent the meringues from cracking, don't open the oven during the baking time.
  12. Once the meringues are finished baking, let it stay in the oven for 2 hours or more to let it cool off gradually without collapsing.
Pink meringue cookies decorating a top of a chocolate cake roll.
Meringue Kisses are an easy and beautiful way to decorate cakes.

How to Serve & Store Meringue Kisses

There are so many uses for these cotton candy meringues. They're great for decorating Valentine's Day desserts like the chocolate cake roll shown above, cupcakes, cheesecakes and macarons. They can also be wrapped up individually in a gift box for gift giving. Those with a sweet tooth will really love the sweet crispy texture of these meringue cookies. As mentioned above, I've used them as sustainable and delicious decorations for Bibi's second birthday party.

These meringue cookies can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and kept in an air-tight container. If you're using them purely as table decorations and not for consumption, they can be kept even longer, up to one month.

Tip: If you're making a Valentine's Day cookie box, try this easy recipe, marbled heart cookies without royal icing.

Heart Meringue Lollipop Templates

To make heart meringue lollipops, you can use this recipe for piping heart shapes onto the provided templates below. Sprinkle some sprinkles onto the top if desired. Next, insert a heat-safe paper straw in them before baking. Once baked and left to cool completely, cover with clear plastic treat bags and secure the end with a twist tie or ribbon. These will make wonderful Valentine's Day gifts and even just one will make a huge impact!

Small heart meringue lollipop templates.
Small double heart meringue lollipop templates.
Large heart meringue lollipop templates.

Recipe

Yield: 60 small cookies

Pink Cotton Candy Meringue Cookies

Close up of pink cotton candy flavored meringue kisses.

Easy pink meringue cookies made using the French method - sugar syrup not required! It's light and crisp, perfect for Valentine's Day gift giving, bridal and baby showers, afternoon tea and decorating cakes and cupcakes.

Prep Time 25 minutes
Bake Time 1 hour
Additional Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes

Ingredients

Pink Meringue Cookies

  • 135 grams castor sugar (Note 1)
  • 60 grams egg whites (room temperature)
  • ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar (Note 2)
  • ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon cotton candy extract or pure vanilla extract (Note 3)
  • 1-2 drops of pink gel color

Instructions

Pink Meringue Cookies

  1. Set egg whites out at room temperature.
  2. When the egg whites comes to room temperature, whip on low speed. Once it begins to foam, add cream of tartar.
  3. Increase speed to medium.
  4. Continue whipping until egg whites become opaque and the whisks starts to leave tracks inside the whites.
  5. Add the sugar a little at a time until soft peaks is reached. (Note 4)
  6. Add gel color and keep whipping.
  7. Add vanilla extract and increase speed to med-high speed until stiff peaks are reached (Note 5). You have now made a meringue.
  8. Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a coupler and a small open star decorating tip (e.g. Wilton #32).
  9. Pre-heat oven to 200F.
  10. Place parchment paper or Silpat mats onto baking tray. If using paper, dab a bit of meringue onto the bottom of the paper and stick it to the pan to prevent it from shuffling around as you pipe.
  11. Hold the piping bag vertically over the mat at a 90 degree angle, pipe the meringue and pull away quickly while releasing pressure to create a pointed tip.
  12. Bake for 1 hour at 200F. Do not open the doors while baking.
  13. Meringues are fully baked when they can be pulled cleanly away from the mat without sticking.
  14. Turn off the oven. Leave meringues inside with the door ajar for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  15. French meringue mushrooms can be kept in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

    Notes

    1. Castor sugar is also known as 'fine granulated sugar' or 'berry sugar'. Can also be substituted with regular granulated sugar but castor sugar is preferable.

    2. Cream of tartar can be substituted with double the amount in lemon juice or vinegar.

    3. Flavorings can be substituted with extracts of your choice. For a stronger flavor, use ¼ tsp.

    4. Soft peaks is reached when the meringue holds a soft tip that droops back on itself after the whisk pulled out.

    5. Stiff peaks is characterized by egg whites that hold a stiff peak that stands upright without falling over when the whisk is pulled out of the egg whites. Additionally, the egg whites don't slip in the bowl when tipped upside down.

    Nutrition Information

    Yield

    60

    Serving Size

    1
    Amount Per Serving Calories 9Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 2mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 0gSugar 2gProtein 0g

    This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

    Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

    Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

    © Mimi
    Cuisine: french / Category: Sweets

    Moist Carrot Cupcakes with Mascarpone Cream Frosting

    · 6 Comments

    Moist & fluffy carrot cupcakes topped with stabilized mascarpone whipped cream. Perfect for birthday parties, Easter and baby showers.

    Close up of carrot cupcakes on a cake stand.
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    I created this carrot cupcake recipe to celebrate Bibi's second birthday. Because we were staying safe at home for her birthday, just the 3 of us, I decided to make a collection of little treats which could be packaged up into takeaway boxes that we gave to Bibi's friends who came to drop off presents. It's based on my fluffiest carrot cake roll except the baking steps in this recipe is a lot simpler, uses less ingredients and doesn't require any rolling of the cake. I love it for it's simplicity and how great it tastes! I think it's sophisticated enough for a bridal shower and fun enough for celebrating Easter. I hope you'll enjoy it too!

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • Moist & Fluffy - using cake flour and the tips below, this carrot cake will be moist and fluffy!
    • Easy - cupcakes require minimal skill, just sift, stir and fold!
    • Simple Ingredients - this recipe uses common ingredients that are available year round at every grocery store.
    • Pipeable Whipped Cream - unlike regular un-stabilized whipped cream, the stabilized mascarpone whipped cream in this recipe is sturdy enough for piping designs. Lasts for days without deflating.

    What Is Carrot Cake?

    As the name implies, carrot cake contains carrots. Besides the carrot flavor, it can also have flavors of spice (ex. cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves) and nuts (ex. pecans, walnuts), depending on the recipe. Sometimes, other ingredients like shredded coconut, raisins and pineapples are added as a natural sweetener.

    Sometimes carrot cake is sometimes mistakenly thought of as a healthy cake. Carrot cake contains carrots which is a vegetable that is high in fiber and contains important nutrients. Truth be told, if eaten alone, carrots are a healthy food but carrot cake usually contains sugar and fats which may not have any added benefits for your health. Treat it like any other cake and eat in moderation

    Carrot cupcakes on a cake stand along with other sweet treats to celebrate baby's birthday.

    Ingredients & Substitutes

    Carrot Cupcakes - Dry Mix

    • Cake flour - cake flour is a low protein flour which will help make this cupcake lighter and softer than if using all purpose flour. It usually has a protein content between 6-8% while pastry flour, also a lower protein flour, has a protein content between 8-9%. Grocery stores usually sell a combination of cake and pastry flour at 7-9% protein. It can be substituted with all-purpose flour but cake flour is preferable.
    • Baking powder - leavening agent
    • Baking soda - leavening agent
    • Ground cinnamon - all of the spices added together can be replaced with the same amount of pumpkin pie spice.
    • Ground ginger
    • Ground nutmeg
    • Sea salt - highlights the flavors in the cupcake, especially the sweet taste. It can be substituted with half the amount in table salt.

    Carrot Cupcakes - Wet Mix

    • Neutral oil - neutral tasting oil choices include: canola, avocado and grapeseed.
    • Granulated sugar
    • Brown sugar - Demerara brown sugar was used for this recipe. It has a more mellow molasses flavor than regular brown sugar. It can be substituted with granulated sugar.
    • Eggs - large size
    • Whole milk
    • Vanilla extract - rounds out the flavors in the cupcakes.

    Additional

    • Carrots - pulverized just enough so that it is cross-shredded, do not over-pulverize until excess juices start to release from the carrots. The carrot flavor will become too over-powering.
    • Pecan - finely chopped, it can be pulverized in the food processor. It can be substituted with walnuts but pecan adds a sweeter brighter flavor profile.
    • Optional: raisins

    Stabilized Mascarpone Whipped Cream Frosting

    • Mascarpone cheese - it can usually found in the "gourmet" cheese section of the grocery store by the deli, sometimes away from where the regular cheese and yogurts are kept. The Tre Stelle brand was used in this recipe.
    • Granulated sugar
    • Heavy cream (36% M.F.) - has a milk fat content of at least 36%. It can be substituted with whipping cream (with minimum 30% milk fat) but heavy cream will produce an even more sturdy frosting. It needs to be completely chilled before whipping or else it won't whip up.
    • Vanilla extract
    • Gelatin powder, unflavored - the Knox brand was used in this recipe. It can usually be found in the baking aisle by the yeast.
    • Water
    Close up of pecan carrot cupcakes topped with swirls of mascarpone whipped cream and topped with farm animal toppers.

    Tips for Baking the Most Fluffiest Carrot Cupcakes

    • Use cake flour instead of AP flour.
    • Always sift cake flour to prevent clumps.
    • Gently incorporate the dry-mix and wet ingredients together until no lumps of flour can be seen. Do not over mix as it will result in a tough cake.
    • Pay attention to the cupcakes a couple minutes before it finishes baking to prevent over baking. Every oven is different and baking times vary according to how hot or cold each oven runs. Insert a skewer to test the doneness. If it pulls out clean and the center springs back, it's ready.
    • For the mascarpone frosting, make sure the heavy cream, bowls and utensils are thoroughly chilled before whipping, otherwise, it won't whip well. For detailed instructions and more step-by-step pictures, see my dedicated post on stabilized mascarpone whipped cream.

    How to Serve and Store Carrot Cupcakes

    • Unfrosted and unfilled carrot cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. They should be served immediately after that point.
    • Filled or frosted cupcakes need to be placed in an airtight container in the fridge until serving. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the fridge.
    • Keep frosted carrot cupcakes in the fridge until ready serve. Always observe proper food safety standards, let it sit at room temperature no longer than 2 hours.
    • For Easter, carrot cupcakes can be decorated with homemade decorations like macaron bunnies, Easter eggs, seasonal sprinkles etc.

    Recipe

    Yield: 12 cupcakes

    Moist & Fluffy Carrot Cupcakes with Stabilized Mascarpone Cream

    Stabilized mascarpone whipped cream with gelatin.

    Moist & fluffy carrot cupcakes topped with the creamiest mascarpone whipped cream stabilized with gelatin.

    Prep Time 1 hour
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Additional Time 1 hour
    Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

    Ingredients

    Carrot Cupcakes - Dry Mix

    • 192 grams cake flour (Note 1)
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt

    Carrot Cupcakes - Wet Mix

    • 150 ml neutral oil (Note 2)
    • 100 grams granulated sugar
    • 100 grams brown sugar (Note 3)
    • 2 eggs
    • ¼ cup whole milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Additional

    • 180 grams carrots, pulverized (Note 4)
    • 55 grams pecan, finely chopped
    • Optional: raisins

    Stabilized Mascarpone Whipped Cream Frosting

    • 115 grams mascarpone cheese
    • 40 grams granulated sugar
    • 1 cup heavy cream (36% M.F.), chilled
    • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 + ¼ teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
    • 5 teaspoon water

    Instructions

    Carrot Cupcakes

    1. Pre-heat oven to 350F and line cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
    2. In a medium bowl, sift dry mix together and stir to combine, set aside.
    3. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the wet mix until fully combined, Add the dry mix in 3 additions, gently stir together until just combined.
    4. Gently fold in the additional (carrots, pecans, raisins) ingredients.
    5. Fill the cupcake liners with batter ¾ of the way full.
    6. Bake for 20-25 min. until a skewer inserted pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center.
    7. Let cool completely on a cooling rack while working on the mascarpone cream.

    Stabilized Mascarpone Cream Frosting

    1. Refrigerate mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes. This will help the cream whip better.
    2. Place water in a heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes.
    3. Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.
    4. Immediately start beating the mascarpone cheese and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the chilled bowl. Whip on low speed until it loosens up.
    5. Add chilled cream, increase to medium and keep whipping until beater starts leaving tracks inside the cream.
    6. Check on the gelatin. It should no longer be hot but still runny.
    7. Once the beaters leave tracks in the cream, pour the gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl.
    8. Increase speed to medium-high. Add vanilla extract and stop whipping once the cream turns stiff. Do not over whip.
    9. Use to frost carrot cupcakes immediately.
    10. Filled or frosted cupcakes need to be placed in an airtight container in the fridge until serving. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the fridge.



      Notes

      1. Cake flour is a lower protein flour that yields a tender and more fluffy cake. Some stores sell only "cake and pastry" flour which is a blend of both of these lower-protein flours. AP flour can be used to substitute but cake flour is preferable.

      2. Neutral tasting oil choices include: canola, avocado & grapeseed.

      3. Demerara brown sugar was used for this recipe. It has a more mellow molasses flavor than regular brown sugar. It can be substituted with granulated sugar.

      4. Pulverize carrots just enough so that it is cross-shredded, do not over-pulverize until excess juices start to release from the carrots.

      Nutrition Information

      Yield

      12

      Serving Size

      1
      Amount Per Serving Calories 414Total Fat 28gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 17gCholesterol 67mgSodium 263mgCarbohydrates 39gFiber 1gSugar 24gProtein 4g

      This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

      Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

      Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

      © mimi
      Cuisine: american / Category: Cakes

      Stabilized Mascarpone Whipped Cream with Gelatin

      · 12 Comments

      Stabilized mascarpone whipped cream with gelatin. Sturdy enough for piping designs and use as a filling for cakes without deflating. Perfect for cupcakes, cakes and tiramisu.

      A cake stand full of cupcakes topped with mascarpone whipped cream piped into a swirl pattern.
      [feast_advanced_jump_to]

      This recipe came about when I was looking for a stabilized version of mascarpone whipped cream for topping off some carrot cupcakes. I found that stabilizing the frosting with gelatin made it very stable for piping and use inside cake rolls without drooping. Another benefit is that the structure is not dependent on sugar like other frostings so it has a wonderfully smooth texture and is super delicious. I've always loved the naturally sweet and slightly tangy taste of mascarpone cream on tiramisu and knew it would also be a great frosting for these carrot cupcakes I made for Bibi's second birthday party. I know you'll really love the stability and taste of this amazing frosting too!

      Why You'll Love this Recipe

      • Delicious - uses minimal ingredients, semi-sweet, rich and creamy.
      • Great texture - smooth and creamy, does not use powdered sugar.
      • Stable - sturdy for piping and frosting. Won't droop when used in a cake roll.
      • Minimal added sugar - great choice of frosting for the whole family.
      • Multiple uses: use on desserts, fruits, pancakes, waffles, toast, cinnamon buns etc.

      What is Mascarpone Cheese?

      Mascarpone cheese has it's origins from Italy and is a type of triple-crème cheese known for it's soft and buttery properties, similar to cream cheese and ricotta. It is made with cream that is denatured with heat and an acid like lemon juice. A curd is formed then strained, resulting in a spreadable dense creamy cheese that is sweet and rich. It's less tangy than regular cream cheese and smoother than ricotta.

      As mentioned earlier, mascarpone is a type of triple-crème cheese. To be a triple-cream, a cheese must contain a minimum of 75% butterfat fat content in the dry matter (FDM/FDB), "that is the fat present in the solids that would remain if all of the moisture was removed from the cheese, a quality achieved by adding cream to the milk before it forms curds." Source: The Cheese Professor. Because of this, it's much richer and naturally sweeter than cream cheese.

      Left picture shows mascarpone whipped cream being spread out onto a cake layer. Right picture shows the cream being piped into flower pattern.
      Stabilization helps keep the mascarpone whipped cream stay sturdy in cake rolls without sagging and for piping designs without deflating.

      Do I Need to Stabilize this Frosting with Gelatin?

      It depends on how you plan to use this frosting. Normally, the combination of both heavy cream and mascarpone will be enough to stabilize the cream for piping designs on treats that will be consumed within a short period of time. You can skip the gelatin if you are not too picky about the cream losing some of its volume or shape over time. One of the benefits for adding gelatin to this mascarpone cream is to make it extra sturdy for use in frosting and filling cakes and cake rolls without deflating, and for piping designs that will hold its shape for a longer period of time.

      Do I Need a Stand Mixer to Whip Cream?

      No, you don't necessarily need a stand mixer to whip cream. You can use a handheld mixer to whip cream too. In fact, you can even whip cream completely by hand! It does however take much longer and your hand might get very tired. There's a risk that the cream will become warmer making it much harder to whip than chilled cream so a handheld or stand mixer will still be more ideal.

      Ingredients to make stabilized mascarpone whipped cream laid out on the counter.

      Ingredients Needed

      • Mascarpone cheese - it can usually found in the "gourmet" cheese section of the grocery store by the deli, sometimes away from where the regular cheese and yogurts are kept. The Tre Stelle brand was used in this recipe.
      • Granulated sugar
      • Heavy cream 36% M.F. - has a milk fat content of at least 36%. It can be substituted with whipping cream (with minimum 30% milk fat) but heavy cream will produce an even more sturdy frosting. It needs to be completely chilled before whipping or else it won't whip up.
      • Vanilla extract
      • Gelatin powder, unflavored - the Knox brand was used in this recipe. It can usually be found in the baking aisle by the yeast.

      Is Whipping Cream and Heavy Cream the Same?

      Whipped cream and heavy cream are sometimes used interchangeably in some recipes and it can usually be swapped one for another in cooking without affecting the texture too much. For whipping, however, there is a marked difference with heavy cream being more stable after whipping. Heavy cream is especially suited for this particular recipe because of it's added stability.

      The main difference between whipping cream and heavy cream is their fat content. Whipping cream has milk fat content of 30-35% and is usually found at 33% in most regular grocery stores. It will usually be labelled as 33% M.F. The heavy whipped cream designation is given to cream with a minimum milk fat content of 36% and above. Even with just a small percentage change, it's whipping ability changes dramatically.

      Pancakes topped with blueberries, bananas and mascarpone whipped cream.
      Mascarpone whipped cream is a great topping choice on pancakes too.

      Step By Step

      Refrigerate mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes. This will help the cream whip better. Place water in a heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes. Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.

      Gelatin bloomed inside a measuring cup.

      Immediately start beating the mascarpone cheese and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the chilled bowl. Whip on low speed until it loosens up. Add chilled whipped cream, increase to medium and keep whipping until beater starts leaving tracks inside the cream.

      Mascarpone cream being whipped inside a counter mixer.

      Check on the gelatin. It should no longer be hot but still runny. Once the beaters leave tracks in the cream, pour the gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl.

      Gelatin is in liquid state in a measuring cup, a hand is pouring liquid gelatin into cream being whipped.

      Increase speed to medium-high. Stop beating once the cream turns stiff. Do not over whip. Use cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.

      Marscapone cheese being mixed with sugar in a mixer.
      Close up shot of a carrot cupcake topped with a swirl of mascarpone cream and cute birthday topper.
      Stabilized mascarpone whipped cream is great for dessert tables.

      How to Use Mascarpone Whipped Cream

      How to Store

      Mascarpone whipped cream is best used immediately after whipping for maximum volume. Even if you're not consuming the product right away, it's best to frost or pipe onto the final product first and then store the finished product accordingly. It should be left out for no longer than 2 hours at room temperature.

      If not using immediately, this stabilized version of mascarpone whipped cream can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 4 days and gently re-whipped before piping or frosting. It's not recommended to freeze this frosting.

      Recipe

      Yield: 2 ½ cups

      Stabilized Mascarpone Cream with Gelatin

      Stabilized mascarpone whipped cream with gelatin.

      Stabilized mascarpone whipped cream with gelatin. Sturdy enough for piping designs and use as a filling for cakes without deflating. Perfect for cupcakes, cakes and tiramisu.

      Prep Time 35 minutes
      Cook Time 15 minutes
      Additional Time 1 hour
      Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

      Ingredients

      Stabilized Mascarpone Whipped Cream

      • 115 grams mascarpone cheese
      • 40 grams granulated sugar
      • 1 cup heavy cream (36% M.F.), chilled
      • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
      • 1 + ¼ teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
      • 5 teaspoon water

      Instructions

      Stabilized Mascarpone Cream

      1. Refrigerate mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes. This will help the cream whip better.
      2. Place water in a heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes.
      3. Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.
      4. Immediately start beating the mascarpone cheese and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the chilled bowl. Whip on low speed until it loosens up.
      5. Add chilled cream, increase to medium and keep whipping until beater starts leaving tracks inside the cream.
      6. Check on the gelatin. It should no longer be hot but still runny.
      7. Once the beaters leave tracks in the cream, pour the gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl.
      8. Increase speed to medium-high. Add vanilla extract and stop whipping once the cream turns stiff. Do not over whip.
      9. Pipe or frost immediately.



        Nutrition Information

        Yield

        2.5

        Serving Size

        1
        Amount Per Serving Calories 735Total Fat 69gSaturated Fat 43gTrans Fat 2gUnsaturated Fat 21gCholesterol 213mgSodium 283mgCarbohydrates 25gFiber 0gSugar 25gProtein 6g

        This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

        Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

        Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

        © mimi
        Cuisine: american / Category: Cakes

        Basic White Chocolate Macaron Filling - Easy & Adaptable

        · 4 Comments

        A basic white chocolate ganache macaron filling that is sturdy enough for use at room temperature. It's easy to adapt this base recipe for a variety of different flavors. Great for dessert tables, travelling and events with light color palettes.

        Macarons filled with white chocolate on a cake stand with some ingredients on the counter.

        This basic white chocolate macaron filling was created for all of you who asked for a white chocolate version of the basic dark chocolate macaron filling. I know many of you liked the simplicity of that filling and it's just a very easy and delicious way to fill macarons when you're time-pressed. This is the same for the white chocolate version. If there is one flavor I always include in my gift boxes it would be these two because I know it will be universally loved.

        Why You'll Love this Macaron Filling

        • Quick & easy to make.
        • Uses simple ingredients that are always available in the pantry and freezer.
        • Sturdy at room temperature - great for travelling and dessert tables.
        • Freezer friendly - thaws perfectly, perfect for making macarons in advance.
        • Light color for pastel themes.
        • Easily adaptable for different flavors.

        Ingredients & Substitutions

        • White Baking Chocolate - Read explanation below on what is baking chocolate and why it is recommended over chocolate chips.
        • Heavy cream has a milk fat content of at least 36%, its higher fat content produces a more stable chocolate ganache filling. If you are unable to find heavy cream, it can be substituted with whipping cream which usually has a milk fat content of at least 30%. Do not use half and half or milk as these do not contain a sufficient amount of milk fat.
        • Butter, unsalted - butter adds to the flavor profile and makes chocolate ganache look glossier. Butter should be at room temperature so it can be easily incorporated into the melted chocolate mixture. Use unsalted butter, if you like the the contrast between sweet and salty, you can always add a little bit of salt into the bowl before pouring the cream. Salted butter can be used but be aware that it may affect the overall taste of the ganache and you cannot control the salt level.
        • Vanilla extract - This is optional, vanilla adds a bit of warmth and rounds out the flavors in the chocolate. Depending on the brand you are using, you may not need to add any additional flavoring. Just taste the chocolate mixture before you add the extract.

        Can I Use Regular Chocolate Chips for Chocolate Ganache?

        Regular chocolate chips may be something you already have in your pantry and it's also very easy to find it at every grocery store. However, for this recipe, try to procure a better chocolate - baking chocolate - if possible. Baking chocolate is meant for melting into baked goods and desserts. It will usually be labelled as "baking chocolate" or sold as "white chocolate couverture".

        Conversely, ready to eat chocolates or regular chocolate chips usually contain stabilizers that are not the most desirable for use in baking as it can throw off the proportions in a recipe. (However, this can depend on the recipe, pay attention to the specific type of chocolate to use.) Compound chocolate chips are not meant for melting into recipes because they are formulated for folding into a batter and baking without losing its shape. For this chocolate macaron filling in particular, use of a better chocolate will yield a much tastier chocolate macaron which is important considering how hard you worked on making the macaron shells. Moreover, the proportions provided in this recipe are for use with "baking chocolate".

        Chocolate Callets Vs. Chips

        Now, a quick note on the difference between chocolate callets and chips. Callets are small bits of chocolate that are made for melting into recipes while chips are chocolate bits formulated for folding into baked goods without melting.

        What's the Ratio for a Sturdy White Chocolate Ganache Macaron Filling?

        This basic macaron filling was created for all of you who asked for a white chocolate version of the basic dark chocolate macaron filling. Although both of these fillings are made with the same simple ingredients found in chocolate ganache, the ratio of chocolate required is different. For a dark chocolate filling that is sturdy enough for use in macarons, a ratio of 1:1 (1 part chocolate for1 part cream) is sufficient. For white chocolate, the ratio increases to 2:1 (2 parts chocolate for 1 part cream).

        As you can see more chocolate is used for white chocolate macaron filling than with dark chocolate. Because of this, I received some feedback from prior recipes that the traditional method of pouring hot cream over white chocolate was not always successful in melting the chocolate. In this tutorial I will go over another technique for melting the chocolate more readily.

        Spicy cinnamon heart macarons made with candy infused white chocolate filling.

        Is this a Sturdy Macaron Filling at Room Temperature?

        Yes! White chocolate ganache is a pretty sturdy filling for macarons at room temperature. It is great for travelling and for use on dessert tables where the macarons need to be displayed for presentation. For experimentation purposes only, I have tried leaving macarons filled with this white chocolate filling out overnight on the counter at room temperature and it remained intact and didn't squish out the sides from light pressure. For hotter climates, white chocolate filling will still begin to melt at around 27C. Some of you might also be wondering if this macaron filling can be used for farmer's markets, most guidelines I've read for these markets do not allow foods made with dairy (cream in this case) to be exhibited. You can still make white chocolate ganache with other liquids like water and juice.

        How Long Can This Filling Be Left Out?

        Usually white chocolate ganache by itself can be left out at room temperature for up to 2 days. If it's assembled inside a macaron, observe regular food safety rules and leave it out at room temperature no longer than 2 hours. After that, keep the assembled macaron in an air-tight container, it will last another 4-5 days. For maximum macaron freshness, it's best to serve it within 1-2 days after maturation.

        Why Is My White Chocolate Filling Clumping Up and Not Melting?

        The two biggest culprits for white chocolate seizing and not melting are: water and overheating. When water is introduced to the mixture, the water and sugar forms a bond that will result in clumps. Therefore, it's important to use clean dry utensils and avoid letting any water droplets or steam to come into contact with the chocolate mixture. Also, use oil based flavors and gel colors instead of liquid for color and flavoring, respectively.

        To prevent overheating, hang the bowl of white chocolate that is to be melted over a pot of boiling hot water instead of using the microwave. Microwaves can have uneven heating performance causing certain parts of food to be overheated. Ensure that the bowl of chocolate is just hanging over the boiling water and not touching it. Turn down the heat to avoid too much steam from releasing.

        Why is My Chocolate Ganache Filling Runny?

        Chocolate ganache filling with this ratio of cream to chocolate will be runny and too soft for piping right after it has been blended with the hot cream. It will take some time for it to set and become firm enough for piping. To speed up the process, it can be placed in the fridge to set but it must be checked on every 15 minutes or so to make sure it doesn't harden up to a point that it becomes un-pipeable. Stir it gently each time. Alternatively, if you have the time, just let it sit out at room temperature for 1-2 hours, it will naturally set by itself without becoming too hard to pipe.

        If it becomes too hard, just melt it slightly over the stove top, get it all moving again, gently blend together and let it set until it firms to a pipeable consistency again. Don't overwork it or melt it over high heat as this can cause it to separate or become grainy.

        Gingerbread macarons made with white chocolate infused with gingerbread spices.

        How to Make Different Flavored Ganache

        The great thing about this basic chocolate filling for macarons is how easy it is to adapt it for different flavors. There are several ways to adapt basic chocolate ganache filling for macarons:

        • Extract - adding a few drops of extract at the end (like in this recipe) is the easiest way to add flavor to this chocolate macaron filling. This method allows for the addition of more extract if a more potent flavor is desired. As you blend, just add more extract to taste. Flavor ideas: peppermint, vanilla, coffee, jasmine, lavender, rose.
        • Infuse the cream - in this method, add the raw ingredients into the cream and let it sit overnight, allowing the flavors to infuse into the cream. For example, let the cream come to a light simmer with some tea leaves and let it sit in the fridge overnight. When ready to use, strain the tea and use only the cream to make the chocolate filling as usual following this recipe. Flavor ideas include: earl grey tea, lavender, coffee.
        • Cream replacement - replacing the cream with another liquid is a bit trickier as it will affect the consistency of the chocolate ganache filling and the flavors may not be as potent as you prefer. White chocolate is also especially prone to seizing if exposed to small amounts of water (counterintuitively, using a lot more water works). If using this method, be prepared for a little more experimentation and use other ways to support the flavor profile by adding extract or dry ingredients. Flavor ideas: liqueurs, fruit purees.
        • Dry ingredients - adding chopped up dry ingredients into the ganache can help boost the flavors without changing the consistency of the ganache filling. Flavor ideas include: freeze dried fruit powders, nuts, dried fruits, seeds.

        For some of the methods above, it will take a little experimentation in the kitchen to achieve the right consistency but that's all part of the fun when creating your very own recipes. Here are some recipes I created using three of the methods above. It will help guide you in the creative process of adapting your very own chocolate ganache macaron filling: gingerbread spice macarons, lavender lemon macarons, spicy cinnamon heart candy macarons.

        How to Store Chocolate Filling

        By itself, this chocolate filling can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days. However, the assembled chocolate macaron should be stored inside the fridge during maturation. This will help the chocolate filling set and extend the freshness of the macaron.

        To freeze chocolate ganache filling, tightly wrap it with plastic wrap, making sure there are no gaps. Store in freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to fill your macarons, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then bring it back to room temperature before using. To freeze assembled macarons with chocolate filling, follow this guide on How to Freeze Macarons.

        Other basic macaron recipes you might like: Swiss meringue buttercream, chocolate ganache, American buttercream with real chocolate.

        Step By Step

        If using block chocolate instead of callets/chips, chop up the chocolate into fine pieces and place in a heat safe bowl.

        White chocolate cut into slivers and then poured into a mixing bowl.

        Heat up the heavy cream in a small sauce pan on low heat, watch it closely so that it doesn’t over boil. Once it comes to a light simmer with steam and small bubbles forming on the sides, take it off the heat and set aside.

        Cream being heated in a little sauce pan on a stovetop burner.

        Bring a pot of water to a boil, hang the bowl of white chocolate over the pot without touching the water. Gently stir the white chocolate, take off heat before it is completely melted. Blend until fully melted.

        White chocolate being heated inside a big bowl over a pot of hot water on the stove.
        White chocolate has now melted inside the mixing bowl perched over top a pot of hot water.

        Add the warm cream into the chocolate, stir to incorporate together. Add the room temperature butter until homogenous. Optional: Add vanilla extract to taste. Blend to incorporate.

        Cream being poured into white chocolate and then butter is added.

        Place it in the fridge and let it firm up to a pipeable consistency before piping. Remember to check on it every 15 minutes and gently stir it each time. Take it out of the fridge and pipe it as soon as its ready, about 30 min – 1 hr. Alternatively, if time allows, just let it sit at room temperature to set. Once piped, place the assembled macarons in the fridge to mature for 24

        White chocolate macaron filling is now a thick consistency inside a mixing bowl.

        Recipe

        Yield: Fills 18 macarons

        Basic White Chocolate Ganache Filling for Macarons

        White chocolate macaron filling ingredients on a counter.

        A basic white chocolate ganache macaron filling that is sturdy enough for use at room temperature. It's easy to adapt this base recipe for a variety of different flavors. Great for dessert tables, travelling and events with light color palettes.

        Prep Time 15 minutes
        Set Time 45 minutes
        Total Time 1 hour

        Ingredients

        • 200 grams of white baking chocolate*
        • 100 grams of heavy cream
        • 20 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
        • Optional: ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

        Instructions

        1. If using block chocolate instead of callets/chips, chop up the chocolate into fine pieces and place in a heat safe bowl.
        2. Heat up the heavy cream in a small sauce pan on low heat, watch it closely so that it doesn’t over boil.
        3. Once it comes to a light simmer with steam and small bubbles forming on the sides, take it off the heat and set aside.
        4. Bring a pot of water to a boil, hang the bowl of white chocolate over the pot without touching the water.
        5. Gently stir the white chocolate, take off heat before it is completely melted. Stir further until fully melted.
        6. Add the warm cream into the chocolate, stir to incorporate together.
        7. Add the room temperature butter and stir until fully blended together.
        8. Optional: Add vanilla extract to taste. Blend to incorporate.
        9. Place it in the fridge and let it firm up to a pipeable consistency before piping. Remember to check on it every 15 minutes and gently stir it each time. Take it out of the fridge and pipe it as soon as its ready, about 30 min – 1 hr. Alternatively, if time allows, just let it sit at room temperature to set.
        10. Once piped, place the assembled macarons in the fridge to mature for 24 hours. Refer to post on how to freeze filling for future use. Enjoy!

        Notes

        *White baking chocolate is meant for melting into baked goods without losing it's shape like chocolate chips. It is usually labelled as white baking chocolate or couverture chocolate.

        Recommended Products

        As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

        Nutrition Information

        Yield

        18

        Serving Size

        1
        Amount Per Serving Calories 99Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 9mgSodium 4mgCarbohydrates 3gFiber 2gSugar 0gProtein 2g

        This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

        Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

        Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

        © mimi
        Cuisine: french / Category: Macaron Recipes

        Simple French Meringue Mushrooms - No Syrup Heating Required

        · 2 Comments

        Simple meringue mushrooms made with an easy French method - no heating of hot syrup required. Perfect for decorating dessert tables, cakes and wrapped individually for gifts.

        White meringue mushrooms on a wooden plate with Christmas decorations.

        This recipe for French meringue mushrooms came in really handy the last winter holiday season when I was preparing the Christmas table. It is based on the meringue mushrooms that I used to top off the Modern Totoro Yule Log Cake. These little mushrooms are so easy to make with the French meringue method and there are so many uses for them that I really recommend this easy baking project for the winter holidays.

        Why You'll Love Making Meringue Mushrooms

        • Easy to Make - French method meringue technique requires no heating of sugar syrup.
        • Multiple Uses - perfect for topping off holiday tables, cakes, desserts or for gift giving by itself.
        • Minimal Ingredients - utilizes simple pantry ingredients that are easy to stock.
        • Prepare in Advance - save time by making these holiday goodies up to weeks in advance.

        Ingredients You'll Need & Substitutes

        • Castor sugar - also known as 'fine granulated sugar' or 'berry sugar'. Can also be substituted with regular granulated sugar but castor sugar is preferable.
        • Egg whites - make sure egg whites are at room temperature before whipping for maximum volume.
        • Cream of tartar - is an acid that adds more stability to meringue. It can be substituted with double the amount in lemon juice or vinegar.
        • Pure vanilla extract - this flavoring can be substituted with a few drops of your favorite extract.
        • Optional: cocoa powder for dusting onto the finished meringue mushrooms. This can be substituted with ground cinnamon or gingerbread spice.

        Easy French Meringue for Beginners

        These meringue mushrooms are made from piping meringue into 2 separate shapes and assembling together after baking. Meringue is made from a mixture of whipped egg whites and sugar, this mixture can be baked or left unbaked. If left unbaked, it's soft and fluffy and is usually reserved as toppings on desserts (Note: for food safety, usually these meringues are prepared by heating the egg whites and sugar to a temperature that can kill any harmful bacteria inside the eggs). If baked, it becomes a wonderful treat all on its own. It's sweet and crispy with a light texture. Perfect for those with a sweet tooth.

        This recipes uses the French method for preparing meringue. In this method, sugar is simultaneously added to egg whites that are being whipped. Whereas in the Italian method, the sugar is first heated with water to create a syrup that is then added to egg whites that are being whipped. The French method is especially suited for beginners and many of you may already have experience making a French meringue from my Best Macaron Tutorial. You find all that practice you had making a strong and healthy meringue for macarons will now come in handy for these meringues cookies. For those of you who are new to making meringues, here are some tips below for mastering this little cookie.

        Tips for Making French Meringue

        1. Meringues don't whip up well when mixed with oil or water. Use a non-plastic bowl like glass or copper and wipe it down with some vinegar or lemon juice to remove leftover oils. (Plastic bowls are porous and may contain leftover traces of oil.)
        2. Wash and dry hands completely then separate egg whites straight from the fridge. They are easier to separate when cold.
        3. Make sure no yolks are present in the egg whites. If a trace amount comes into contact with the whites, you can scoop it out with the egg shell.
        4. Bring egg whites to room temperature before whipping.
        5. Always start on low speed when whipping egg whites and then gradually increase the speed. This will help the egg whites develop a more stable structure.
        6. Add cream of tartar or any other acid to stabilize the egg whites. Lemon juice or vinegar in double the amount can be used as substitutes.
        7. If possible, use castor sugar a.k.a berry sugar or extra fine sugar. This fine sugar will dissolve more readily than regular granulated sugar.
        8. Add the sugar slowly so it has time to dissolve.
        9. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks has been reached. Stiff peaks is characterized by egg whites that have pointed peaks that don't collapse on itself. (See photo below)
        10. If available, pipe the meringue onto silicone mats instead of paper since it's easier to pull the piping bag away quickly to stop piping without dragging the paper up with the meringue.
        11. To prevent the meringues from cracking, don't open the oven during the baking time.
        12. Once the meringues are finished baking, let it stay in the oven for 2 hours or more to let it cool off gradually without collapsing.

        How to Serve & Store Meringue Mushrooms

        There are so many uses for these meringue mushrooms. They're great for decorating Christmas yule logs, cupcakes, cheesecakes, macarons and desserts. They can be wrapped up individually in a gift box for gift giving. Those with a sweet tooth will really love the sweet crispy texture of these meringue cookies. I've also used them as sustainable and delicious decorations for the Christmas dinner table and place settings. Here are two other version of these simple meringues you might like: Pink Cotton Candy Meringue Kisses, Striped Meringue Candies.

        These meringue mushrooms can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and kept in an air-tight container. If you're using them purely as table decorations and not for consumption, they can be kept even longer, up to one month.

        Recipe

        Yield: 24 assembled mushrooms

        Simple French Meringue Mushrooms

        Meringue mushrooms on a wooden presentation plate with Christmas ferns in the back.

        Simple meringue mushrooms made with an easy French method - no heating of hot syrup required. Perfect for decorating dessert tables, cakes and wrapped individually for gifts.

        Prep Time 40 minutes
        Bake Time 1 hour
        Additional Time 2 hours
        Total Time 3 hours 40 minutes

        Ingredients

        French Meringue Mushrooms

        • 135 grams castor sugar*
        • 60 grams egg whites (room temperature)
        • ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar**
        • ⅛ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
        • Optional: Cocoa powder for dusting

        Sugar "Glue"

        • 1 tablespoon icing sugar
        • water in a spray bottle

        Instructions

        Simple French Meringue Mushrooms

        1. Set egg whites out at room temperature.
        2. When the egg whites comes to room temperature, whip on low speed. Once it begins to foam, add cream of tartar.
        3. Increase speed to medium.
        4. Continue whipping until egg whites become opaque and the whisks starts to leave tracks inside the whites.
        5. Add the sugar a little at a time until fully incorporated.
        6. Add vanilla extract and incorporate.
        7. Continue to whip on med-high speed until stiff peaks are reached.*** You have now made a meringue.
        8. Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a coupler and a small round piping tip (e.g. Wilton #10).
        9. Place parchment paper or Silpat mats onto baking tray. If using paper, dab a bit of meringue onto the bottom of the paper and stick it to the pan to prevent it from shuffling around as you pipe.
        10. Pre-heat oven to 200F.
        11. Pipe the stems of the mushroom by holding the piping tip upright while applying even pressure. After reaching ¾" in height, release pressure and pull away quickly to stop piping. There will be a pointed peak on the stem, this can be cut away after baking.
        12. Change the piping tip to a ½" round one (e.g. Atecco #805). Pipe the caps on the mat by allowing the meringue to flatten out into a 1" circle as you pipe. Release pressure and use a swirling motion to stop piping to prevent pointed tips.
        13. Bake for 1 hour at 200F. Do not open the doors while baking.
        14. Meringues are fully baked when they can be pulled cleanly away from the mat without sticking.
        15. Turn off the oven. Leave meringues inside with the door ajar for at least 2 hours or overnight.
        16. Once meringues have dried, cut off the peaks of the mushroom stems to create a flat surface for applying the mushroom cap.
        17. Use some royal icing (sugar "glue" recipe below) or melted chocolate to glue the two together.
        18. Optional: with a tea strainer, dust some cocoa powder on top for a natural speckled look.
        19. French meringue mushrooms can be kept in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

        Sugar "Glue"

        1. Place icing sugar in a small bowl, gently spray the water onto the sugar, stirring after each spray. Stop spraying water when the consistency is thick and sticky for gluing.

        Notes

        * Castor sugar is also known as 'fine granulated sugar' or 'berry sugar'. Can also be substituted with regular granulated sugar but castor sugar is preferable.

        ** Cream of tartar can be substituted with double the amount in lemon juice or vinegar.

        *** Stiff peaks is characterized by egg whites that hold a stiff peak that stands upright without falling over when the whisk is pulled out of the egg whites. Additionally, the egg whites don't slip in the bowl when tipped upside down.

        Nutrition Information

        Yield

        24

        Serving Size

        1
        Amount Per Serving Calories 23Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 4mgCarbohydrates 6gFiber 0gSugar 6gProtein 0g

        This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

        Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

        Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

        © Mimi
        Cuisine: french / Category: Sweets

        No-Bake Gingerbread Spice Cheesecake Cups - Ready in One Hour

        · 8 Comments

        The easiest no-bake gingerbread cheesecakes for the winter holiday season. Delicious last-minute dessert for Christmas dinners and parties. Contains no powdered sugar - just creamy cheesecake goodness!

        Close up of gingerbread cheesecake cups adorned with cinnamon stick and christmas sprigs.
        [feast_advanced_jump_to]

        I created these no-bake gingerbread cheesecake cups for quick and easy holiday entertaining. Like my last recipe for pumpkin cheesecake cups, this heavenly dessert requires no baking but still tastes so rich and delicious! I really love that they can be made in an hour and they look absolutely fabulous set out on a Christmas dessert table. You can decorate it any way you like and they will look and taste fantastic!

        Why You'll Love This Recipe

        • Easy - No-Baking!
        • Quick - this gingerbread spice cheesecake can be prepared and ready to eat in just one hour.
        • Delicious - rich, creamy, filled with holiday spices and not overly sweet. The crust is SO addictive too!
        • Unique hybrid cheesecake style that is neither too dense or light.
        • No powdered sugar - doesn't contain powdered sugar which can sometimes leave an aftertaste or is hard to incorporate, resulting in sugar clumps.
        • Convenient portions - for holiday gift giving and events. Hygienic servings for party tables.

        The Difference Between No-Bake & Baked Cheesecakes

        Both no-bake and baked cheesecakes both usually contain cream cheese as a common thread. However, the major difference is in the preparation. No-bake cheesecakes require no baking time and get set by being chilled in the fridge whereas baked cheesecakes are heated in the oven. In terms of ingredients, no-bake cheesecakes most likely contains no eggs or flour (because it doesn't get to be heated in the oven). Some say that the texture of baked cheesecake is more dense due to the eggs and less incorporation of air inside the batter. On the other hand, many no-bake cheesecake recipes use powdered sugar or condensed milk which creates a lighter texture. This recipe uses neither so it's more like a hybrid between both types of cheesecakes, not too dense or light but still rich and creamy! (If you like dense and rich cheesecake-like cakes also try my easy Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake or Matcha Cream Cheese Pound Cake.)

        A set of gingerbread cheesecake cups on a white serving platter.

        What is Gingerbread Spice?

        The spices that make up gingerbread spice are quite similar to pumpkin spice. They both contain a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and other spices like cloves and all spice in varying degrees. Pumpkin spice is more heavy on cinnamon while gingerbread focuses on both ginger and cinnamon on a more equal level. In addition, black pepper is sometimes added to gingerbread for an extra spicy "kick". The result is a spice blend that releases a warm and inviting aroma. It's what makes holiday baking a perfect way to combat those dark dreary days of winter.

        Ingredients for gingerbread spice cheesecake laid out on the counter.

        Ingredients You'll Need and Substitutes

        • White baking chocolate - use a good white chocolate intended for baking as chocolate chips and other ready to eat white chocolates contains additives that are not suitable for melting into baked goods. I have tried using white chocolate chips in this recipe, I found the taste to be comparable but the texture was a bit grainy. Pictured in the photo above are white chocolate callets.
        • Cream cheese - use the full-fat brick type as cream cheese in a tub is too soft for use in this cake. It needs to be softened to a spreadable consistency, microwave it on medium at 8-10 second intervals. Make sure it is no longer hot when it is added to the batter.
        • Butter (for the cheesecake) - unsalted, it needs to be at room temperature for the mixture to incorporate together. If using salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe, it may or may not be too salty, depending on the type of butter you're using.
        • Sour cream - is added for a tangy taste. This can be substituted with a few drops of lemon juice, according to taste.
        • Ground cinnamon - all the spices together can be substituted with gingerbread spice.
          Ground ginger
          Ground nutmeg
          Ground cardamon
        • Sea salt - highlights the flavors and contrasts with the sweetness in the desert. It can be substituted with half the amount in table salt.
        • Graham cracker crumbs - purchasing pre-crushed crumbs is more convenient. You can also make your own crumbs by placing graham crackers inside a Ziploc and crushing it with a dough roller. Digestive cookies also work too. Gingerbread cookies will also make a great substitute. If using it, omit the lemon zest and gingerbread spice used in the crust.
        • Brown sugar - I used Demerara, it's a type of brown sugar, containing molasses in a smaller amount than dark brown sugar so it has a more mellow caramel flavor. It can be substituted with other brown sugars or granulated sugar.
        • Butter (for cookie crust) - unsalted, melt it completely in the microwave on 15 second intervals.
        • Lemon Zest - I prefer to use organic lemons for this recipe since we are taking the top part of the skin off for the zest.

        Tips for Making No-Bake Cheesecakes

        • Since this no-bake cheesecake requires no oven time, the proper incorporation of all the ingredients is integral. To ensure all the ingredients become one homogenous mixture, all the cheesecake ingredients need to be at room temperature. Not too hot, not too cold.
        • Graham cracker/crumbs flavors can vary from brand to brand. Mix with melted butter and add sugar to taste as you go along.
        • Melt the chocolate over a pot of hot water to ensure even melting and prevent separation of the chocolate.
        • Line the cupcake tray with paper cupcake liners only. Do not use silicone or aluminum foil liners as these materials are too firm and won't peel off nicely. FYI: skipping the liners won't work as the cheesecakes won't release nicely from the cupcake tray.
        • To speed up the setting process once the cheesecakes are assembled, place the tray in the freezer for 15 minutes. When they come out, the paper liners will be stuck to the cupcake tray, place in the fridge for another 15 minutes so they can be released more readily. They can be eaten right away. For the best results, let it chill in the fridge for another hour or so.

        How to Make It - Step By Step

        Make the Crust

        Melt butter in microwave, heat on medium at 15 second intervals. Mix melted butter with graham cracker crumbs, spices, lemon zest and sugar (to taste) until homogeneous. Evenly distribute graham crust mixture into each cupcake cavity lined with paper cupcake liners, around halfway up the cup. Press down to compact as much as possible for a firm crust that won't fall apart easily. Place in fridge to set while making cheesecake.

        A hand is taking combined cookie crumbs and pressing it into a cupcake mold.

        Melt Chocolate

        Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl, hang it over a pot of bowling water, do not let it touch the water. Stir until it's completely melted. Set aside to cool to room temperature before use.

        A heat-proof mixing bowl filled with white chocolate is hanging over a pot of hot water.

        Whip Butter & Cream Cheese

        Soften cream cheese in the microwave on medium for 10 seconds. It should be at a spreadable consistency. In a large mixing bowl, whip room temperature butter until it's fluffy. Check that the cream cheese cheese is no longer hot, add to butter and whip together until just incorporated.

        A mixer is whipping up butter and cream cheese together.

        Fold in Remaining Ingredients

        Add the remaining ingredients into the butter-cream cheese mixture. Gently fold together until homogenous.

        Assemble & Chill

        Evenly distribute gingerbread cheesecake into each cavity of the cupcake tray filled with graham cookie crust. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to set. (The liners will end up sticking to the tray.) Place tray in the fridge for 15 minutes before attempting to remove from baking tray. (For the best no-bake cheesecake texture, chill in the fridge for a minimum of one hour.) Gently pry out cheesecake from tray with a butter knife. Remove liners. Immediately before serving, top with whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon.

        Gingerbread cheesecake batter is being filled into cupcake mold and being levelled off with a knife.
        Gingerbread cheesecake cups topped with cute gingerbread man macarons.
        There are countless festive ways to decorate these gingerbread cheesecake cups for serving. Try topping them with whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, sprigs, gingerbread macarons or even store-bought gingerbread man cookies.

        How to Serve Gingerbread Cheesecake

        After the cheesecake cups chill and set in the fridge, it's time to get creative! You can even have your kids help decorate as a fun holiday activity. The best part is that each gingerbread cheesecake is individually portioned. Each child can get their own cheesecake to do something creative with and you'll still have plenty left over for your guests. Before serving, these gingerbread cheesecakes can be topped with whipped cream and dusted with some ginger & cinnamon spice. You can add elegant winter decorations like dried citrus slices, cinnamon sticks, fresh rosemary, mint leaves or cranberries. For something cute, try topping it off with gingerbread man macarons , meringue mushrooms, meringue kisses or cookies, Christmas sprinkles, macarons or mini candy canes. It's best to add the whipped cream and decorations only before serving to prevent deflation and melting.

        How to Store Gingerbread Cheesecake

        With the busy lives we lead during the winter holiday season, these cheesecake cups can make party prepping so much more convenient because they can be made in advance. They can be stored in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 3 days without compromising the freshness or texture (as per above, don't add decorations or cream until serving). They can also be frozen for up to one month and thawed in the fridge for a few hours before serving. If you know you will be freezing them for future use, keep the cheesecakes in their original cupcake liner and wrap them individually with plastic wrap after the initial chilling step in the freezer. Then place them in a Ziploc bag for easy storage.

        Recipe

        Yield: 10 Gingerbread Cheesecake Cups

        No-Bake Gingerbread Cheesecake Cups

        Top down view of gingerbread cheesecake cups on a white serving platter.

        The easiest no-bake gingerbread cheesecakes for the winter holiday season. Delicious last-minute dessert for Christmas dinners and parties.

        Prep Time 40 minutes
        Additional Time 30 minutes
        Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

        Ingredients

        No-Bake Graham Cookie Crust

        • 200 grams graham cookie crumb*
        • 48 grams brown sugar
        • 90 grams unsalted butter, melted
        • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
        • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
        • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

        No-Bake Gingerbread Cheesecake

        • 155 grams white baking chocolate
        • 130 grams cream cheese, softened*
        • 70 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
        • 45 grams sour cream
        • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
        • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
        • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
        • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
        • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
        • 1/16 teaspoon sea salt

        Tools

        • Handheld mixer
        • Spatula
        • Heat-proof bowl
        • Cupcake tray
        • Paper cupcake liners

        Instructions

        No-bake Graham Cracker Crust

        1. Melt butter in microwave, heat on medium at 15 second intervals.
        2. Mix melted butter with graham cracker crumbs, spices, lemon zest and sugar (to taste) until homogeneous.
        3. Evenly distribute graham crust mixture into each cupcake cavity lined with paper cupcake liners, around halfway up the cup. Press down to compact as much as possible for a firm crust that won't fall apart easily.
        4. Place in fridge to set while making cheesecake.

        No-bake Gingerbread Cheesecake

        1. Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl, hang it over a pot of bowling water, do not let it touch the water. Stir until it's completely melted. Set aside to cool to room temperature before use.
        2. Soften cream cheese in the microwave on medium for 10 seconds. It should be at a spreadable consistency.
        3. In a large mixing bowl, whip room temperature butter until it's fluffy.
        4. Check that the cream cheese cheese is no longer hot, add to butter and whip together until just incorporated.
        5. Add the remaining ingredients into the butter-cream cheese mixture. Gently fold together until homogenous.

        Assembly

        1. Evenly distribute gingerbread cheesecake into each cavity of the cupcake tray filled with graham cookie crust.
        2. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to set. (The liners will end up sticking to the tray.)
        3. Place tray in the fridge for 15 minutes before attempting to remove from baking tray. (For the best no-bake cheesecake texture, chill in the fridge for a minimum of one hour.)
        4. Gently pry out cheesecake from tray with a butter knife. Remove liners. Immediately before serving, top with whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon.
        5. No-bake gingerbread cheesecakes should be kept in the fridge in an air-tight container. It can be enjoyed for up to 3 days without change in texture or freshness. Enjoy!

        Notes

        1. Graham cookie crumbs can be made by crushing graham crackers in a Ziploc bag with a dough roller. Graham cookie can be substituted with gingerbread cookie crumbs (omit lemon zest and spice).

        2. Use full fat cream cheese in block form. Cream cheese spreads will be too soft for this recipe.

        Recommended Products

        As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

        Nutrition Information

        Yield

        10

        Serving Size

        1
        Amount Per Serving Calories 449Total Fat 32gSaturated Fat 18gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 54mgSodium 216mgCarbohydrates 36gFiber 4gSugar 17gProtein 5g

        This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

        Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

        Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

        © mimi
        Cuisine: american / Category: No-Bake Desserts

        No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups

        · 12 Comments

        The most delicious pumpkin cheesecake that requires no baking at all. So easy for last-minute Thanksgiving dinners and Halloween parties. Contains no powdered sugar - just creamy cheesecake goodness!

        Close up shot of the side of pumpkin cheesecake cup topped with whipped cream and fondant pumpkin.
        [feast_advanced_jump_to]

        This super easy recipe for no-bake pumpkin cheesecake came about by my desire to make a last-minute treat for gift-giving this Thanksgiving. There was a ton to do around the house for fall so it had to be something easier than pumpkin spice macarons. I thought no-bake cheesecakes might do the trick. It also had to be in individual portions because making a whole cheesecake seemed a bit daunting, plus I think individual cheesecakes (along with 3D mini pumpkin cupcakes) are just so perfect for gift-giving. You only need to wrap up a few in a pretty box to make an enormous impact. It's beautiful, delicious and easy to assemble. I think you'll really love this recipe too!

        Why You'll Love This Recipe

        • Easy - No-Baking!
        • Quick - this pumpkin cheesecake can be prepared and ready to eat in just one hour.
        • Delicious - rich, creamy with a slight tang, not overly sweet. The crust is SO addictive too!
        • Unique hybrid cheesecake style that is neither too dense or light.
        • No powdered sugar - doesn't contain powdered sugar which can sometimes leave an aftertaste or is hard to incorporate, resulting in sugar clumps.
        • Convenient portions - for gift giving and events. Easy to serve, hygienic servings for party tables.

        No-Bake Versus Baked Cheesecakes

        As the name implies, no-bake cheesecakes require no baking time and most likely contains no eggs or flour (because it doesn't get to be heated in the oven). No-bake cheesecakes get set by being chilled in the fridge as opposed to being baked in the oven. Some say that the texture of baked cheesecake is more dense due to the eggs and less incorporation of air inside the batter. On the other hand, many no-bake cheesecake recipes use powdered sugar or condensed milk which creates a lighter texture. This recipe uses neither so it's more like a hybrid between both, not too dense or light but still rich and creamy! (If you like dense and rich cheesecake-like cakes also try my easy Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake or Matcha Cream Cheese Pound Cake.)

        What is Pumpkin Puree?

        Pumpkin puree is made from a pumpkin that has been cooked and processed to a smooth consistency. It is usually sold in canned form at the grocery store. The ingredient label will say, "100 pure pumpkin". There's a lot of discussion that the pumpkin puree found in canned pumpkins isn't really pumpkins but different types of squash. This is because of the looser restrictions allowed on labelling this product, read this Epicurious article on What's Really In Canned Pumpkin. I used a simple canned pumpkin in this recipe and found the pumpkin taste to be just fine with me. I would not recommend using homemade pumpkin puree in this recipe due to the excess moisture that might be left in the puree, it can make the cheesecake too soft. Do not use "pumpkin pie filling" in this recipe since it contains other ingredients that will alter the taste and texture of this cheesecake.

        Ingredients for pumpkin cheesecake in individual ramekins laid on a table.

        Ingredients You'll Need and Substitutes

        • White baking chocolate - use a good white chocolate intended for baking as chocolate chips and other ready to eat white chocolates contains additives that are not suitable for melting into baked goods. I have tried using white chocolate chips in this recipe, I found the taste to be comparable but the texture was a bit grainy.
        • Cream cheese - use the full-fat brick type as cream cheese in a tub is too soft for use in this cake. It needs to be softened to a spreadable consistency, microwave it on medium at 8-10 second intervals. Make sure it is no longer hot when it is added to the batter.
        • Butter (for the cheesecake) - unsalted, it needs to be at room temperature for the mixture to incorporate together. If using salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe, it may or may not be too salty, depending on the butter you're using.
        • Pumpkin puree - use a canned one as homemade ones can contain too much moisture for use in this recipe. The label should say "100% pure pumpkin", do not use pumpin pie filling.
        • Sour cream - is added for a tangy taste. This can be substituted with a few drops of lemon juice, according to taste.
        • Ground cinnamon - all the spices together can be substituted with pumpkin pie spice.
          Ground ginger
          Ground nutmeg
        • Sea salt - highlights the flavors and contrasts with the sweetness in the desert. It can be substituted with half the amount in table salt.
        • Graham cracker crumbs - purchasing pre-crushed crumbs is more convenient. You can also make your own crumbs by placing graham crackers inside a Ziploc and crushing it with a dough roller. Digestive cookies also work too.
        • Brown sugar - I used Demerara, it's a type of brown sugar, containing molasses in a smaller amount than dark brown sugar so it has a more mellow caramel flavor. It can be substituted with other brown sugars or granulated sugar.
        • Butter (for cookie crust) - unsalted, melt it completely in the microwave on 15 second intervals.
        Super close up of ground cinnamon dusted onto whipped cream swirl on pumpkin cheesecake.

        Tips for Making No-Bake Cheesecakes

        • Since this no-bake cheesecake requires no oven time, the proper incorporation of all the ingredients is integral. To ensure all the ingredients become one homogenous mixture, all the cheesecake ingredients need to be at room temperature. Not too hot, not too cold.
        • Graham cracker/crumbs flavors can vary from brand to brand. Mix with melted butter and add sugar to taste as you go along.
        • Melt the chocolate over a pot of hot water to ensure even melting and prevent separation of the chocolate.
        • Line the cupcake tray with paper cupcake liners only. Do not use silicone or aluminum foil liners as these materials are too firm and won't peel off nicely. FYI: skipping the liners won't work as the cheesecakes won't release nicely from the cupcake tray.
        • To speed up the setting process once the cheesecakes are assembled, place the tray in the freezer for 15 minutes. When they come out, the paper liners will be stuck to the cupcake tray, place in the fridge for another 15 minutes so they can be released more readily. They can be eaten right away. For the best results, let it chill in the fridge for another hour or so.
        Top down view of pumpkin cheesecake.

        How to Serve Pumpkin Cheesecake

        To top off your beautiful cheesecakes, add a swirl of whipped cream on top and dust on some ground cinnamon with a tea strainer. If desired, add some pre-made decorations of your choice like cinnamon sticks, candy corn, leaf sprinkles, pumpkin Mellocreme candy, pumpkin chocolates etc. I used pre-made fondant to sculpt these small orange pumpkins. It's best to add the whipped cream and decorations only before serving to prevent deflation and melting, respectively. If you are looking for a Halloween/Thanksgiving treat that is more stable for gift-giving or transport, try this Salted Reese's Peanut Butter Cookie.

        How to Store Pumpkin Cheesecake

        These no-bake pumpkin cheesecakes can be made in advance and stored in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 3 days without compromising the freshness or texture (as per above, don't add decorations or cream until serving). They can also be frozen for up to one month and thawed in the fridge for a few hours before serving. If you know you will be freezing them for future use, keep the cheesecakes in their original cupcake liner and wrap them individually with plastic wrap after the initial chilling step in the freezer. Then place them in a Ziploc bag for easy storage.

        How to Make It

        Make the Crust

        Melt butter in microwave, heat on medium at 15 second intervals. Mix melted butter with graham cracker crumbs and sugar (to taste) until homogeneous. Evenly distribute graham crust mixture into each cupcake cavity lined with paper cupcake liners, around 2 teaspoon each. Press down to compact as much as possible for a firm crust that won't fall apart easily. Place in fridge to set while making cheesecake.

        Melt the Chocolate

        Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl, hang it over a pot of bowling water, do not let it touch the water. Stir until it's completely melted. Set aside to cool to room temperature before use.

        A bowl of melted white chocolate sits on top of a hot pot of water.

        Whip Butter & Cream Cheese

        Soften cream cheese in the microwave on medium for 10 seconds. It should be at a spreadable consistency. In a large mixing bowl, whip room temperature butter until it's fluffy. Check that the cream cheese cheese is no longer hot, add to butter and whip together until just incorporated.

        Add Remainder & Fold

        Add the remaining ingredients into the butter-cream cheese mixture. Gently fold together until homogenous.

        Assembly & Setting in the Fridge

        Evenly distribute pumpkin cheesecake into each cavity of the cupcake tray filled with graham cookie crust. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to set. (The liners will end up sticking to the tray.) Place tray in the fridge for 15 minutes before attempting to remove from baking tray. (For the best no-bake cheesecake texture, chill in the fridge for a minimum of one hour.) Gently pry out cheesecake from tray with a butter knife. Remove liners. Immediately before serving, top with whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon.

        A whole bunch of pumpkin cheesecake cups on a white counter with real pumpkins and squash in the back.

        Recipe

        Yield: 12

        No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups

        Close up of a fondant pumpkin on top of cheesecake and whipped cream.

        The most delicious pumpkin cheesecake that requires no baking at all. So easy for last-minute Thanksgiving dinners and Halloween parties. Contains no powdered sugar - just creamy cheesecake goodness!

        Prep Time 40 minutes
        Additional Time 30 minutes
        Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

        Ingredients

        No-Bake Graham Cookie Crust

        • 270 grams graham cookie crumb*
        • 65 grams brown sugar
        • 120 grams unsalted butter, melted

        No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

        • 120 grams white baking chocolate
        • 90 grams cream cheese, softened*
        • 70 grams unsalted butter, room temp
        • 140 grams pumpkin puree*
        • 30 grams sour cream
        • ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
        • 1/16 teaspoon ground ginger
        • 1/16 teaspoon ground nutmeg
        • 1/16 teaspoon sea salt

        Tools

        • Handheld mixer
        • Spatula
        • Heat-proof bowl
        • Cupcake tray
        • Paper cupcake liners

        Instructions

        No-bake Graham Cracker Crust

        1. Melt butter in microwave, heat on medium at 15 second intervals.
        2. Mix melted butter with graham cracker crumbs and sugar (to taste) until homogeneous.
        3. Evenly distribute graham crust mixture into each cupcake cavity lined with paper cupcake liners, around 2 teaspoon each. Press down to compact as much as possible for a firm crust that won't fall apart easily.
        4. Place in fridge to set while making cheesecake.

        No-bake Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

        1. Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl, hang it over a pot of bowling water, do not let it touch the water. Stir until it's completely melted. Set aside to cool to room temperature before use.
        2. Soften cream cheese in the microwave on medium for 10 seconds. It should be at a spreadable consistency.
        3. In a large mixing bowl, whip room temperature butter until it's fluffy.
        4. Check that the cream cheese cheese is no longer hot, add to butter and whip together until just incorporated.
        5. Add the remaining ingredients into the butter-cream cheese mixture. Gently fold together until homogenous.

        Assembly

        1. Evenly distribute pumpkin cheesecake into each cavity of the cupcake tray filled with graham cookie crust.
        2. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to set. (The liners will end up sticking to the tray.)
        3. Place tray in the fridge for 15 minutes before attempting to remove from baking tray. (For the best no-bake cheesecake texture, chill in the fridge for a minimum of one hour.)
        4. Gently pry out cheesecake from tray with a butter knife. Remove liners. Immediately before serving, top with whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon.
        5. No-bake pumpkin cheesecakes should be kept in the fridge in an air-tight container. It can be enjoyed for up to 3 days without change in texture or freshness. Enjoy!

        Notes

        1. Graham cookie crumbs can be made by crushing graham crackers in a Ziploc bag with a dough roller.

        2. Use canned pumpkin labelled 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.

        Recommended Products

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        Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

        Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

        © mimi
        Cuisine: american / Category: No-Bake Desserts

        Coffee Cake Roll With Stabilized Kahlúa Whipped Cream

        · 4 Comments

        The fluffiest coffee cake roll baked with a Japanese chiffon cake base. Filled with a unique Kahlúa coffee liqueur infused whipped cream. Perfect for the coffee lover in your life.

        Coffee cake on a long plate with close up shot of cake slices on the bottom.
        [feast_advanced_jump_to]

        Caffeinated Gifts are the Best

        The development of this coffee cake roll recipe came about after many reader's requests to adapt the popular fluffy chocolate cake roll and vanilla cake roll with coffee. I finally found the catalyst to do so when a girlfriend's birthday came around and I wanted to gift her a cake. She had her hands full with mommy duties and I thought a nice caffeinated treat would really brighten her day and indeed she said it was just what she needed. I hope you enjoy it too!

        XOXO,
        Mimi

        Why You'll Love This Coffee Cake Roll

        • Based on the other cakes in my tried tested and true Swiss cake roll collection.
        • Uses a Japanese-style chiffon cake as base so it's super fluffy and airy.
        • Both the cake and cream are infused with coffee making it extra flavorful.
        • Coffee cream is infused with Kahlúa coffee liqueur for extra depth of flavor.
        • Coffee cream is stabilized, preventing the roll from sagging and makes it sturdy for piping.

        How to Prepare Ingredients & Substitutions

        Dry Ingredients

        • Cake flour - a low protein flour which will help make this cake softer than if using AP flour. It usually has a protein content between 6-8% while pastry flour, also a lower protein flour, has a protein content between 8-9%. Grocery stores usually sell a combination of cake and pastry flour at 7-9% protein. It can be substituted with all-purpose flour but the cake will be a little tougher than if using cake flour.
        • Instant coffee powder - I chose to use a medium-roast instant coffee powder instead of espresso powder because it's easy to find at every grocery store. Espresso powder is more concentrated and can be substituted with half the amount the recipe calls for.
        • Baking powder - it acts as a leavening agent in case there is any weaknesses in the meringue. It can be skipped if you don't have any and you're careful with the meringue preparation.
        • Sea salt - use half the amount if using table salt.

        Wet Ingredients

        • Whole fat milk
        • Vegetable oil - neutral tasting canola, grapeseed, avocado oils are all good choices.
        • Granulated sugar - this first set of sugar is added into the wet ingredients to help add moisture.
        • Egg yolks
        • Vanilla extract - rounds out all the flavors in the cake.

        Meringue

        • Egg whites - from large eggs. Egg whites whip better at room temperature so keep it out on the counter for about half hour before whipping.
        • Cream of tartar - is an acid that helps to stabilize the meringue. It can be substituted with double the amount of lemon juice or vinegar.
        • Granulated sugar

        Coffee Whipped Cream

        • Heavy cream - is a cream with a minimum milk fat content of 36% and above. Whipping cream has milk fat content of 30-35%. Even with just a small percentage change, heavy cream yields a more stable whipped cream and is preferable in this recipe due to the addition of coffee and Kahlúa.
        • Kahlúa - can be replaced with another coffee liqueur like Baileys. It can be skipped as well.
        • Instant Coffee Powder
        • Unflavored gelatin powder - when added to the cream, it creates a super stable whipped cream that will prevent the cake from sagging.

        Tips For Baking a Great Cake Roll

        • A strong and healthy meringue (whipped egg whites with sugar) is needed to act as one of the leavening agents in this cake. Egg whites should be whipped in a clean and dry non-plastic bowl since plastic tends to trap oil. Egg whites don't whip well in the presence of oil and water. To further remove oils, use a paper towel and wipe down the mixing bowl with lemon or vinegar before you start.
        • Carefully separate the egg whites and yolks when the eggs are cold. Make sure no yolks are present in the egg whites. An egg separator can come in handy.
        • Bring the egg whites to a stiff peak. This is characterized by egg whites that have a beak that points upwards (instead of slumped over) when the whisk is pulled out.
        • Once the liquid is introduced to the flour, do not over mix. This will produce more gluten, making the cake less tender.
        • Use a gentle folding movement with a spatula to incorporate the meringue into the wet flour mixture. Do not stir, this will prevent the air in the meringue from deflating.
        • After pouring the batter into the cake tray, rap it a few times on the counter to get rid of large air pockets, this will make the design show on a smoother surface.
        • Chill the bowl, beaters and whipped cream for optimal whipping volume. They should all be be very cold. Whipping in a stainless steel bowl placed on top of a bed of ice will help keep things nice and cool on a hot day.
        • Gelatin is added to the whipped cream to help stabilize it. Many recipes do not include this step but I prefer it when using whipped cream in a cake roll. It prevents the cream from deflating so the roll stays rounder and looks nicer. You can leave this step out if you plan on serving the cake immediately. If you need further guidance on stabilizing the cream, please read my post on How to Stabilize Whipped Cream with Gelatin.
        • Add more cream along the short edge of the cake which is to be rolled first. This will prevent the cake from cracking due to large gaps in between the folds. These angled spatulas will come in handy for even frosting any time of cake. Instead of putting your hands directly onto the cake, use the parchment paper to push the cake onto itself as you roll.
        • Fold gently and do not worry too much about rolling the cake very tightly. As long as the cream is spread out evenly (with a bit more along the short edge as per above), the amount of cream in this recipe will allow the sheet cake to hold up without cracking due to large gaps.
        • If you find rolling the cake and stabilizing the whipped cream is too time-consuming, try this easy Japanese Peach Cake in a Cup, it has the same great chiffon base but doesn't require rolling or whipped cream stabilization and can be baked in a pan of any size.
        Side shot of coffee cake showing a smooth crumb exposed exterior of the dessert.

        Step By Step

        Mix the Batter

        Line a 8 X 12" rectangular cake pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 325 F. In a small bowl, combine all the "wet" ingredients together with a whisk and set aside (this includes first portion of sugar).

        In a large mixing bowl, sift in dry mix. Stir to combine. Create a well in the center. Inside it, add all the "wet" ingredients. Combine until just incorporated, do not over mix as it will result in a tough cake. Set aside.

        instant coffee mixed with eggs in bowl

        Make the Meringue

        In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar. Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have tightened up, add the second portion of sugar a little bit at a time.

        Increase speed to med-high, whip until stiff peaks. You've now made a meringue. Gently fold ⅓ of the meringue into the coffee-flour mixture to get it moving. Once incorporated, fold in the rest of the meringue. Do not stir. Use batter immediately. 

        ingredients for cake roll being mixed and poured into a pan lined with parchment paper

        Bake and First Roll for Muscle Memory

        Pour batter into lined cake pan from one spot, spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula. Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets. Bake for 10-12 min. at 325 F until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center. Let cool in pan for 5 min.

        Place cooling rack over cake pan. Flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper. The side facing up will eventually become the top of the cake roll. Let it sit on cooling rack for 5 min. Place a new piece of parchment paper on top of the cake. Flip the cake over and start rolling, allowing the parchment paper to be in between the folds. This will prevent the cake from sticking to itself. It's important to roll the cake before it cools completely, otherwise, it will crack while rolling.

        removing parchment paper from a cake roll base straight out of the oven

        Let it cool in this wrapped condition while making the Kahlúa Coffee Whipped Cream.

        a side view of a rolled cake base with parchment paper

        Prepare Cream and Gelatin for Kahlúa Whipped Cream

        In a mixing bowl, add cream, instant coffee powder and Kahlúa. Add coffee to taste, up to 2 tsp. Stir gently until coffee is dissolved. Place in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 2 hours. It's important for these ingredients to be completely chilled before whipping. Place beaters in fridge to chill, it will help the cream whip more efficiently.

        Once the coffee cream is completely chilled, place water in a heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes. Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.

        adding kahlua liqueur into the coffee cream mix

        Start Whipping

        Immediately start whipping the coffee cream mixture on medium speed. Once the bubbles have decreased in size and the mixture is gaining volume, add the sugar.

        Whip until the beater starts leaving tracks inside the cream, pour the cooled gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl while continuing to whip. Increase speed to medium-high. Stop beating once the cream turns stiff. Do not over whip. Use cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.

        whisking coffee cream together in a clear bowl

        Assemble and Roll

        Gently unwrap rolled cake and spread an even layer of coffee cream on it. Reserve ⅕ of the cream for decorating the top. Carefully roll up the cake from the short edge using the parchment paper to help push the cake onto itself.

        Wrap with plastic wrap or a new piece of parchment paper and place in refrigerator to set before cutting. Unwrap assembled cake. If desired, pipe swirls of coffee cream onto the top of the cake and decorate with chocolate or sprinkles. Before serving, cut off sides for a cleaner presentation. Coffee cake roll can be kept in the fridge in an air tight container for 2-3 days.

        adding coffee cream to the cake roll
        Coffee cake with Kaluha cream on a long white plate.

        How to Make Swiss Cake Roll Look Neat and Round

        To prevent the cake roll from sagging, stabilization of the cream filling is key. After that, employing an extra rolling technique with plastic wrap will further guide the cake towards a round shape. After assembling the cake with the Kahlúa coffee cream, wrap the assembled cake in plastic wrap. Once it's secured inside the first piece of plastic, place it on a new piece of plastic and start wrapping it again while gently rolling it away from you, making sure you are creating a log shape at the same time. Just use gentle pressure, we don't want to squish the fluffy cake base! Allow the assembled cake to firm up in the fridge for several hours before serving. Doing the above steps will give you a beautiful round cake log at home.

        How To Make Cake Rolls in Different Flavors

        To make the cake roll in different flavors, powders, extracts and infusion-method can be utilized in either the cake base or the filling. Dry powders can be added into the cake base with the dry mix (e.g. matcha cake roll, gingerbread cake roll) and liquid extracts, flavored milk or fruit/vegetable purees can be added into the wet mix (cotton candy cake roll, Earl Grey tea cake roll, pumpkin spice cake roll and Tokyo Banana cake roll).

        Extracts can be added into the cream filling during the whipping process. The flavors can also be infused into the cream by letting the flavored ingredients to soak inside the cream before using it for whipping. Just make sure not to use ingredients with high acidity as it will cause the cream to curdle.

        You can even try mixing and matching different flavored cake bases with different cream fillings. For example, this coffee cake roll recipe can be used to make a mocha cake roll by using the coffee cake base with the chocolate filling in my recipe for super fluffy chocolate cake roll. Other flavors you may like to play around with include: fresh cream strawberry cake roll, matcha green tea cake roll, carrot cake roll. Once you've got your flavors down, you might wan to bring the appearance of your cake roll up a notch. Try making beautiful patterns on the cake roll with these tutorials: fancy pattern cake roll, Christmas silent night cake roll, gingerbread man printed roll, bear cheesecake roll and tiger cat pattern cake roll.

        Recipe

        Yield: 8 slices

        Chiffon Coffee Cake Roll with Kahlúa Whipped Cream

        Coffee cake roll filled with Kaluha cream with some slices in the background.

        The fluffiest coffee cake roll baked with a Japanese chiffon cake base. Filled with a unique Kahlúa coffee liqueur infused whipped cream. Perfect for the coffee lover in your life.

        Prep Time 45 minutes
        Cook Time 15 minutes
        Additional Time 1 hour
        Total Time 2 hours

        Ingredients

        Dry Mix

        • 45 grams cake flour (Note 2)
        • 2.5 teaspoon instant coffee powder (Note 3)
        • 1 teaspoon baking powder
        • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

        Wet Mix

        • 50 ml whole fat milk
        • 40 ml vegetable oil (Note 4)
        • 30 grams granulated sugar
        • 3 egg yolks
        • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

        Meringue

        • 4 egg whites, room temperature
        • 50 grams granulated sugar
        • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (Note 5)

        Kahlúa Coffee Whipped Cream

        • 1 ½ cup heavy cream (36% M.F.) (Note 6)
        • 32 grams granulated sugar
        • 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder, or to taste
        • 2 teaspoon Kahlúa (or coffee liqueur)
        • 1 ½ teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
        • 5 teaspoon water

        Instructions

          Fluffy Chiffon Coffee Cake

          1. Line a 8 X 12" rectangular cake pan with parchment paper.
          2. Preheat oven to 325 F.
          3. In a small bowl, combine all the "wet" ingredients together with a whisk and set aside (this includes first portion of sugar).
          4. In a large mixing bowl, sift in dry mix. Stir to combine.
          5. Create a well in the center. Inside it, add all the "wet" ingredients.
          6. Combine until just incorporated, do not over mix as it will result in a tough cake. Set aside.
          7. In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar.
          8. Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have tightened up, add the second portion of sugar a little bit at a time.
          9. Increase speed to med-high, whip until stiff peaks. (Note 5) You've now made a meringue.
          10. Gently fold ⅓ of the meringue into the coffee-flour mixture to get it moving. Once incorporated, fold in the rest of the meringue. Do not stir. Use batter immediately. 
          11. Pour batter into lined cake pan from one spot, spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula.
          12. Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets.
          13. Bake for 10-12 min. at 325 F until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center.
          14. Let cool in pan for 5 min.
          15. Place cooling rack over cake pan.
          16. Flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper.
          17. The side facing up will eventually become the top of the cake roll. Let it sit on cooling rack for 5 min.
          18. Place a new piece of parchment paper on top of the cake.
          19. Flip the cake over and start rolling, allowing the parchment paper to be in between the folds. This will prevent the cake from sticking to itself. It's important to roll the cake before it cools completely, otherwise, it will crack while rolling.
          20. Let it cool in this wrapped condition while making the Kahlúa Coffee Whipped Cream.

          Stabilized Coffee Whipped Cream

          1. In a mixing bowl, add cream, instant coffee powder and Kahlúa. Add coffee to taste, up to 2 tsp. Stir gently until coffee is dissolved. Place in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 2 hours. It's important for these ingredients to be completely chilled before whipping.
          2. Place beaters in fridge to chill, it will help the cream whip more efficiently.
          3. When coffee cream is completely chilled, place water in a heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes.
          4. Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.
          5. Immediately start whipping the coffee cream mixture on medium.
          6. Once the bubbles have decreased in size and the mixture is gaining volume, add the sugar.
          7. Whip until the beater starts leaving tracks inside the cream, pour the cooled gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl while continuing to whip.
          8. Increase speed to medium-high. Stop beating once the cream turns stiff (Note 7). Do not over whip.
          9. Use cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.

          Assembly

          1. Gently unwrap rolled cake and spread an even layer of coffee cream on it. Reserve ⅕ of the cream for decorating the top. (Note 8)
          2. Carefully roll up the cake from the short edge using the parchment paper to help push the cake onto itself.
          3. Wrap with plastic wrap or a new piece of parchment paper and place in refrigerator to set before cutting.
          4. Unwrap assembled cake. If desired, pipe swirls of coffee cream onto the top of the cake and decorate with chocolate or sprinkles.
          5. Before serving, cut off sides for a cleaner presentation. Coffee cake roll can be kept in the fridge in an air tight container for 2-3 days.

        Notes

        1. Some ingredients are repeated, use them in the same order as outlined in instructions.

        2. Cake flour is preferable for a soft fluffy texture. It can be substituted with All-Purpose Flour.

        3. Med-roast instant coffee granules were used here but it was pounded down to a fine powder and then measured.

        4. Neutral oil choices: canola, grapeseed, avocado

        5. Cream of tartar is an acid that helps to stabilize the egg whites, it can be replaced with double the amount of lemon juice or vinegar.

        6. Heavy cream is cream with milk fat content of 35%+ (also labelled as 35% M.F.) It can be substituted with whipping cream which has milk fat of 30%+. Heavy cream is preferred for it's stability.

        7. Stiff peaks are characterized by egg whites that have a pointed peak when the whisk is pulled out. It points upwards and doesn't droop on itself.

        8. Depending on the volume your cream attains once whipped, not all of the cream may be needed. A layer about ½" is recommended, with a bit more on the edge that will be rolled first.

        Nutrition Information

        Yield

        8

        Serving Size

        1
        Amount Per Serving Calories 295Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 120mgSodium 180mgCarbohydrates 18gFiber 0gSugar 13gProtein 5g

        This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

        Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

        Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

        © mimi
        Cuisine: japanese / Category: Cakes

        Real Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting - Only 2 Ingredients

        · 2 Comments

        Easy chocolate whipped cream frosting made with only real chocolate and cream. It's delicious, rich and pipeable. Perfectly stabilized for cupcakes, layered cakes, cake rolls and desserts.

        Chocolate whipped cream frosting two ingredient cupcake with rainbow sprinkles on top
        [feast_advanced_jump_to]

        This chocolate whipped cream is my go-to frosting for cupcakes and cakes. Mainly because it is absolutely rich and decadent, and surprisingly easy to put together with only 2 ingredients! Many chocolate whipped cream frostings are made with cocoa powder and sugar but I prefer using real chocolate because it is so much richer and complex. Even if your cupcake or cake base is super simple, this delicious and creamy frosting will bring your dessert or boxed cake mix to the next level. Structurally, it's very stable so it can be used between cake layers and Swiss rolls like this Japanese Chocolate Cake Roll without deflating.

        Why This Recipe is So Good!

        • Real Chocolate-y with a nice finish. Doesn't use cocoa powder or powdered sugar that can sometimes leave an unappetizing aftertaste.
        • Easy to make with simple steps.
        • Only 2 ingredients needed.
        • Pipeable frosting that can be used to decorate cupcakes and cakes.
        • Sturdy filling for layered cakes & cake rolls without need for stabilization.
        • Adaptable for use with liqueurs and other flavors.

        Ingredients & Substitutions

        • Heavy Cream: Heavy cream has a milk fat content between 35-38%, this will be denoted on the carton with something like "M.F. 36%". Heavy cream can usually be found in well-stocked grocery stores and gourmet grocers. If you cannot find heavy cream, it can be substituted with whipping cream which has a milk fat content between 30-35%. Even though they differ by only a few percent, heavy cream will produce a whipped cream that is extra stable compared to using whipping cream (but whipping cream will work just fine too). Heavy cream cannot be substituted with half&half or milk as they do not contain enough fat for the cream to remain stable. Make sure the cream has not been frozen prior to whipping.
        • Semi-sweet or Bitter-sweet Chocolate Couverture Blocks or Callets  - Use either semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate depending on desired taste and appropriate flavor pairing. Read explanation below on what is couverture chocolate and why it is recommended over chocolate chips. Regular chocolate chips can be used in this recipe but couverture is ideal.
        • Optional: Vanilla Extract - Depending on your brand of chocolate, you can add vanilla extract according to your own tastes to round out the flavors. Stir in ⅛ teaspoon at a time to the melted chocolate cream mixture and taste as you go along. I don't add it to mine as I find it unnecessary with the ingredients I'm using.

        Why Use Couverture Chocolate in Whipped Cream Frosting Instead of Chocolate Chips

        Since chocolate is an integral component in the structure and taste of this simple 2-ingredient frosting, it's important to focus on using the best possible ingredients like couverture chocolate. Couverture Chocolate  is a higher class of chocolate containing a higher percentage of cocoa butter than compound eating chocolate, giving baked goods a more complex flavor and better texture. You can find good quality brands (ex. Callebaut, Valrhona, Guittard, Ghiradelli) at gourmet food shops or online. The brands at your local grocery store usually label this class of chocolate as "baking chocolate". Some brands may even have a distinction between semi-sweet and bitter-sweet with the former being a little bit sweeter. If the brand you are using does not have this distinction, it may simply be denoted by the term "dark chocolate."

        Close up of chocolate whipped cream on a cupcake topped with sprinkles.

        Chocolate Callets Vs. Chips

        Callets are small bits of chocolate that are made for melting into recipes while chips are chocolate bits formulated for folding into baked goods without melting. Chips are great for using in recipes like chocolate chip cookies because they continue to retain their shape in the finished cookie after its baked. However, they contain stabilizers that helps make this possible so it's best to use chocolate couverture callets (or blocks) in this recipe to maintain the integrity of the structure.

        Why Is My Frosting Not Firming Up?

        Whipped cream is reliant on very cold ingredients to whip up properly. Make sure the melted chocolate/cream mixture is cold and firm before whipping. Chilling time usually takes 1-2 hours. Chilling the beaters beforehand and putting the mixing bowl over a bed of ice while whipping will also help to keep things nice and cool during the whipping process. If you find that the mixture is not firming up, you can place the mixture back into the fridge to chill before whipping again. If it looks like it has started to separate, just re-melt it using the same cooking process and chill again before attempting again.

        Also, check that you are using the right ingredients like heavy cream with 35%+ milk fat content (or whipping cream with at least 30% M.F.) and chocolate couverture or "baking chocolate".

        Chocolate whipped cream on cupcakes that are perched on a wooden serving board.

        Tips for the Best Chocolate Whipped Cream

        • Chill melted chocolate/cream mixture sufficiently before whipping. It should be firm and cold after 1-2 hours in the fridge.
        • Chill beaters beforehand and place the mixing bowl over a bed of ice to keep everything cold while whipping.
        • Use the right ingredients: heavy cream with 35%+ M.F. (or whipping cream 30%+ M.F.) and chocolate couverture or baking chocolate.
        • Whip the mixture on medium speed then quickly increase to high in order to build volume without heating the mixture up with friction.
        • Be careful not to overwhip mixture as it can separate.
        • Use frosting immediately to frost cakes or pipe onto cupcakes.
        • For a soft fluffy texture, bring desserts topped with chocolate whipped cream back to room temperature before serving, about 10 minutes.

        How to Adapt Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting

        This chocolate whipped cream frosting can be adapted with a little bit of experimentation in your home kitchen. There are several ways to do this:

        • Extract - adding a few drops of extract is the easiest way to add flavor to this chocolate whipped cream. This method allows for the addition of more extract if a more potent flavor is desired. Add it into the melted/cream mixture and stir. Just add more extract to taste as you go along. Flavor ideas: almond, peppermint, vanilla, coffee, liqueurs.
        • Cream infusion - infusing flavors into the cream is another way to change up the flavor. Be prepared to prepare this the night before. To use this method, you may need to heat up the cream with the new additive like tea leaves, coffee, etc. to bring out the flavors. Then you will need to allow time for the mixture to chill in the fridge, cold enough to be whip-able.
        • Dry ingredients - folding chopped up dry ingredients into the whipped cream at the end can help boost the flavors without changing the consistency of the whipped frosting. Flavor ideas include: nuts, dried fruits, orange zests.

        How to Store Chocolate Frosting

        It's best to use this frosting immediately to assemble cakes and pipe onto cupcakes. It will become firmer once it is completely chilled, making it harder to transfer into piping bags and pipe into designs. If you do end up over-chilling the frosting, take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature until it is a bit more pliable and then whip it up to a fluffy consistency again. Do not overwhip it. To store unused frosting, keep in an air-tight container for up to 3-4 days for maximum freshness.

        HEADS UP: Try the following recipe if you like a white vanilla version of a sturdy stabilized whipped cream or stabilized mascarpone whipped cream. For a richer and sweeter chocolate frosting try American buttercream with real chocolate.

        Step By Step

        In a heat-proof mixing bowl, place chocolate and cream. Bring a pot of water to a boil, hang bowl over top, be careful to not let the boiling water touch the bowl. Let the cream and chocolate warm up, stirring occasionally.

        Cream mixed into a clear bowl of chocolate callets

        Once the chocolate is fully melted, remove it from the heat. If desired, add vanilla extract to taste.

        Chocolate cream mix in a bowl over a heated pan on the stove

        Let cool on the counter and place a piece of plastic wrap on top to prevent a skin from forming. Place in the fridge to chill along with the beaters. Around 1-2 hours.

        Plastic wrap being removed from the surface of chocolate frosting inside a clear bowl

        Once the mixture is cold and firm, whip it on medium and quickly increasing to high. Once the chocolate cream is light and fluffy, use it immediately to assemble desserts or frost cupcakes.

        Chocolate frosting being piped onto the top of a chocolate cupcake

        Recipe

        Yield: Frosts 12 cupcakes or Fills & Decorates 1 Cake Roll

        Real Chocolate Whipped Cream - 2 Ingredient Frosting

        Cupcakes topped with chocolate whipped cream piped into swirls viewed from top down.

        Easy chocolate whipped cream frosting made with only real chocolate and cream. It's, delicious, rich and pipeable. Perfectly stable for frosting cupcakes, layered cakes, cake rolls and desserts.

        Prep Time 10 minutes
        Cook Time 5 minutes
        Chill Time 2 hours
        Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes

        Ingredients

        • 2 cups heavy cream (Note 1)
        • 200 grams couverture chocolate or baking chocolate (Note 2)
        • Optional: Vanilla extract

        Instructions

        1. In a heat-proof mixing bowl, place chocolate and cream.
        2. Bring a pot of water to a boil, hang bowl over top, be careful to not let the boiling water touch the bowl.
        3. Let the cream and chocolate warm up, stirring occasionally.
        4. Once the chocolate is fully melted, remove it from the heat. If desired, add vanilla extract to taste.
        5. Let cool on the counter and place a piece of plastic wrap on top to prevent a skin from forming.
        6. Place in the fridge to chill along with the beaters. Around 1-2 hours.
        7. Once the mixture is cold and firm, whip it on medium and quickly increasing to high.
        8. Once the chocolate cream is light and fluffy, use it immediately to assemble desserts or frost cupcakes.
        9. For maximum freshness, consume within 3-4 days. Keep in the fridge. For a soft creamy texture, let it come to room temperature before serving, about 10 minutes.

        Notes

        Note 1. Heavy cream has a milk fat content of 35%+ milk fat, it is preferable for a more stable frosting but can be substituted with whipping cream with 30%+ M.F.

        Note 2. Use semi-sweet or bitter-sweet depending on your preference. Some brands may not have a distinction between the two and it is simply denoted as "dark chocolate".

        Recommended Products

        As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

        Nutrition Information

        Yield

        12

        Serving Size

        1
        Amount Per Serving Calories 242Total Fat 21gSaturated Fat 13gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 49mgSodium 25mgCarbohydrates 12gFiber 1gSugar 10gProtein 3g

        This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

        Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

        Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

        © mimi
        Cuisine: amercian / Category: No-Bake Desserts

        Coffee Jello - No Bake Japanese Dessert

        · Leave a Comment

        Coffee jelly is an easy no-bake Japanese dessert that is refreshing and energizing. Perfect for parties or after dinner.

        Three coffee and milk jelly desserts topped with whipped cream and a cherry inside of individual crystal glasses on a brown woven placemat.

        When I lived in Japan Coffee jelly was one of my favorite after dinner desserts from the restaurants we would frequent with my host family. I remember it being served in beautiful glass sundae cups and was very refreshing. It had a nice sweet coffee flavor and a bouncy texture, topped with a splash of cream - Delicious! I hope you enjoy my recreation of this easy and tasty dessert.

        Why You'll Love This Recipe

        • Delicious & Refreshing - the delicious combo of coffee and cream with a bouncy Jello texture.
        • Easy No-Bake - prepare it in minutes and just let it set. A truly no-fail dessert!
        • No-Fuss Party Dessert - make it in mini cups, decorate with pretty toppings to impress your guests.
        • Year-Round Ingredients - made with year round ingredients available at every grocery store.
        • Perfect for Coffee Lovers - instead of fussing with after dinner coffee, serve this ready-made coffee dessert with milk/cream already set inside the dessert!
        Coffee jelly ingredients laid out on a counter.
        Milk jelly ingredients laid out on the counter.

        Ingredients & Substitutions

        • Gelatin powder, unflavored: I use the standard KNOX gelatin powder which can be found at most stores. If subbing with gelatin sheets, use 5 ½ sheets (3x5 inch sheets) for the coffee mixture and 2 sheets for the milk mixture.
        • Granulated sugar: this can be increased or decreased to taste.
        • Instant coffee: How much instant coffee to be used will depend on your particular brand and according to your own preferences. Taste it as you go along. Brewed coffee can be used in the same amount as the water. Place in the pot along with sugar and heat until sugar has dissolved. I used this brand of instant coffee.
        • Half & Half: As the name suggests, it is a blend of 50% milk and 50% cream so it can be substituted with those respective ingredients. Milk on its own can be used but the higher milk fat in cream will help add richness to this refreshing dessert.
        • Optional toppings: Whipped cream, mint leaves, coffee beans, fresh fruit.
        Close up view of a dessert topped with whipped cream and a dark red cherry.

        Step-By-Step

        To Make Coffee Jelly: Refrigerate cups. This will help the jelly set faster. Place the first set of water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin powder on top to bloom for 5 minutes. TIP: do not dump in the powder as a pile as the center won't become hydrated with water. In a medium pot, bring the second set of water and sugar to a boil until sugar is dissolved. Turn off heat. Stir in instant coffee to taste. Some brands may require more or less.

        Instant coffee poured into a pot of water.

        If needed, strain the mixture to rid of any coffee bits. Stir in bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved. With a small ladle, carefully transfer half of the coffee mixture evenly into the cups, filling it ⅓ of the way. Reserve the other half of the mixture at room temperature for later. Place filled cups in the fridge to set. About 30 minutes to an hour.

        Three chilled glasses standing in front of a pot with a measuring spoon being poured into it.

        To Make Milk Jelly: Place first set of water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin powder on top to bloom for 5 minutes. In a medium pot, heat the half & half and sugar until steam and bubbles appear on the side and the sugar is dissolved. Do not boil. Turn off heat. Stir in bloomed gelatin, continue stirring until fully dissolved. Set aside to cool.

        A pot of white cream being mixed.

        Check to see if the chilled coffee jelly has set. Once the milk mixture has cooled, carefully divide it into the cups evenly. Place filled cups in the fridge to set. About 30 minutes to an hour. Once milk jelly has set, divide remaining coffee mixture into the cups evenly. Place in fridge to set one last time. For the best results, refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours.

        Layering of the coffee and cream into the crystal stem glass.
        Garnishing the top of the coffee jelly dessert with whipped cream and a cherry.
        Three glass stems filled with coffee jelly, milk jelly and whipped cream.

        Tips for Working with Gelatin

        • Sprinkle to bloom. Sprinkling the gelatin powder onto cool water in a vessel with a large surface area will help hydrate the gelatin before use. Do not dump it into the water in a pile as the water won't be able to reach the center.
        • Do not boil gelatin as it will lose its efficacy. In this recipe, we add it to the pot of hot coffee and milk to dissolve but it does not come to a boil. If it cannot be fully dissolved, place the mixture into a heat-proof bowl over a pot of boiling water and stir until it fully dissolves, being careful not to boil it.
        • Chilling the cup or mold you plan to use will help the mixture set more quickly.
        • When filling the cups, do not pour a hot mixture onto an already set layer of jelly as it will melt it.
        • To further cool the mixture before pouring, place the mixture over a bowl of ice.
        • Let each layer set in the fridge before pouring the next layer. It will take about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Chill the entire dessert for a minimum of 4 hours for the most desirable texture.
        Top down view of coffee jelly in glasses.

        How To Serve and Store Coffee Jelly

        There are so many creative ways to serve coffee jelly for eating at home or at a party. This coffee jelly recipe is firm enough that you can make it it in a large tray which you can unmold and cut into cubes. With the cubes, you can place them in a glass and add coffee or latte for a delicious caffeinated drink. Alternatively, you can make them in little individual cups and decorate with your favorite toppings like whipped cream, mascarpone whipped cream, chocolate whipped cream, mint leaves, coffee bean, fresh fruit or simply with a splash of cream. It's so easy to dress up this dessert for a special occasion.

        Keep coffee jelly covered in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Do not add any toppings until you are ready to serve the dessert. It cannot be frozen and thawed as the texture will change dramatically but it can be consumed frozen if desired.

        Other Japanese Style Desserts You'll Love

        Three coffee jelly desserts in crystal stemware on a white quartz countertop.

        Recipe

        Yield: 6 cups

        Coffee Jello - No Bake Japanese Dessert

        Coffee Jello - No Bake Japanese Dessert

        Coffee jelly is an easy no-bake dessert that is refreshing and energizing. Perfect for parties or after dinner.

        Prep Time 15 minutes
        Cook Time 15 minutes
        Set Time 4 hours
        Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes

        Ingredients

        Coffee Jelly

        • 4 tablespoon water
        • 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin powder
        • 1 ½ cups water
        • 50 grams granulated sugar
        • 4 teaspoon instant coffee, or to taste

        Milk Jelly

        • 5 teaspoon water
        • 1 ¼ teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
        • 1 cup half & half (note 2)
        • 25 grams granulated sugar

        Optional Toppings

        • Whipped cream
        • Mint leaves
        • Coffee beans
        • Fresh Fruit

        Instructions

        Coffee Jelly

        1. Refrigerate cups. This will help the jelly set faster.
        2. Place first set of water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin powder on top to bloom for 5 minutes. (Note 3)
        3. In a medium pot, bring the second set of water and sugar to a boil until sugar is dissolved. Turn off heat.
        4. Stir in instant coffee to taste. Some brands may require more or less. If needed, strain the mixture to rid of any coffee bits.
        5. Stir in bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved.
        6. With a small ladle, carefully transfer half of the coffee mixture evenly into the cups, filling it ⅓ of the way. Reserve the other half of the mixture at room temperature for later. (Note 4)
        7. Place filled cups in the fridge to set. About 30 minutes to an hour.

        Milk Jelly

        1. Place first set of water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin powder on top to bloom for 5 minutes.
        2. In a medium pot, heat the half & half and sugar until steam and bubbles appear on the side and the sugar is dissolved. Do not boil. Turn off heat.
        3. Stir in bloomed gelatin, continue stirring until fully dissolved. Set aside to cool.
        4. Check to see if the chilled coffee jelly has set.
        5. Once the milk mixture has cooled, carefully divide it into the cups evenly.
        6. Place filled cups in the fridge to set. About 30 minutes to an hour.
        7. Once milk jelly has set, divide remaining coffee mixture into the cups evenly. Place in fridge to set one last time. For the best results, refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours.


        Optional Toppings

        1. If desired, top with whipped cream, mint leaves, coffee beans, fresh fruit of more half&half.

        Notes

        1. Some ingredients are repeated. Use them in the order listed in instructions.

        2. Half and half can be substituted with half cream and half milk.

        3. Take care not to dump the powder in one place so each granule can be hydrated with the water. Using a bigger bowl with a larger surface area helps.

        4. If working on a cold day, gelatin might set quicker. If the last set of coffee mixture starts to coagulate before it can be poured, transfer it to a heat-proof bowl and stir it over a pot of boiling water until it is at a pourable consistency again. Do not let it boil or come in contact with the boiling water.

        Recommended Products

        As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

        Nutrition Information

        Yield

        6

        Serving Size

        1
        Amount Per Serving Calories 136Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 15mgSodium 175mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 2gSugar 14gProtein 4g

        This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

        Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

        Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

        © mimi
        Cuisine: japanese / Category: Sweets

        Japanese Carrot Cake Roll with Stabilized Mascarpone Cream

        · 2 Comments

        The fluffiest carrot cake roll made in the Japanese-style using a light and airy chiffon cake base and semi-sweet stabilized mascarpone whipped cream. So unique and delicious!

        A carrot roll cake with cream and small fondant carrots sitting on a wooden cutting board.
        [feast_advanced_jump_to]

        What Does Carrot Cake Taste Like?

        Traditional carrot cakes are usually denser, richer cakes that are made with grated carrots. Besides the carrot flavor, it can also have flavors of spice (ex. cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves) and nuts (ex. pecans, walnuts), depending on the recipe. Sometimes, other ingredients like shredded coconut, raisins and pineapples are added as a natural sweetener.

        Carrot cakes are so delicious and are such a great dessert choice for both Easter and Fall with all those warm spices and all. I decided to use the classic flavor profile of the carrot spice cake to create a delicious Japanese-style chiffon swiss roll to add to my cake roll collection. Many of you have found great success with the tried and tested recipes in this collection (Matcha Cake Roll, Chocolate Cake Roll, Strawberry Cake Roll, Coffee Cake Roll, Earl Grey Cake Roll, Gingerbread Cake Roll, Pumpkin Spice Cake Roll, Fancy Pattern Cake Roll) so I'm happy to have this new version for you in time for the upcoming Fall season.

        Close up of mascarpone cream piped into a swirl topped with fondant carrots on top of the carrot cake.

        Why You'll Love This Recipe

        • Light & Fluffy - this carrot cake roll uses a chiffon cake as the base so it's super light and airy.
        • Semi-sweet - made in the Asian dessert style, both the mascarpone filling and the cake is not too sweet.
        • Simple Ingredients - this recipe uses common ingredients that are available year round at every grocery store.
        • Pipeable Whipped Cream - unlike regular un-stabilized whipped cream, the stabilized mascarpone whipped cream in this recipe is sturdy enough for use in cake rolls without drooping and for piping designs.
        • Carrot and spice - a delicious combo that is perfect for Easter celebrations or the Fall season.
        Ingredients for fall spice swiss roll cake.
        Dry Ingredients for Carrot Cake Roll
        Wet ingredients for carrot cake in their respective vessels.
        Wet Ingredients for Carrot Cake Roll
        Ingredients for fluffy carrot cake.
        Meringue Ingredients for Carrot Cake Roll
        Mascarpone whipped cream ingredients on the counter.
        Stabilized Mascarpone Whipped Cream Ingredients

        Ingredients & Substitutions

        Dry Ingredients

        • Cake Flour - cake flour is a low protein flour which will help make this cake lighter and softer than if using all purpose flour. You can also use "cake & pastry flour" which many stores sell, This is a blend of both flours with a lower protein than AP. It's ok to use AP flour if that is all you have.
        • Baking powder - it acts as a leavening agent in case there is any weaknesses in the meringue.
        • Ground cinnamon, nutmeg - nutmeg can be substituted with ground ginger or more cinnamon.
        • Sea salt - use half the amount if using table salt.

        "Wet" Ingredients

        • Carrots, finely pulverized - be careful not to over-pulverize resulting in too much juices being released from the carrots.
        • Coconut shreds (fine), unsweetened - chiffon cakes are known to be soft and fluffy so finely shredded coconut is better than medium. This can be substituted with finely chopped pecans if you do not like the taste of coconut.
        • Granulated sugar - this first set of sugar is added into the wet ingredients to help add moisture.
        • Neutral Vegetable oil - canola, grapeseed, avocado are all good choices.
        • Orange juice
        • Orange zest - adds an extra dimension to the overall taste of the carrot cake. 2 teaspoon of zest is roughly around half an orange.
        • Vanilla extract - rounds out all the flavors in the cake.

        Meringue

        • Egg whites - fresh egg whites, large size. Preferably at room temperature.
        • Granulated sugar - use only granulated sugar, powdered sugar does not work for whipping meringue.
        • Cream of tartar - is an acid that helps to stabilize the meringue. It can be substituted with double the amount of lemon juice or vinegar.
        • Optional: Raisins and/or chopped pecans

        Mascarpone Whipped Cream

        • Mascarpone cheese - it can usually found in the "gourmet" cheese section of the grocery store by the deli, sometimes away from where the regular cheese and yogurts are kept. The Tre Stelle brand was used in this recipe. More about this triple-creme cheese in this dedicated post: Stabilized Mascarpone Whipped Cream.
        • Granulated sugar
        • Heavy cream 36% M.F. - has a milk fat content of at least 36%. It can be substituted with whipping cream (with minimum 30% milk fat) but heavy cream will produce an even more sturdy frosting. It needs to be completely chilled before whipping or else it won't whip up.
        • Vanilla extract
        • Gelatin powder, unflavored - the Knox brand was used in this recipe. It can usually be found in the baking aisle by the yeast.

        Step-By-Step

        To make the carrot cake: Line a 8 X 12" rectangular cake pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 325 F. In a small bowl, combine all the "wet" ingredients together with a whisk and set aside (this includes first portion of sugar). In a large mixing bowl, sift in dry mix. Stir to combine.

        Sifting flour into a bowl.

        Create a well in the center. Inside it, add all the "wet" ingredients. Combine until just incorporated, do not over mix as it will result in a tough cake, set aside.

        Whisk mixing carrot cake batter in a big bowl.

        In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar. Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have tightened up, add the second portion of sugar a little bit at a time.

        Egg whites being whipped in a mixer.

        Increase speed to med-high, whip until stiff peaks. You've now made a meringue.

        A close up of white stiff peaked stage meringue on a whisk.
        Stiff peak stage is characterized by a point in the meringue that doesn't droop on itself when the whisk is pulled out.

        Gently fold ⅓ of the meringue into the carrot-flour mixture to get it moving. Once incorporated, fold in the rest of the meringue. Do not stir. Use batter immediately. Pour batter into lined cake pan from one spot, spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula. Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets.

        Carrot flour mixture being spread into a parchment paper lined pan.

        Bake for 10-12 min. at 325 F until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center. Let cool in pan for 5 min. Place cooling rack over cake pan.

        A cake in a baking pan sitting inside an oven on a metal rack.

        Flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper. The side facing up will eventually become the top of the cake roll. Let it sit on cooling rack for 5 min. Place a new piece of parchment paper on top of the cake.

        Parchment paper being removed from the bottom of the cake on a cooling rack.

        Flip the cake over and start rolling, allowing the parchment paper to be in between the folds. This will prevent the cake from sticking to itself. It's important to roll the cake before it cools completely, otherwise, it will crack while rolling. Let it cool in this wrapped condition while making the mascarpone cream.

        The flat layer of cake being rolled into a roll with parchment paper.

        To make the stabilized mascarpone cream: Refrigerate mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes. This will help the cream whip better. Place water in a heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes. Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.

        A measuring glass being heated inside of pot half full of water.

        Immediately start beating the mascarpone cheese and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the chilled bowl. Whip on low speed until it loosens up. Add chilled whipped cream, increase to medium and keep whipping until beater starts leaving tracks inside the cream.

        Whipped cream being poured into the mixer with marscapone cheese, as the mixer continues whipping.

        Check on the gelatin. It should no longer be hot but still runny. Once the beaters leave tracks in the cream, pour the gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl. Increase speed to medium-high.

        Gelatin is in liquid state in a measuring cup, a hand is pouring liquid gelatin into cream being whipped.

        Stop beating once the cream turns stiff. Do not over whip. Optional: Gently fold raisins or pecans into mascarpone cream. Use cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.

        Marscapone cheese being mixed with sugar in a mixer.

        Assembly: Gently unwrap rolled cake and spread an even layer of mascarpone cream on it. Carefully roll up the cake from the short edge using the parchment paper to help push the cake onto itself. Wrap with plastic wrap or a new piece of parchment paper and place in refrigerator to set before cutting.

        Marscapone cream spread onto a flat cake and then rolled.

        Unwrap assembled cake. If desired, pipe swirls of mascarpone cream onto the top of the cake and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

        Marscapone cream being piped onto the top of the roll cake sitting on a white cutting board.
        Carrot cake roll on a wooden cutting board with some fondant carrots and mascarpone cream piped on the top.

        Tips for Baking the Fluffiest Carrot Chiffon Cake

        • Use cake flour instead of AP flour.
        • Always sift cake flour to prevent clumps.
        • Gently incorporate the dry-mix and wet ingredients together until no lumps of flour can be seen. Do not over mix as it will result in a tough cake.
        • For the meringue, use room temperature egg whites for better volume.
        • Whip the egg whites in a clean non-plastic bowl free of oil and water.
        • Gently fold the meringue into the carrot cake batter, retaining the air that you've built into the meringue. Do not stir.
        • Use parchment paper to line the cake pan and for rolling. It prevents sticking and tearing of the cake.

        How to Roll Up The Cake Without Cracking

        There are several tricks to rolling up the cake for Swiss cake rolls without it cracking: first roll up the cake on it's own when it is no longer hot but still warm; use parchment paper to roll it to prevent sticking; and let it continue to cool down in this wrapped condition to retain 'muscle memory' until it's time to add the cream. There is no need to roll the cake very tightly, let it be somewhat loose to prevent adding stress to the cake. When it's time to add the cream, unroll it gently and transfer it to another clean piece of parchment paper before adding the cream.

        For this recipe, add a layer of cream about ½" thick. Depending on the volume your cream attains once whipped, not all of the cream may be needed. (Tip: I like to add a little bit more cream along the short edge where I begin to roll, it gives it a bit more "cushion" in the beginning to prevent it from cracking.) After that, with one hand, gently push the cake onto itself with the parchment paper and the other hand rested on the cake to stabilize and tuck it in.

        FAQ

        Is carrot cake healthy?

        Carrot cake contains carrots which is a vegetable that is high in fiber and contains important nutrients. Truth be told, if eaten alone, it is quite a healthy food but carrot cake usually contains sugar and fats which may not have any added benefits for your health. Treat it like any other cake and eat in moderation 🙂

        Can I bake this cake in another pan?

        This recipe is meant for baking a cake that is not too tall. You can bake this cake in another pan so long as the batter remains shallow inside the new pan. This peach cake recipe will teach you how to bake this type of cake in another pan size.

        Do I need to add gelatin to stabilize the mascarpone cream?

        Stabilizing the cream will help keep the swiss roll nice and round. I highly recommend it. Many cake roll recipes don't stabilize the whipped cream but this can eventually lead to drooping and sagging, making it less ideal for a beautiful presentation. If you aren't picky on how it looks, you can skip the gelatin, the cake will still taste the same.

        How Can I Make Carrot Cake in a Cupcake Mold?

        I wrote a dedicated post on carrot cupcakes here. It uses a simple sift, stir and fold method to easily make cupcakes without the need for rolling a cake roll.

        Other Cake Rolls You'll Love

        All of these other cake rolls use a Japanese-style fluffy and light chiffon cake base and have a similar method of preparation. Give them a try too:

        Recipe

        Yield: 8 slices

        Japanese Carrot Cake Roll with Stabilized Mascarpone Cream

        Carrot cake roll on a wooden cutting board flanked by fondant carrots.

        The fluffiest carrot cake roll made in the Japanese-style using a light and airy chiffon cake base and semi-sweet stabilized mascarpone whipped cream. So unique and delicious!

        Prep Time 45 minutes
        Cook Time 15 minutes
        Additional Time 1 hour
        Total Time 2 hours

        Ingredients

        Dry Mix

        • 45 grams cake flour
        • 1 teaspoon baking powder
        • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
        • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
        • ⅛ teaspoon sea salt

        Wet Ingredients

        • 50 grams carrots, pulverized
        • 12 grams unsweetened finely shredded coconut
        • 20 grams sugar
        • 3 egg yolks
        • 40 ml neutral vegetable oil (Note 2)
        • 1 tablespoon orange juice
        • 2 teaspoon orange zest
        • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

        Meringue

        • 4 egg whites, room temperature
        • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
        • 50 grams granulated sugar
        • Optional: Raisins and/or toasted chopped pecans

        Stabilized Mascarpone Whipped Cream

        • 115 grams mascarpone cheese
        • 40 grams granulated sugar
        • 1 cup whipping cream (33% M.F.)
        • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
        • 1 + ¼ teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
        • 5 teaspoon water

        Instructions

        Carrot Cake

        1. Line a 8 X 12" rectangular cake pan with parchment paper.
        2. Preheat oven to 325 F.
        3. In a small bowl, combine all the "wet" ingredients together with a whisk and set aside (this includes first portion of sugar).
        4. In a large mixing bowl, sift in dry mix. Stir to combine.
        5. Create a well in the center. Inside it, add all the "wet" ingredients.
        6. Combine until just incorporated, do not over mix as it will result in a tough cake. Set aside.
        7. In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar.
        8. Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have tightened up, add the second portion of sugar a little bit at a time.
        9. Increase speed to med-high, whip until stiff peaks. (Note 3) You've now made a meringue.
        10. Gently fold ⅓ of the meringue into the carrot-flour mixture to get it moving. Once incorporated, fold in the rest of the meringue. Do not stir. Use batter immediately. 
        11. Pour batter into lined cake pan from one spot, spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula.
        12. Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets.
        13. Bake for 10-12 min. at 325 F until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center.
        14. Let cool in pan for 5 min.
        15. Place cooling rack over cake pan.
        16. Flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper.
        17. The side facing up will eventually become the top of the cake roll. Let it sit on cooling rack for 5 min.
        18. Place a new piece of parchment paper on top of the cake.
        19. Flip the cake over and start rolling, allowing the parchment paper to be in between the folds. This will prevent the cake from sticking to itself. It's important to roll the cake before it cools completely, otherwise, it will crack while rolling.
        20. Let it cool in this wrapped condition while making the mascarpone cream.


        Stabilized Mascarpone Cream

        1. Refrigerate mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes. This will help the cream whip better.
        2. Place water in a heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes.
        3. Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.
        4. Immediately start beating the mascarpone cheese and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the chilled bowl. Whip on low speed until it loosens up.
        5. Add chilled whipped cream, increase to medium and keep whipping until beater starts leaving tracks inside the cream.
        6. Check on the gelatin. It should no longer be hot but still runny.
        7. Once the beaters leave tracks in the cream, pour the gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl.
        8. Increase speed to medium-high. Add the vanilla extract, stop whipping once the cream turns stiff. Do not over whip.
        9. Optional: Gently fold raisins or pecans into mascarpone cream.
        10. Use cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.

        Assembly

        1. Gently unwrap rolled cake and spread an even layer of mascarpone cream on it. (Note 4)
        2. Carefully roll up the cake from the short edge using the parchment paper to help push the cake onto itself.
        3. Wrap with plastic wrap or a new piece of parchment paper and place in refrigerator to set before cutting.
        4. Unwrap assembled cake. If desired, pipe swirls of mascarpone cream onto the top of the cake and sprinkle with chopped pecans.
        5. Before serving, cut off sides for a cleaner presentation. Carrot cake roll can be kept in the fridge in an air tight container for 2-3 days.



          Notes

          1. Some ingredients are repeated, use them in the same order as outlined in instructions.

          2. Neutral oil choices: canola, grapeseed, avocado

          3. Stiff peaks are characterized by egg whites that have a pointed peak when the whisk is pulled out. It points upwards and doesn't droop on itself.

          4. Depending on the volume your cream attains once whipped, not all of the cream may be needed. A layer about ½" is recommended, with a bit more on the edge that will be rolled first.

          Recommended Products

          As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

          Nutrition Information

          Yield

          8

          Serving Size

          1
          Amount Per Serving Calories 247Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 69mgSodium 136mgCarbohydrates 22gFiber 2gSugar 14gProtein 5g

          This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

          Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

          Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

          © mimi
          Cuisine: japanese / Category: Cakes
          Top view of fully assembled carrot cake with a slice cut out and placed on a small plate.

          Making Macarons Without a Mixer, Scale & Convection Oven

          · 13 Comments

          It's easy to make perfect macarons without a mixer (hand whipped meringue), scale (measurements in cups), cream of tartar & other fancy tools or ingredients. Learn how to whip a perfect meringue for macarons entirely by hand to prevent hollow macarons.

          A hand whipping the meringue by hand.
          [feast_advanced_jump_to]

          Can I Make Macarons without a Mixer?

          Yes! You can definitely make macarons without an electric or stand mixer, fancy tools and ingredients. The meringue for macarons can actually be whipped entirely by hand! I know there seems to be a lot of barriers to entry for making perfect macarons so I wanted to simplify things today and show you how you can make macarons using:

          • No scale
          • No electric mixer
          • No cream of tartar
          • No pre-ground almond flour
          • No piping bags
          • No resting
          • No convection setting in the oven

          The main point of this tutorial is to show that with the right techniques, macarons can be easily made without spending a lot of money on tools and ingredients. I still prefer my original Best Macaron Recipe for its efficiency and consistent results using the proper tools like a kitchen scale. However, I hope this new method will give advanced macaron bakers insight into how you can get better results without having to spend more money on new tools or a new oven. And for those new to macaron baking, I hope it will help you decide what type of tools you should start investing in. Good luck and leave all your questions below in the comments 🙂

          XOXO,
          Mimi

          Tip: almond flour can be made by grinding blanched almonds together with the powdered sugar in the recipe. See paragraph below on how. Even when using ready-made almond flour, it can be ground to a finer texture (than what is shown in the photo above) for a smoother macaron shell.
          Ingredients for making macarons on a table.

          Step 1: Carefully Measure Ingredients Without a Scale

          Normally, a scale is the best way to measure ingredients for baking. Precise measurement is key to many recipes so a digital kitchen scale will help provide consistent results. Definitely try to invest in a scale. It's not too expensive and you can use it again for other recipes or for shipping. Having said that, I know many of you have continually asked for a macaron recipe that is measured in cups so here it is. Please carefully measure these ingredients according to the methods below to get as accurate measurement as possible without using a scale.

          Powdered sugar being poured into a measuring cup and then levelled off with a knife.
          • Powdered sugar/ icing sugar - fluff it up before you start scooping. Use a spoon to scoop it into a measuring cup until its full, do not pack it in. Gently level it off with the back of a knife. Note: The type of powdered sugar sold in N. America usually contains a little bit of corn starch as an anti-caking agent.
          • Almond slices - use the same scooping method above. Note: choose almond slices or slivers that are blanched (without the skin).
          • Castor sugar - you can reach directly into the container to scoop the sugar out. Note: castor sugar is also known as fine granulated sugar or berry sugar. It’s a finer granulated sugar that dissolves readily into the meringue making it ideal for macarons, which is heavily dependent on a strong and healthy meringue. If you can’t find castor sugar, you can use regular granulated sugar but if whipping the egg whites completely by hand, it's better to use castor sugar since you won't be able to whip it as easily as an electric mixer. Do not try to pulverize regular granulated sugar in the food processor to make castor sugar, it results in “chopped-up sugar crystals that will not perform well.” (Source: chsugar.com)
          • Egg whites, aged - Separate egg whites while cold and place it in a clean cup. Cover with plastic wrap and poke a few holes on top and place it in the fridge, use at room temperature after 24 hours of aging. Note: egg whites that have been separated and let to “age” in the fridge have more relaxed proteins which makes it easier to whip to volume without overwhipping. It’s recommended for the beginner macaron baker but is not absolutely necessary. Most carton egg whites are not intended for whipping into a meringue, check the back of the carton. A few (but not many) readers have reported success with carton egg whites.
          • Vinegar or fresh lemon juice - Note: this acid is added to the meringue to make it more stable. Normally, cream of tartar is called for in half the amount, it can be found in the baking aisle next to the spices.
          • Gel food color – this is a more potent form of food color that doesn’t add unwanted moisture into the macaron batter. Some brands perform better than others while baking. I prefer this brand for its color stability during baking.

          Step 2: Grind Almonds Into Flour

          Transfer the almond slices and powdered sugar into a food processor and pulse until it becomes fine. Make sure to pulse the two ingredients together to prevent the almonds from becoming butter. Sift the mixture and discard any large pieces that cannot be sifted. If you have a large amount leftover (more than 2 tsp), weigh it and grind more almonds with the already sifted almond/sugar mixture to compensate for that amount.

          Step 3: Whip Meringue By Hand with a Spatula

          Whipping the meringue by hand might seem tiresome but it actually doesn't take much longer than an electric mixer, this was actually the way we made meringue when I was taking pastry classes. Whipping meringue by hand for macarons also has a few benefits too:

          • Lessens the chance of overwhipping resulting in hollow macarons.
          • Keeps it quiet if you're baking at night.
          • Can be done anywhere ex. if you're in a vacation home situation etc.
          • Doesn't require pulling out extra equipment.

          First, make sure the egg whites are at room temperature. Next, wipe down a medium mixing bowl with some vinegar or lemon juice. Place the room temperature aged egg whites inside and start whipping it by hand with a spatula. Watch the accompanying video to see how I whip it. It helps to hold the bowl close to your body with one hand while whipping with the other.

          It takes about 3 minutes to whip it up to a foamy consistency but remember how long it takes you will depend on your own whipping speed, your tools, ingredients etc. Use the appearance to judge whether it's time to move to the next step rather than the duration itself.

          Egg whites being whipped by hand without a mixer.

          Once the whites become foamy with large bubbles present, add the acid (lemon, vinegar or cream of tartar) and keep whipping until the whites become opaque, the bubbles have decreased in size and the whisk start leaving tracks.

          A hand dropping food coloring into a bowl filled with meringue.

          Add the sugar a little at a time. It's important to do this slowly so the sugar can be fully absorbed. Keep whipping. It takes about 6 minutes for the whites to get from foamy to a soft peaks stage. At this time, you can add a few drops of your favorite gel color and keep whipping.

          It takes about another 6 minutes for it to go from soft to stiff peaks. You'll see that once you pull the whisk out, the points in the meringue doesn't droop. You can also test it by turning the bowl upside down, the whites don't slide around in the bowl. In total, it took me 15 minutes to whip it from start to finish. Further reading: How to Whip Perfect Meringue for Macarons

          Close up of stiff peaks in a meringue.

          Step 4: Macaronage and Figure 8 Test

          Next, add the dry ingredients in 3 separate additions, gently fold it into the meringue. Take the spatula and gently go under the mixture, use a sweep down-across-up-and-over motion (like you’re scraping around the bowl towards the middle) while turning the bowl at the same time. Occasionally, cut down through the center of the mixture to incorporate the ingredients in the center. Once its most incorporated, press out some more of the air by pressing the batter against the bowl.

          Test the batter consistency. It should flow like honey, slowly, not too runny and without breaking apart. Here's an in-depth post on How to Macaronage

          Macaron batter being folded inside a bowl.

          Step 5: Piping Batter Without a Piping Bag

          Now transfer the batter into a freezer Ziploc bag. I recommend the freezer kind since it is thicker, providing more control while piping. If you're finding it hard to pipe beautiful round shells, consider using a combination of heavy weight piping bags and a round piping tip. Out of all the macaron making tools you can skip, I would recommend not skipping this one. It is so inexpensive and will really help elevate the appearance of your macarons. I like using the round #10 size because it provides a bit more control than the larger nozzles.

          Holding the bag perfectly straight, pipe the batter onto the parchment paper. If your budget allows, buy a silicone mat, it will make the piped batter look perfectly round. Scroll to step 6 to take a look at the difference between macaron batter I piped using parchment paper and silicone mats.

          Macaron batter being piped onto parchment paper and silicone mats.
          Round macaron template

          Step 6: Rap Tray & No-Resting

          Bang the tray on the counter several times to get rid of the excess bubbles. For the really stubborn ones, just use a toothpick or scribe tool to pop them.

          Next, I'm going to just pop these macarons in the oven right away without resting. The resting period allows for the macarons to develop a thin skin before baking which helps to prevent cracks during baking. I wanted to show you that it's possible to bake macarons directly piping without resting. I should note that this is not due to anything special about my recipe or any recipe that claims to be a no-rest recipe. It really depends on you and your technique.

          If your meringue is strong, you haven't over folded the batter, and you don't live in a humid environment, it's perfectly okay to just pipe regular rounds straight into the oven right after baking. Here's a detailed post on Resting the Macaron Shells. If you're new to macaron baking, it's worth it to rest the macaron shells until a light skin forms so when you touch it, the batter doesn't stick to your fingers. It will act as extra insurance for your macarons.

          bubbles in macaron shells being popped with a toothpick.

          Step 6: Bake Without a Convection Oven

          Bake the macaron shells for 12-14 minutes at 325F on the middle rack, one tray at a time. Remember every oven is different so take a look at this guide for properly using your home oven for baking macarons to help you find optimal setting for baking macarons in your own oven.

          I'm using the regular bake setting without the convection fan for this batch just to show you that it can be baked in a regular oven. (Usually, it's recommended to use turn down the temperature by 25F when using the convection setting since it can get a little hotter.)

          I also like to use rimless pans to allow even air flow to the macaron shells, this one by USA pan conducts heat very well for macarons. Test the doneness by nudging the shell. If it doesn't wiggle, it's done. The pictures below shows the difference between macarons baked on parchment paper and silicone mat.

          Baking macarons inside the oven.
          Macaron shells piped onto parchment paper are less round than the ones on silicone.
          Finished macarons cooling off on the counter.

          Step 7: Fill & Assemble

          Once cooled, fill it with your favorite filling and let it mature in the fridge in an air-tight container for 24 hours before eating. Here is a basic 3-ingredient chocolate macaron filling or you can look for yummy macaron filling ideas here. If you need to make macarons in advance, refer to this post on How to Freeze Macarons and Make in Advance. Enjoy!

          Conclusions

          Whipping up a meringue by hand is a great way for any baker to learn more about the stages of meringue formation and prevent overwhipping of the meringue which can lead to hollow macarons. If you haven't tried making a meringue completely by hand for macarons before, give it a try just once. In the future, you can consider doing a hybrid of the two, let the machine do most of the mixing and then whip the rest by hand. (But remember to start off on a slow whipping speed first to help with building stability. Here's more on How to Prevent Hollow Macarons)

          The supplies I would highly recommend investing in first would be the scale and round piping tip. Later on you can consider investing in a silicone mat and a rimless baking sheet.

          Assembling the macaron shells with macaron filling.
          Macarons made without mixer displayed inside a gift box.

          Recipe

          Yield: 18 Macarons

          Making macarons without a scale, mixer, resting & fancy tools.

          meringue whipped to stiff peaks by hand

          Macaron recipe measured in cups and made without a mixer, scale, cream of tartar and other fancy tools or ingredients.

          Prep Time 1 hour
          Cook Time 15 minutes
          Additional Time 30 minutes
          Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

          Ingredients

          Macaron Ingredients

          • ½ + ¼ cup almond slices (78 grams)
          • ½ cup + 2 tablespoon powdered sugar (78 grams)
          • 3 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon + ½ teaspoon castor sugar* (55 grams)
          • 2 egg whites, aged, room temperature*
          • ¼ teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice*
          • GEL color of your choice*

          Supplies

          • Measuring cups and spoons
          • 2 very clean and dry mixing bowls
          • Sifter
          • Flexible spatula
          • Piping bag or freezer Ziploc bags
          • Round piping tip*
          • Good quality baking pan
          • Template with macaron outline
          • Oven thermometer
          • Parchment paper or silicone mat

          Instructions

          1. 24 hours in advance, separate egg whites while cold and place it in a clean cup. Cover with plastic wrap and poke a few holes on top and place it in the fridge, use at room temperature after 24 hours of aging. 
          2. Carefully measure all the ingredients according to the instructions in Step 1 in post.
          3. Pre-heat oven to 325F.
          4. Transfer the almond slices and powdered sugar into a food processor and pulse until it becomes fine. Make sure to pulse the two ingredients together to prevent the almonds from becoming butter. Sift the mixture and discard any large pieces that cannot be sifted.
          5. In a separate bowl, whip room temperature egg whites with a spatula until foamy (about 3 min.) Add vinegar or lemon juice and keep whipping.
          6. Once the beater starts leaving tracks in the egg whites and the bubbles have tightened up in size, add castor sugar ⅓ at a time. It’s important to do this slowly so the sugar can be fully absorbed. Keep whipping.
          7. Once all the sugar has been fully incorporated and before reaching stiff peaks (about 6 min), add 1-3 drops of gel color to your liking. Keep whipping until stiff peaks (another 6 minutes).
          8. Test meringue stiffness. It should have pointed peaks when the whisk is pulled out.
          9. Pour a third of the almond/powdered sugar mixture into the egg whites. Gently fold it into the egg whites. Then add the rest of the mixture and fold.
          10. Stop folding once the dry ingredients have been fully incorporated and the batter has reached a “lava” like or honey consistency. The batter should pass the figure-8 test. Watch video in post.
          11. On parchment paper or silicone mats, pipe the batter to the size of the circle on the template. Sign up to my newsletter to get free templates of various sizes.
          12. Remove the paper template from underneath the parchment paper or mat.
          13. Rap the tray several times on the counter to rid of excess bubbles.
          14. Before the batter dries, pop any remaining bubbles with a toothpick.
          15. Bake them right away or if you're new to macaron baking, let it rest on the counter for 30 min. AND until a “skin” has developed. This will help prevent the shells from cracking during baking.
          16. Bake at 325F for 12-14 minutes on the middle rack.
          17. Take them out and test doneness. The feet should not push back and the shell should not be wobbly.
          18. Let them cool off on the pan (or off if they are overdone).
          19. Fill macarons with your own favorite filling. (Further reading: Yummy Macaron Filling Ideas)
          20. Leave them in the fridge in an airtight container and let them mature for 24 hours.
          21. After 24 hours of maturation in the fridge, bring them back to room temperature 30 min. before serving. They will remain fresh stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, depending on filling used. ENJOY!

          Notes

          - This recipe yields 18 assembled macarons. This recipe can be doubled, tripled, and so forth.

          - If using almond flour, measurements in cup is ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp.

          - Castor sugar, a.k.a “berry” sugar or extra fine granulated sugar. Regular granulated sugar can be used but castor sugar is preferable, especially if whipping by hand.

          - Egg whites from 2 large sized eggs. Do NOT use meringue powder or egg white powder.

          - Vinegar or lemon juice can be substituted with half the amount of cream of tartar.

          - Use GEL food color, do not use liquid color.

          - Recommended round piping tips: Wilton #12 or Wilton #1A. I prefer Wilton #1A or Ateco #805 Plain Seamless Tip for regular round macarons or Wilton #12 for more control with character macarons.

          - To further shelf life, unfilled macaron shells and assembled macarons can be frozen for up to one month.

          Recommended Products

          As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

          Nutrition Information

          Yield

          18

          Serving Size

          1
          Amount Per Serving Calories 14Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 0mgSodium 12mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 0gSugar 1gProtein 1g

          This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

          Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

          Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

          © mimi
          Category: Macarons

          Spicy Cinnamon Heart Candy Macarons

          · Leave a Comment

          Cinnamon heart macarons with a spicy kick just like the Valentine's Day candy! Use this base recipe to extract flavor from your favorite candies for your French macaron filling.

          Close up of cinnamon heart candy macarons on a plate and in a Valentine's gift box.
          [feast_advanced_jump_to]

          I don't eat a lot of candy but one of the few I do like is cinnamon hearts. There is something so addictive about them, maybe because I'm a big fan of foods that have a spicy kick. It's pretty cool that such a unique candy flavor exists. This new recipe remains true to taste to the original candy by extracting the spicy taste and cinnamon flavor directly from the heart candies. And if you are visiting this page after Valentine's day when cinnamon hearts are no longer sold in stores, don't worry. This method of flavor extraction can be modified for other kinds of candy too. Just keep reading below. It's pretty versatile. Besides that, I love this new filling because:

          • It's so easy to put together and requires very few steps.
          • It's stable at room temperature, making it a great choice for gifts, bridal showers, dessert tables, special events and travel.
          • It's a unique macaron flavor that has a special spicy kick.
          • It's absolutely perfect for Valentine's Day!

          I'm pretty excited about the unique flavor of this new macaron filling and I hope you will give it a try too.

          XOXO,
          Mimi

          Ingredients for cinnamon heart macarons.

          Ingredients & Substitutions

          • Almond flour – it should be ground from blanched almonds. Some brands are more “oilier” than others so for the most consistent results, I like to make my own almond flour (tutorial here). Many readers have had good results with this brand of almond flour.
          • Powdered sugar – this is also known as icing sugar or confectioners’ sugar. The type sold in North America usually contains a bit of corn starch as an anti-coagulant.
          • Castor sugar – this is also known as extra fine granulated sugar or berry sugar. It’s a finer granulated sugar that dissolves readily into the meringue making it ideal for macarons, which is heavily dependent on a strong and healthy meringue. If you can’t find castor sugar, just use regular granulated sugar. Do not try to pulverize regular granulated sugar in the food processor to make castor sugar, it results in “chopped-up sugar crystals that will not perform well.” (Source: chsugar.com)
          • Egg whites, aged – egg whites that have been separated and let to “age” in the fridge have more relaxed proteins which makes it easier to whip to volume without overwhipping. It’s recommended for the beginner macaron baker but is not absolutely necessary. Most carton egg whites are not intended for whipping into a meringue, check the back of the carton. A few (but not many) readers have reported success with carton egg whites.
          • Cream of tartar – is an acid that is added to the meringue to make it more stable. It is usually found in the baking aisle next to the spices. If you do not have cream of tartar, you can substitute it with another acid like lemon or vinegar in double the amount. You can skip this ingredient if you can’t find it. Make sure your bowls are clean and dry and whip carefully with room temperature aged egg whites until it reaches still peaks. If your egg whites take too long to whip or breaks apart, reconsider using cream of tartar.
          • Gel food color – this is a more potent form of food color that doesn’t add unwanted moisture into the macaron batter. Some brands perform better than others while baking. I prefer this brand for its color stability.
          • White baking chocolate - use a good white chocolate intended for baking as chocolate chips and other ready to eat white chocolates contains additives that makes it less stable for use as a ganache filling.
          • Cinnamon heart candies, whole - can be substituted with other types of candy. See paragraph below on considerations when using different types of candy.
          • Cinnamon heart candies, finely crushed - crush candy with a pestle and mortar or for a cleaner process, put candies in a Ziploc bag and then use a meat cleaver to crush it. Be careful to discard larger pieces as they can have sharp edges.
          • Ground cinnamon - spice adds more flavor to the filling since using the candy alone will not be flavorful enough. (I tried one batch without but the flavor wasn't fully coming through. In another batch, I added more candy but the became too thick without sufficiently increasing the flavor.)
          • Heavy cream - has a minimum milk fat content of 36% and above. On the other hand, whipping cream has milk fat content of 30-35% and is usually found at 33% in most regular grocery stores. Both will work with this recipe.
          • Unsalted butter - make sure it's at room temperature so it can be easily incorporated into the warm chocolate cream mixture.
          A stack of pink macarons filled with cinnamon candy macaron filling.

          How to Extract Flavor From Candy for Macaron Filling

          The process for extracting the flavors from the cinnamon heart candy can be applied to a variety of different candies. To extract flavor from candies for your macaron filling, just use the same method of melting the candy in the hot cream and then pouring it over the chopped chocolate. You can use the same amount of cream as in this recipe but please note that I've tested the amount used here and it takes into account the amount that will evaporate during the melting stage. Take a look at this Basic White Chocolate Macaron Filling recipe for another method to effectively incorporate small amounts of hot cream into white chocolate.

          Candies that are easier or more difficult to melt will require a different amount of cream. The texture of the candy will also change the consistency in the finished filling so it's important to test out your creation before committing to a large batch. Lastly, I sprinkled the crushed cinnamon heart candy onto the filling during the assembly because it further adds to the flavor. Remember that the candy you're using is already a finished product and not an extract so to get the flavors to pop and be more true to taste, it will help to add small pieces of it back into the finished macaron.

          How to Pipe Heart Macarons

          These cinnamon candy macarons look amazing piped into heart shapes for Valentine's Day. Just print out the heart macaron templates pipe using this technique: use a piping tip Wilton 10 Round and squeeze a dollop of pink macaron batter into the rounded curve of the heart on one side. You don’t need it to fill entirely as it will spread later. Pipe slowly on a slant while decreasing the amount of pressure as you move further down to the tip. To stop piping, flick quickly back upwards towards the center. Do the same for the other side. Smooth out further with a toothpick.

          A whole tabletop filled with pink macarons with non-hollow one cut open.

          Step-By-Step

          Set butter out at room temperature. Chop up chocolate into slivers.

          Cinnamon hearts being crushed in a pestle and mortar. Chocolates being chopped.

          In a small sauce pan on medium heat, heat up cream with the whole candy and cinnamon. Stir to combine, keep stirring until candy melts. If the cream starts to boil, take off heat intermittently and keep stirring until candy melts completely. Do not let boil.

          Cinnamon and heart candies inside a pot filled with cream.

          Once candy is completely melted and the mixture comes to a light simmer, pour it over chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute. Stir to combine.

          Red cinnamon cream poured over white chocolate.

          Add butter and incorporate. Let cool to room temperature. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the chocolate filling to prevent a skin from developing on the surface. Place in fridge to firm up slightly for piping. Check on it every 15-20 minutes. Do not let harden or it will become too hard for piping. If time allows, leave it at room temperature to set instead.

          Butter being folded into cinnamon cream mixture.

          Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe a dollop of spicy cinnamon filling onto one of the shells. Sprinkle finely crushed cinnamon candy onto the filling, assemble with the other shell. Sprinkle some more crushed candy onto the filling that’s exposed on the side of the macaron. Place in an airtight container and let mature for 24 hours before consuming.

          Hand sprinkling crushed valentine's heart candy onto macarons.

          Recipe

          Yield: 12 macarons

          Spicy Cinnamon Heart Macarons

          Close up of cinnamon heart candy macarons on a dish.

          Cinnamon heart macarons with a spicy kick just like the Valentine's Day candy! Use this base recipe to extract flavor from your favorite candies for your French macaron filling.

          Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
          Cook Time 12 minutes
          Total Time 1 hour 27 minutes

          Ingredients

          Heart Macarons

          • 65 grams almond flour
          • 65 grams powdered sugar
          • 45 grams castor sugar (*1)
          • 50 grams egg whites, aged
          • ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar (*2)
          • Pink gel food coloring

          Spicy Cinnamon Macaron Filling

          • 70 grams white baking chocolate
          • 50 grams heavy cream
          • 22 grams cinnamon heart candies, whole
          • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
          • 5 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
          • 20 grams cinnamon heart candies, finely crushed (*3)

          Instructions

          Macaron Shells

          1. These instructions are for the experienced macaron baker, if you're new to macaron baking, please read Best Macaron Recipe for additional information before starting.
          2. In a big bowl, sift together almond flour and powdered sugar.
          3. In a separate bowl, whip room temperature egg whites on low speed with a handheld mixer until foamy, add cream of tartar. 
          4. Increase speed to medium. Once the beater starts leaving tracks in the egg whites and the bubbles have tightened up in size, add granulated sugar ⅓ at a time.
          5. Increase speed to high, whip until meringue reaches soft peaks, add gel color and continue whipping.
          6. Once the meringue begins to clump inside the whisk. Test meringue stiffness. It should have pointed peaks when the whisk is pulled out.
          7. Pour the almond flour into the bowl of meringue.
          8. Macaronage/fold the almond flour into the meringue. Stop folding once the dry ingredients have been fully incorporated and the batter has reached a “lava” like or honey consistency. The batter should pass the figure-8 test.
          9. Transfer batter into separate piping bags.
          10. Place the basic round or heart macaron templates underneath silicone mats or parchment paper. Pipe according to template design.
          11. Remove the paper template from underneath the parchment paper or mat.
          12. Rap the tray several times on the counter to rid of excess bubbles
          13. Before the batter dries, pop any remaining bubbles with a toothpick.
          14. Let it rest on the counter for 30 min. AND until a “skin” has developed. This will prevent the shells from cracking during baking.
          15. Preheat oven to 320 F. 
          16. Take macarons out and test doneness. The feet should not push back and the shell should not be wobbly.
          17. Let them cool off on the pan
          18. Once cooled, fill with spicy cinnamon heart macaron filling.


          Spicy Heart Macaron Filling

          1. Set butter out at room temperature.
          2. Chop up chocolate into slivers.
          3. In a small sauce pan on medium heat, heat up cream with the whole candy and cinnamon. Stir to combine, keep stirring until candy melts. If the cream starts to boil, take off heat intermittently and keep stirring until candy melts completely. Do not let boil.
          4. Once candy is completely melted and the mixture comes to a light simmer, pour it over chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute.
          5. Stir to combine.
          6. Add butter and incorporate.
          7. Let cool to room temperature.
          8. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the chocolate filling to prevent a skin from developing on the surface.
          9. Place in fridge to firm up slightly for piping. Check on it every 15-20 minutes. Do not let harden or it will become too hard for piping. If time allows, leave it at room temperature to set instead.
          10. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round tip.

          Assembly

          1. Find two similar sized macaron shells.
          2. Pipe a dollop of spicy cinnamon filling onto one of the shells.
          3. Sprinkle finely crushed cinnamon candy onto the filling, assemble with the other shell. Sprinkle some more crushed candy onto the filling that’s exposed on the side of the macaron.
          4. Place in an airtight container and let mature for 24 hours before eating.

          Notes

          1. Castor sugar is an extra fine granulated sugar also known as berry sugar. It can be substituted with granulated sugar.

          2. Cream of tartar can be found in the spice area of the baking aisle at most grocery stores. It can be substituted with twice the amount of lemon juice or vinegar.

          3. Finely crush cinnamon candy in a pestle and mortar, discard large chunks as they can be sharp.

          Recommended Products

          As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

          Nutrition Information

          Yield

          12

          Serving Size

          1
          Amount Per Serving Calories 139Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 6mgSodium 11mgCarbohydrates 17gFiber 4gSugar 10gProtein 3g

          This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

          Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

          Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

          © Mimi
          Cuisine: french / Category: Macarons

          3D Rainbow & Cloud Macarons with Vanilla Filling

          · 2 Comments

          Stunning 3D style rainbow & cloud macaron set filled with vanilla. Perfect for St. Patrick's Day, birthday parties, baby showers, afternoon tea and other special occasions. Download free templates and detailed instructions on how to make multiple colors from one batch of macaron batter.

          3D rainbow and cloud macaron set with rainbow template below.
          [feast_advanced_jump_to]

          The Rainbow After the Storm

          2021, you couldn't have come soon enough! Like everyone else, I am hopeful that this new year will be a brighter one for the entire world. More than ever, we need to receive uplifting messages and positivity. Today, on this first day of this new year, I want to bring you this tutorial for a 3D rainbow and cloud macaron set. It plays on a similar design, Over the Rainbow Macarons, but this time we're stacking 2 different macarons on top of each other for a 3D macaron effect. I first created the original cloud macaron with rainbow gummy design way back and it has been shared countless times on Pinterest, maybe because rainbows are just a cheerful and hopeful symbol that seems to inspire everyone. Let's make 2021 the rainbow macaron after the storm 🙂 I wish you a bright, new year ahead.

          XOXO,
          Mimi

          Tip: almond flour can be made by grinding blanched almonds together with the powdered sugar in the recipe. See paragraph below on how. Even when using ready-made almond flour, it can be ground to a finer texture (than what is shown in the photo above) for a smoother macaron shell.

          How to Prepare Multiple Colors in One Batch

          This rainbow and cloud macaron design will require multiple colored macaron batters: blue, yellow and pink. There are several methods to making multiple colors from one batch of macaron batter and below is a short recap of my top recommended method. I also recommend that you take a closer look at the full tutorial on how to make multiple colors from one batch of macaron batter.

          1. Determine in percentages how much batter of each color is required. For this design, we need 50% of the batter to be blue, 25% to be yellow, 25% to be pink.
          2. Sift the dry mix (sifted almond flour + powdered sugar) together then divide it into separate bowls according to the same percentages for the corresponding color. For example: 130 grams almond flour + 130 grams powdered sugar = 260 grams. For the blue batter we need 130 grams (50% X 260 grams = 130 grams) and so forth for the other colors.
          3. Prepare the meringue in one batch. Once meringue is at stiff peaks, stop the mixer.
          4. Weigh the meringue, divide the meringue into separate bowls according to the same percentages for the corresponding color. For example: 90 grams castor sugar + 100 grams egg whites = 190 grams. For the blue batter we need 96 grams of meringue (50% X 190 grams = 96 grams, rounded up 1 gram to compensate for yellow/pink)
          5. Add the gel color into the bowl filled with meringue, then gently incorporate the color with a whisk, making sure not to deflate the meringue.
          6. Once the color is mostly incorporated, pour the almond flour into each bowl of meringue with the same respective percentage.
          7. Macaronage/fold in the almond flour as usual.
          8. Transfer macaron batter into separate piping bags and pipe clouds and rainbows as per instructions below.

          How to Pipe Cloud and Rainbow Macarons

          Print out the 2 templates provided in this post. (I am using a bear macaron template here for the rainbows. You can save paper and reuse this template if you already have it printed out from prior projects).

          Start piping the cloud macarons first since it takes longer to dry and will use the most batter. If you have extra blue left over, then you can make extra rainbows, instead of not having enough batter for the clouds.

          To pipe the clouds, use round piping tip #10 and start piping in the white target zone. Keep bag at a 90 degree angle for maximum precision. If possible, try to use a coupler because we will need to switch the piping tip to a finer one after.

          Switch to a small round piping tip #6 (#5-7 will all work great) and pipe a small arch for the rainbow.

          Macarons being piped on a silicone mat.

          Follow the outline and pipe the yellow and pink batter in that order. You do not need to wait for the batters to dry in between piping each color. This technique will allow the different colored batters to blend into one cohesive design. This method also makes it easier to bake as well because there is no joints to worry about. Sometimes, cracks can occur along the joints during baking if the character macarons aren't fully rested before baking. If you want more definition, let each color develop a light skin before baking before piping the next color. But remember to give it more time to dry before baking.

          Rainbow macarons being piped with different colored batters.
          Adding some filling on top of the macarons to act as a glue.
          Sprinkling sprinkles onto the macarons to create a cloud effect.

          Which Filling to Use

          For the filling, I chose a vanilla buttercream because I wasn't exactly sure what rainbows taste like so I thought this Swiss buttercream that tastes just like vanilla ice cream would be a great pairing. Alternatively, I've recently discovered that cotton candy just makes sense for use in rainbow colored treats. I used a specially concocted version of this extract in this post: Cotton Candy Meringue Kisses.

          Whichever macaron filling you choose, keep these notes in mind if you plan to use for assembling into the 3D design:

          • Choose a filling that's not too high in moisture. This will prevent the macarons from becoming too soft to handle when you're assembling. Buttercreams and chocolate works great.
          • Avoid oily fillings for "gluing" the two pieces together to prevent a pooling of oil on top of the cloud macaron. If using buttercream, make sure the cream doesn't start separating while you're piping, it's especially common near the end after you've handled the piping bag for too long. For my recipe below, just re-whip it again either with a mixer or even just by hand! This tip is especially helpful when you don't have enough left to mix in the mixer. Just use a small bowl and stir it vigorously with a small spatula, it will all come together again.
          • Choose a lighter color filling to help create a seamless overall appearance for this 3D design.

          Rainbow and Cloud Macaron Templates

          Rainbow Macaron Template
          Cloud Macaron template

          Recipe

          Yield: 9 sets

          3D Rainbow and Cloud Macarons

          3D rainbow macarons perched on top of a cloud macaron.

          Stunning 3D style rainbow & cloud macaron set. Free templates and detailed instructions on making multiple colors from one batch of batter.

          Prep Time 1 hour 30 seconds
          Cook Time 14 minutes
          Total Time 1 hour 14 minutes 30 seconds

          Ingredients

          Rainbow & Cloud Macaron Batter

          • 130 grams almond flour
          • 130 grams powdered sugar
          • 90 grams castor sugar (Note 1)
          • 100 grams egg whites, aged
          • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
          • Gel food coloring (blue, pink, yellow)
          • Optional: White nonpareil sprinkles

          Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

          • 65 grams egg whites
          • 130 grams granulated sugar
          • 195 grams butter, room temperature
          • 1 tsp. vanilla extract (or any other flavoring, added to taste)

          Instructions

          Rainbow & Cloud Macarons

          1. These instructions are for the experienced macaron baker, if you're new to macaron baking, please read Best Macaron Recipe for additional information before starting.
          2. Determine in percentages how much batter of each color is required. For this design: 50% blue, 25% yellow and 25% pink.
          3. In a big bowl, sift together almond flour and powdered sugar. Divide it up into separate bowls according to the same percentages for the corresponding color. For this design: 130 grams for blue, 65 grams for yellow and 65 grams for pink.
          4. In a separate bowl, whip room temperature egg whites on low speed with a handheld mixer until foamy, add cream of tartar. 
          5. Increase speed to medium. Once the beater starts leaving tracks in the egg whites and the bubbles have tightened up in size, add granulated sugar ⅓ at a time.
          6. Increase speed to high, whip until meringue starts to clump in whisk. Test meringue stiffness. It should have pointed peaks when the whisk is pulled out.
          7. Divide the meringue into separate bowls according to the same percentages for the corresponding color. For this design: 96 grams for blue, 47 grams for yellow, 47 grams for pink.
          8. Add the gel color into the bowl filled with meringue, then gently incorporate the color with a whisk, making sure not to deflate the meringue.
          9. Once the color is mostly incorporated, pour the almond flour into each bowl of meringue with the same respective percentage.
          10. Macaronage/fold the almond flour into the meringue as usual. Stop folding once the dry ingredients have been fully incorporated and the batter has reached a “lava” like or honey consistency. The batter should pass the figure-8 test.
          11. Transfer batter into separate piping bags.
          12. Place cloud and rainbow macaron templates underneath silicone mats or parchment paper. Pipe cloud design first with blue batter and #10 round tip, then pipe the rainbows with #6 round tip. The colors can be piped one after the other if you want less definition (texture-wise) between each color.
          13. Remove the paper template from underneath the parchment paper or mat.
          14. Rap the tray several times on the counter to rid of excess bubbles
          15. Before the batter dries, pop any remaining bubbles with a toothpick.
          16. Let it rest on the counter for 30 min. AND until a “skin” has developed. This will prevent the shells from cracking during baking.
          17. Preheat oven to 320 F. 
          18. Bake the rainbow shapes first, they will be the first to dry. (If you've waited to pipe in between each color, then give it longer time to dry. Joint lines in between each color can be weak.)
          19. Place the tray on the middle shelf and bake only one tray at a time. Rainbows take about 10-12 minutes, clouds take about 14-16 minutes.)
          20. Take macarons out and test doneness. The feet should not push back and the shell should not be wobbly.
          21. Let them cool off on the pan
          22. Once cooled, fill with your favorite filling and let them mature according to recipe before eating.

          Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

          1. Set butter out at room temperature.
          2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil.
          3. Place egg whites and sugar into a heat proof bowl. Stainless steel is light and safe. Gently whisk the whites & sugar mix over the boiling water. Pay attention to whisking the mixture when it starts getting hot, you don’t want to cook the eggs.
          4. Whisk the mixture until the temperature reaches 160F (Note 2)
          5. Pour the mixture into the counter mixer with the balloon whisk attached. Whip on low to start, then increase to medium. Once the mixture is stiff and the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch, stop mixer.
          6. Change the whisk attachment to the paddle attachment.
          7. Add butter a little bit at a time while beating with the paddle attachment on medium speed. The mixture might look curdled or separated for a while but keep mixing. It will all come together.
          8. Add any extract, flavourings or food colouring if desired. Whip until incorporated.
          9. Using a flexible spatula, fold out excess air in the frosting so that it can be piped or spread smoothly. Use for assembly immediately.

          Assembly

          1. To assemble into a 3D macaron set, fill macarons and let set in the fridge individually until it is no longer wobbly.
          2. Add some filling on the 2 bottom ends of the rainbow macarons. Secure it onto the cloud macaron.
          3. Place in an air tight container in the fridge and let set.
          4. Pipe some filling along the bottom edge of the rainbow macaron, lightly sprinkle white nonpareils onto the filling to cover.
          5. Once macarons fully mature according to recipe used, enjoy!

            Notes

            1. Castor sugar is an extra fine granulated sugar also known as berry sugar. It can be substituted with regular granulated sugar but castor sugar is preferable.

            2. This is the temperature generally regarded to be able to kill salmonella in eggs. Caution should always be taken when serving meringue based desserts to children, pregnant women or those with a compromised immune system. 

            3, Store any leftover buttercream in an airtight container until use for a maximum of 5 days. Before using, place on counter until it comes to room temperature, then re-whip with a paddle attachment until it becomes fluffy again. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

            3. This recipe yields 9 rainbow macarons + 9 cloud macarons

            Recommended Products

            As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

            Nutrition Information

            Yield

            9

            Serving Size

            1
            Amount Per Serving Calories 185Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 0mgSodium 19mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 2gSugar 25gProtein 4g

            This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

            Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

            Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

            © mimi
            Cuisine: french / Category: Macaron Art

            The Best French Macaron Recipe w/ Video & Template

            · 642 Comments

            Mimi's best macaron recipe for making non-hollow macarons successfully. Perfect for beginner or professional use. Covering proper techniques: macaronage, aging the egg whites, making the meringue, figure-8 test, resting the shells and more.

            Assembled macarons in assorted colors shown with shells that are full and fluffy without hollows.
            [feast_advanced_jump_to]

            Why This Recipe Works

            I'm happy to share this updated version of my best macaron recipe with you all. I first learned to make macarons from a French pastry chef and after a lot of trial and error and a lengthy recipe development process in my home kitchen, I created this user-friendly macaron recipe. It was originally published in 2014, since then countless home bakers have used it to successfully make macarons at home and professionally. Why it works:

            • Ingredient ratios yield more consistent results, suited for bakers at every experience level.
            • It covers all the foundation techniques you need.
            • Tons of tips and video to help you nail down each step. Includes links to further in-depth articles.
            • Free macaron template to help you pipe perfectly round macarons.

            Remember, there isn't one magical recipe out there - including mine! What's important is that you learn the proper techniques and then tweak them with what works best in your kitchen and in your oven. Below I've included all the foundation techniques you will need. Start by following each step carefully and practice, practice, practice! Good luck my dears!

            XOXO,
            Mimi

            Tip: almond flour can be made by grinding blanched almonds together with the powdered sugar in the recipe. See paragraph below on how. Even when using ready-made almond flour, it can be ground to a finer texture (than what is shown in the photo above) for a smoother macaron shell.

            Ingredients & Substitutions

            • Almond flour - it should be ground from blanched almonds. Some brands are more "oilier" than others so for the most consistent results, I like to make my own homemade almond flour. Alternatively, many readers have had good results with this brand.
            • Powdered sugar - also known as icing sugar or confectioner's sugar. The type sold in North America usually contains a bit of corn starch as an anti-coagulant. It's important to always sift it for use in baking.
            • Castor sugar - this is also known as extra fine granulated sugar or berry sugar. It's a finer granulated sugar that dissolves readily into the meringue making it ideal for macarons, which is heavily dependent on a strong and healthy meringue. If you can't find castor sugar, just use regular granulated sugar. Do not try to pulverize regular granulated sugar in the food processor to make castor sugar, it results in "chopped-up sugar crystals that will not perform well." (Source: chsugar.com)
            • Egg whites, aged - egg whites that have been separated and let to "age" in the fridge have more relaxed proteins which makes it easier to whip to volume without overwhipping. It's recommended for the beginner macaron baker but is not absolutely necessary. Most carton egg whites are not intended for whipping into a meringue, check the back of the carton. A few (but not many) readers have reported success with carton egg whites.
            • Cream of tartar - is an acid that is added to the meringue to make it more stable. It is usually found in the baking aisle next to the spices. If you do not have cream of tartar, you can substitute it with another acid like lemon juice or vinegar in double the amount. You can skip this ingredient if you can't find it. Make sure your bowls are clean and dry and whip carefully with room temperature aged egg whites until it reaches still peaks. If your egg whites take too long to whip or breaks apart, reconsider using cream of tartar.
            • Gel food color - this is a more potent form of food color that doesn't add unwanted moisture into the macaron batter. Some brands perform better than others, I prefer this brand for its color stability, it doesn't fade after baking.

            Best Macaron Baking Supplies

            • If you don't have these tools yet, this post will show you how to make macarons without a mixer and fancy tools.
            • Electric scale - Using a scale is a best way to measure ingredients accurately for baking as they can weigh differently depending on the way it is packed into a cup.
            • Silicone mats - are excellent for keeping the piped batter in place for nice and round shells. They don't conduct heat as readily as parchment paper though and may require practice for the beginner.
            • Parchment paper - is a good choice for beginners and can be repurposed for lining cake pans etc. Choose between using silicone mat or paper.
            • Mixing bowls - should be non-porous ones in stainless steel or glass as plastic ones can trap oil which can prevent the proper formation of the meringue.
            • Mixer - can be handheld or stand. At minimum, it should have slow and medium speeds. The egg whites in this recipe are in a small quantity but I have successfully made macarons using the Kitchenaid Pro stand mixer with the 5 QT bowl.
            • Baking tray - preferably a rimless one to allow for even air flow. I prefer the one I linked here because it conducts and maintains heat without warping.
            • Spatula - use a flexible one, the bigger the better when folding meringue. It will prevent excessive folding causing lost of air in the batter. I use the L size in the set.
            • Sieve or strainer - used to aerate the dry mixture and isolate large almond bits for the smoothest macaron shells.
            • Piping bag - use them instead of Ziplock bags. The linked piping bags are thick and sturdy. They won't bend and shuffle around as you hold it, helps in piping rounder shells.
            • Oven thermometer - consistent temperature and sufficient heat is essential for baking full macaron shells without hollows. A thermometer will help you assess when the oven is fully pre-heated and ready for baking.
            • Round piping tips - help pipe nice and round macaron shells. I prefer using the smaller tips for fuller shells without hollows e.g. Wilton round #10 or round #12.
            • Macaron template - is helpful for piping even sized shells that are evenly spaced for baking. You can get access to all my free macaron templates after you sign up for my newsletter.
            Knife poking hole in a cup filled with aged egg whites.
            Aging the egg whites for macaron baking involves separating the egg whites and allowing it to rest in the refrigerator. This helps the proteins relax and whip more readily.

            Prep Work & Tips for Success 

            • Wipe down mixing bowls with some vinegar to remove leftover oils. Then use bowls to store egg white for "aging". The meringue does not whip well in the presence of oil.
            • Age the egg whites 24 hours in advance. Separate the egg whites with an egg separator while the egg is still cold, making sure that no traces of egg yolks remain. Wrap with plastic wrap and poke a few holes into it. Place it in the fridge to rest until ready to use READ: Detailed instructions on how to age egg whites.
            • About 30 minutes before baking, bring the egg whites back to room temperature. To speed up the process, soak the vessel holding the egg whites in warm water. Be very careful not to let any water get into the bowl.
            • If your parchment paper comes on a roll, flatten it out by laying heaving objects on top. Piping the batter on a smooth flat surface will prevent it from spreading into odd shapes.
            • For the most accurate measurement, measure all the ingredients with a kitchen scale.
            • Set up piping bag by pushing the piping tip firmly into the opening. This ensures that it doesn't move around when you start piping. Twist the bag and push it into the piping tip to stop any macaron batter from leaking out when you begin to fill it. Set this bag inside a tall glass. Open up the top so that you can have both hands free to fill up the bag later. WATCH VIDEO: How to Set up Piping Bag for Macaron Batter
            • If you live in a moist humid environment and have a dehumidifier, set it to bring the humidity level in the room below 50. This is the dehumidifier I have. I turn it on in the kitchen after washing dishes or cooking a dish that releases steam into the kitchen. Alternatively, if the kitchen is humid after water use, open the windows and turn on the range hood fan. A dryer environment will help the macaron shells to "rest" and develop a skin after piping.
            A round macaron template.

            Macaron Templates

            Generally, the most popular size for round macarons is 1.5". However, you can definitely pipe the shells larger or smaller. Pipe the batter using a template as your guide so you can have similarly sized shells for matching during assembly. You can download free macaron templates in other sizes like 1.25", 1.5", 1.75" by subscribing to my newsletter.

            Step By Step

            Step 1: Prep Almond Flour and Powder Sugar

            Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar to eliminate big pieces and aerate the mixture. Optional: run the combined mixture through a food processor to further break down the bigger pieces first.

            A hand is pouring almond powder and powdered sugar into a food processor and then sifted in a sieve.
            Tip: always grind the almond flour with some powdered sugar to prevent it from becoming too oily.

            Step 2: Whip Egg Whites & Add Acid

            In a separate bowl with a handheld or counter top mixer, whip egg whites on slow-speed until foamy, then add cream of tartar. The cream of tartar is an acid that aids in stabilizing the meringue, it can be replaced with another acid (e.g. lemon juice or vinegar) in double the amount.

            A handheld mixer in a bowl of whipped egg whites that have large foamy bubbles inside. In the next photo, cream of tartar is being poured into the bowl.
            Visual Cue: add cream of tartar (or other acid) when the bubbles are large and foamy.

            Step 3: Add Sugar to Egg Whites

            Once the beaters start leaving tracks inside the egg whites and the foam bubbles have reduced in size, add granulated sugar ⅓ at a time while continuing to whip. Increase speed to medium.

            The beaters of the handheld mixer is leaving marks in the egg whites that are now white. In the next photo, sugar is being added into the bowl.
            Visual Cue: once the bubble size is fine and mixture is opaque, add the sugar.

            Step 4: Add Gel Color at Soft Peaks

            Once all the sugar has been fully incorporated and the meringue is at soft peaks stage add 1-3 drops of gel color to your liking. This stage is characterized by soft points that fall back onto itself when the beaters are pulled out.

            Egg whites that are falling off the beaters have points that droop down. In the next photo, gel color is being added into egg whites at soft peaks.
            Visual Cue: soft peaks in the meringue is characterized by points that are not firm and droops on itself. Add gel color at this stage.

            Step 5: Whip Until Stiff Peaks

            Whip until stiff peaks. This stage is characterized by points in the meringue that point upwards when the beaters are pulled out. Test the meringue by flipping your bowl COMPLETELY upside down. The whites should not slip or fall, instead it stays firm inside the bowl. WATCH VIDEO: How to Make Perfect Meringue for Macarons

            Egg whites are now pink, the beaters are leaving ridges inside it. In the next photo, the beaters have been pulled out and the egg whites have points that are stiff and don't fall.
            Visual Cue: stiff peaks in meringue is characterized by points that don't fall back on itself when the beater is pulled out. Stop whipping immediately at this point.

            Step 6: Macaronage or Folding

            Pour ⅓ of the almond mixture into the egg whites. Gently fold this dry ingredient into the egg whites, then add the rest of the dry ingredients ⅓ at a time. Do not mix or stir. Folding properly will ensure that the air bubbles that you beat into your egg whites do not all deflate when incorporated with the heavier dry ingredients.

            Almond flour sugar mixture is being poured into the meringue. In the next photo, a spatula is gently folding the almond mixture into the meringue.
            Tip: add a bit of the almond flour into the meringue first. Not the other way around. Otherwise, the batter will become dry and hard to incorporate.

            How to Fold Macaron Batter
            This is a very critical step in the macaron making process called "macaronage". Take the spatula and gently go under the mixture, use a sweep down-across-up-and-over motion (like you're scraping around the bowl towards the middle) while turning the bowl at the same time. Occasionally, cut down through the center of the mixture to incorporate the ingredients in the center. Do not "dump" the mixture back into itself. If you fold gently, it will eventually incorporate into one mixture even though it may not look like it will at first.

            Step 7: Stop Folding & Check Batter Consistency

            Stop folding once the batter has reached a honey-like consistency. To check the consistency, occasionally, pick up the batter and see how it runs. You should be able to write a "figure-8" pattern with it, stop folding immediately once it reaches this point. The success of your macarons will depend largely on your ability to gauge when to stop folding your batter. WATCH VIDEO: How to Fold Macaron Batter Shown in Real Time

            The macaron batter is now smooth. The batter is shown to have left a "figure-8" pattern after being dropped from a spatula.
            Visual Cue: the batter is ready at the first sign of being able to complete a figure-8 when dropped off a spatula. It should slowly sink back onto itself and smooth out.

            How Long Should I Fold the Macaron Batter?
            As soon as the batter begins to look homogenous, start testing the consistency. With your spatula, pick up the batter and drop it back into the bowl. It should not "plop" down into the bowl but flow very slowly like honey. It should fold into itself just a few times like a ribbon but no more than that. Pick up the batter and let it flow down while drawing the figure "8". If it can do that, immediately stop folding. If it looks like a runny pancake batter, then you've gone too far! Watch my YouTube video as a visual guide.

            It's always better to under mix than to over mix. When you under mix, your macaron shells will still form albeit, they'll be bumpy. But if you over mix, you will deflate the air in your egg whites and your macaron shells will spread like crazy when you try to pipe it.

            Step 8: Piping

            If using parchment paper, dab a little bit of batter on the bottom of all four corners of the parchment paper.  Use it as a "glue" to keep the paper attached to the tray while piping. Gently transfer the batter into the piping bag with a spatula.

            To pipe, start from the center while holding the piping bag vertically and squeeze while applying even pressure to all sides until the batter has nearly reached the size of the template, swing the tip around back towards the center and pull away, that's where you want your batter to end. Ideally, if your batter has been prepared properly and is at the correct consistency, the "points" should sink back into itself. 

            Tip: remember to squeeze out the batter from the top of the bag without handling it excessively since you don't want the structure of the batter near the end to be compromised. Here's a post showing you the proper consistency of a macaron batter after piping.

            Step 9: Rap & Remove Bubbles

            Remove the paper template from underneath the parchment paper. Rap the tray several times on the counter to allow any air bubbles to escape and prevents your macarons from cracking during the baking process. If the points do not smooth out after rapping, then the batter is too thick. Next time, try to fold the batter just a bit more before piping. Before the batter dries, pop any remaining bubbles with a toothpick.

            Pink macaron batter is piped onto a silicon baking mat. In the next photo big bubbles in the batter is being popped by a scribe.
            Tip: a runny batter is the first sign that the batter is not strong enough to develop properly. In this case, the shells will benefit from a resting period before baking.

            Step 10: Resting

            Let it rest on the counter for 30 min. AND until a "skin" has developed. Once the shell looks dull and matte as opposed to glossy like when it was first piped, test on a sacrificial shell. Lightly touch the surface of the shell and if no batter sticks to your fingers, it's ready.

            Do I Need to Rest the Macaron Shells?
            Resting the shells can help aid in developing a firm skin that prevents it from cracking in the oven during baking. Sometimes the shells can be rested for 30 minutes or more and a skin may still not develop due to a humid environment OR if the batter is weak. The timing is not as important as the presence of a skin and a matte dull finish. You DON'T have to rest the shells but it is extra insurance for those who are new to macaron baking. Click here for a full post on this topic.

            Macarons with small feet being baked in the oven on the middle rack.
            Tip: the middle rack is usually the most ideal position to bake macarons. If the heat is not high enough, the feet ends up being tall and the inside hollow.

            Step 11: Baking

            Preheat your oven to 320 F. Place an external oven thermometer inside the oven to ensure that the temperature is correct. Many bakers assume that their ovens are at the correct temperature when in fact the temperature has increased or decreased during the baking process without their knowledge. A steady and consistent temperature is needed for macarons to bake without deflating, resulting in hollow macarons. READ: how to prevent hollow macarons.

            Place the tray on the middle shelf and bake for 12-14 minutes. Bake only one tray at a time. Every oven is different so I suggest using this temperature and rack position as a baseline if it's your first time making macarons, then make any adjustments you need to perfect them. 

            Click here to read about the different ways to set your oven for baking perfect macarons.
            Click here to read about how to control the oven temperature for baking macarons.

            Step 12: Check Doneness

            Take the shells out to test doneness. Use a spatula to lightly tap the feet, it should be firm and not push back. Wiggle the top of the shell from left to right, it should not be wobbly. Lightly peel back the parchment paper and the macaron should peel off easily without sticking (This does not work well on silicone mats though.) If it doesn't pass the tests above, put them back in the oven and bake an extra 1 minute at a time.

            Keep on pan to cool off or take them off. If the bottoms are just a tiny bit sticky (just a little bit though), keep them on the tray to cool off for about 15 min. If however, the bottoms are already brown, they peel off cleanly or appear over-baked, take them off the hot tray to cool down. Break one open and check the inside, it should be fully set and not overly moist. If it is too moist the cookies will collapse when they cool. Err on the side of over baking rather than under baking as the maturation process will be able to salvage over baked macarons.

            Step 13: Fill and Assemble

            Fill with your favorite filling. Place the filling in a pastry bag and squeeze a dollop of it in the center. Stop a few millimeters before reaching the edge so it won't overflow once it's assembled with the other shell. Click here to get some yummy filling ideas.

            Step 14: Maturation

            Leave them in the fridge in an airtight container and let them mature for 24 hours. Once matured, the flavors will be absorbed into the shell. If your shell is hard/crunchy/over baked, the maturation process allows the shells to absorb the moisture from the filling resulting in that distinctive soft and chewy texture. The maturation process can also be sped up by lightly brushing the bottom of the shells with milk or a syrup that is the same flavor as the filling. 30 minutes before serving, bring them back to room temperature. ENJOY!

            How to Store and Freeze Macarons

            Macarons should be stored in the fridge in an air-tight container. The shells by itself will stay fresh for 4-6 days while assembled macarons will stay fresh for 2-4 days, depending on the type of filling used. If you're making them in advance and want to extend the shelf life, you can either assemble them closer to the serving date or freeze them. The shells alone or fully assembled can stay frozen for up to one month without affecting the freshness or quality. Take a look at this dedicated post on How to Store and Freeze Macarons for ideas on what types of fillings freeze well and further details on this topic.

            FAQ

            What is the Difference Between French and Italian Macarons?

            It all comes down the the preparation of the meringue. In the French method, the meringue is made by pouring sugar into egg whites that are being whipped, creating a French meringue. In the Italian method, sugar is heated with water to create a hot syrup first and then simultaneously poured into egg whites that are being beaten. If you have no previous experience making an Italian meringue for other pastries, this French macaron method is the easier one to start with. However, both would yield the same type of magical chewy and flavorful cookies that most people would know to be a macaron. (Click here to read more about the textural differences between a French and Italian macaron).

            How Do You Pronounce Macaron?

            The pronunciation between macaron and macaroon is quite different as well. The 'on' in macaron is pronounced more like 'aw' as in lawn. Whereas, macaroon is pronounced exactly as it's written, the 'oon' is pronounced the same as in the word moon.

            What is the Difference Between a Macaron and a Macaroon?

            A macaron and macaroon are two totally different pastries. Because of the similar spelling, the two have been mistakenly used interchangeably in the last few years. A macaron is a French pastry that is composed of 2 airy meringue cookies containing egg whites and almonds, and then sandwiched with a softer flavored filling in between. Macaron cookies come in a variety of colors and shapes. A macaroon, on the other hand, is usually made with shredded coconut, sugar, flour and egg whites. It's simply mixed together and formed into a ball for baking. It looks more like a melted snowball.

            Do I Need to Rest The Macaron Shells?

            Yes and no. First of all, I should make clear that there is absolutely nothing special about a recipe that says no resting is required. It is simply the author telling you not to do so. They are not guaranteeing that your macarons will not crack in the oven. This part is all up to you. I have a whole post on whether resting the macaron shell is necessary. If your batter is prepared correctly, it can go right into the oven without resting. Resting the macaron shell is great for those times when the batter is a bit thin and needs some time to develop a skin so it doesn't crack in the oven.

            Do I Need a Silicone Mat to Bake Macarons?

            No, you can bake them just as easily on parchment paper. Silicone mats are better for keeping the shapes perfectly round, however, they are a bit trickier to use because they don't conduct heat as well. I prefer using the official Silpat brand silicone mat because it is made with food grade silicone and conducts heat well.

            Common Problems and Troubleshooting

            Cracked Macarons

            Cracked macarons are caused by trapped excess air in the batter, using too high heat or a weak meringue. Tips: Rap the tray after piping to release all the excess air out of the batter, find an optimal oven temperature that is not too hot but still allows the macarons to develop. Make sure meringue has reached stiff peaks.

            Macarons With No Feet

            Macarons without feet are caused by a weak meringue and low baking temperature. Tips: Whip the meringue to stiff peaks and make sure to rest the macaron batter after piping. After that, use a higher temperature to assist the rise in the oven during baking. Increase the temperature by 25 degree intervals.

            Lopsided Shells

            Lopsided macaron shells can be caused by problems in the batter, oven conditions, baking tools, resting time or piping techniques. Tips: Deflate a sufficient amount of air from the batter by using proper folding techniques until the batter reaches the figure-8 stage; turn off convection fans inside the oven if it's too strong; use sturdy flat baking trays that don't buckle; watch out that the shells are not overly dry after resting; and pipe the batter while holding the bag completely vertically. More problems and troubleshooting in this dedicated post below:

            Photos of macarons exhibiting various baking problems like cracked shells, browned tops, bumpy shells etc.

            Readers Share Their Success Stories

            So how did yours turn out? I hope you enjoyed the process and the recipe worked out well for you. If you didn't quite achieve the results you're looking for this time, try using some of the tips I've provided in my macaron troubleshooting guide and other macaron technique posts I've written below.

            And don't forget to share all your beautiful babies with me on Instagram and Facebook. I love sharing everyone's results here. Let's talk baking! Until next time.
            XOXO, Mimi

            Note: This post was originally published on September 27th, 2014.

            Recipe

            Yield: 12

            Best Macaron Recipe by Mimi

            Close up of two non-hollow macarons assembled with fillings.

            Mimi's best macaron recipe for making non-hollow macarons successfully. Perfect for beginner or professional use.

            Prep Time 45 minutes
            Cook Time 15 minutes
            Resting Time 30 minutes
            Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

            Ingredients

            Macaron Ingredients

            • 65 grams almond flour*
            • 65 grams powdered sugar
            • 45 grams castor sugar (a.k.a “berry” sugar or extra fine granulated sugar)*
            • 50 grams egg whites, aged, room temperature*
            • ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
            • GEL color of your choice*

            Supplies

            • Electronic scale
            • 2 very clean and dry mixing bowls
            • Hand mixer
            • Sifter
            • Flexible spatula
            • Piping bag
            • Round piping tip*
            • Good quality baking pan
            • Template with macaron outline
            • Oven thermometer
            • Parchment paper or silicone mat

            Instructions

            1. Complete all the PREP WORK as listed in post. In a big bowl, Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar to eliminate big pieces and aerate the mixture. 
            2. In a separate bowl with a handheld or counter top mixer, whip egg whites on slow-speed until foamy (see photo in Step By Step #2), then add cream of tartar. (Further reading: How to make perfect meringue for macarons.)
            3. Once the beaters start leaving tracks inside the egg whites and the foam bubbles have reduced in size (see photo #3), add granulated sugar ⅓ at a time while continuing to whip. Increase speed to medium.
            4. Once all the sugar has been fully incorporated and the meringue is at soft peaks stage add 1-3 drops of gel color to your liking. This stage is characterized by soft points that fall back onto itself when the beaters are pulled out (see photo #4).
            5. Whip until stiff peaks. This stage is characterized by points in the meringue that point upwards when the beaters are pulled out. Test the meringue by flipping the bowl COMPLETELY upside down. The whites should not slip or fall.
            6. Pour ⅓ of the almond mixture into the egg whites. Gently fold this dry ingredients into the egg whites, then add the rest of the dry ingredients ⅓ at a time. Do not mix or stir. 
            7. Stop folding once the batter has reached a honey-like consistency. To check the consistency, occasionally, pick up the batter and see how it runs. You should be able to write a "figure-8" pattern with it (see photo #7), stop folding immediately once it reaches this point. (Watch video: How to Macaronage for No Hollows)
            8. On parchment paper or silicone mats, pipe the batter to the size of the circle on the template.* (Further reading: Proper macaron batter consistency while piping.) Remove the paper template from underneath the parchment paper or mat.
            9. Rap the tray several times on the counter to rid of excess bubbles. Before the batter dries, pop any remaining bubbles with a toothpick.
            10. Let it rest on the counter for 30 min. AND until a “skin” has developed. This will prevent the shells from cracking during baking. (Further reading: Do I need to rest the macaron shell?)
            11. Preheat oven to 320 F. (Further reading: How to use your home oven for baking macarons.) Place the tray on the middle shelf and bake for 12-14 minutes. Bake only one tray at a time.
            12. Take them out and test doneness. The feet should not push back and the shell should not be wobbly. Let them cool off on the pan (or off if they are over baked).
            13. Fill macarons with an easy 3 ingredient chocolate filling or your own favorite filling. (Further reading: Yummy Macaron Filling Ideas)
            14. Leave them in the fridge in an airtight container and let them mature for 24 hours. (Further reading: Can macaron shells be frozen?)
            15. After 24 hours of maturation in the fridge, bring them back to room temperature 30 min. before serving. They will remain fresh stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, depending on filling used. ENJOY!

            Notes

            - This recipe yields 12 assembled macarons. This recipe can be doubled, tripled, and so forth.

            - Read this post on How to Make Your Own Almond Flour

            - Regular granulated sugar can be used but castor sugar is preferable.

            - Measure out 50 grams of fresh egg whites and then age it before using. Do NOT use meringue powder

            - Use GEL food color, do not use liquid color.

            - Recommended round piping tips: Wilton #12 or Wilton #1A. I prefer Wilton #1A or Ateco #805 Plain Seamless Tip for regular round macarons or Wilton #12 for more control with character macarons.

            - To further shelf life, unfilled macaron shells and assembled macarons can be frozen for up to one month.

            - Free macaron templates can be downloaded from my Member's Only Area. Sign up for the newsletter to receive the password to enter.

            Recommended Products

            As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

            Nutrition Information

            Yield

            12

            Serving Size

            1
            Amount Per Serving Calories 73Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 0mgSodium 9mgCarbohydrates 11gFiber 1gSugar 10gProtein 2g

            This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

            Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

            Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

            © Mimi
            Cuisine: french / Category: Macarons

            Fancy Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies - Large Size

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            This large chocolate chip cookie is soft, chewy and not too sweet. Flaky salt, edible gold flakes and its large size elevates this classic treat for gift giving and special occasions.

            Close up of chocolate chip cookies with gold flakes.
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            Fancy Ways to Elevate Chocolate Chip Cookies for Gift Giving

            Chocolate chip cookies are the no-drama treats that everyone needs in their recipe box (ahem!..macarons...). My husband's favorite sweet treat of mine is this fancy soft chocolate chip cookie which I can whip up easily and turns out perfectly every time! It's a modified version of my friend, Olivia's perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. I made these cookies a lot, each time tailoring them for our own tastes while adding fancy elements to it for special occasions. This is my go-to cookie for gift giving, I always get a special text back from my from loved ones that they LOVED the cookie so much.

            I know... I know... although delicious and irresistible, regular chocolate chip cookies may seem a bit basic for gift giving or special occasions. To make them look and taste "fancier", they can be elevated with the use of:

            • Better chocolate chips - since chocolate is such an integral part to the flavor profile, using a better chocolate is an easy and immediate way to instantly bring your chocolate chip cookies up to another level.
            • Flakey salt - provides a nice contrast to the sweetness in chocolate, giving the the cookie a more complex flavor pairing.
            • Edible gold flakes - nothing says fancy better than pure gold 🙂 Using just a tiny amount of edible gold will bring up the glam factor for gift giving.
            • Giant size - making these chocolate chip cookies in a larger size makes them look substantial inside a gift box, you only need a few to make a big impact. Alternatively, they can be made in the regular small sizes too.
            Tip: almond flour can be made by grinding blanched almonds together with the powdered sugar in the recipe. See paragraph below on how. Even when using ready-made almond flour, it can be ground to a finer texture (than what is shown in the photo above) for a smoother macaron shell.
            Fancy chocolate chip cookies with edible gold flakes laid out on parchment paper.

            Using Cake Flour for Soft Cookies

            When I was taking pastry classes during my free time, I remembered one of my instructors was a real "flour snob". I say this endearingly as I did indeed learn a lot from him. He was very particular with his flours and declared that, "all-purpose flour is good for nothing!" According to him, cake flour should be used for better cookie texture and I have followed this advice ever since.

            Cake flour is one of the reasons for the soft texture in this chocolate chip cookie. It is a low protein flour which will help make this cookie softer than if using AP flour. It usually has a protein content between 6-8% while pastry flour, also a lower protein flour, usually has a protein content between 8-9%. Grocery stores usually sell a combination of cake and pastry flour at 7-9% protein. Cake flour can be substituted with all-purpose flour but the cookies won't turn out as soft. The best results come with using the correct flour for the recipe so it's best to use cake flour. It's not expensive so I recommend stocking a bag in your pantry, many cakes like this tender chocolate cream cheese pound cake will have fluffier and lighter texture just by substituting AP flour for cake flour.

            Although it's not entirely the same, cake flour can be simulated by removing some of the AP flour and then replacing it with corn starch. The idea behind it is to remove some of the protein while preventing gluten formation with the addition of the cornstarch. (Source: Bob's Red Mill)

            Chocolate chip cookie dough can be frozen for future use making it an extremely convenient last-minute treat for unexpected guests, bake sales, gift giving, parties and special events. I always keep half the dough in the freezer so I can make freshly baked chocolate chip cookies whenever I want. To freeze dough:

            1. After all the ingredients have been incorporated, divide up the dough into two equal parts and place on a piece of plastic wrap.
            2. Place another piece of plastic on top and gently push down until the dough is at a one inch thickness. Seal off the sides and fold up the excess to secure in place.
            3. Wrap one more time with plastic wrap and note date with a marker. It will stay fresh for up to 3 months.
            4. To bake, defrost the cookie dough in the fridge overnight. To quickly defrost, place frozen cookie dough in a Ziplock freezer bag, push all the air out and seal. Submerge bag in cold water (not warm or hot) and weigh it down with a mug. It should defrost to a workable consistency within an hour or so. The dough can be baked partially frozen, watch it and give it one or two minutes more if needed.
            Maldon vanilla salt with chocolate chips next to cookies cooling on a rack.

            Ingredients & Substitutions

            • Cake flour (or pastry flour) - cake flour usually has a protein content between 6-8% while pastry flour, also a lower protein flour, usually has a protein content between 8-9%. Both can be used in this recipe. Although it's not entirely the same, for this recipe, cake flour can be simulated by removing 4 tablespoon of the AP flour and then replacing the same amount with corn starch. Make sure to sift several times to ensure the dry ingredients are evenly dispersed.
            • Baking soda - is a leavening agent. It is not the same as baking powder.
            • Butter, unsalted - butter should be at room temperature so it can be uniformly creamed with the sugar, allowing air to be trapped inside resulting in an airy texture after baking. Melted or cold butter will not work for this recipe.
            • Demerara sugar is a type of brown sugar, it contains molasses in a smaller amount than dark brown sugar so it has a more mellow caramel flavor. It can be substituted with brown sugar or granulated sugar but will change the taste and texture of the chocolate chip cookies. If using brown sugar, it will have a stronger caramel flavor. With granulated sugar, it will be more crisp.
            • Granulated sugar or white sugar gives the cookie a bit of crispiness. This recipe can be made with 100% white sugar, brown sugar or combination. There will be changes in the taste and texture. I find the ratio of different sugars used in this recipe is at an optimal level for chewiness and softness. If you really want to buy only one type of sugar for this recipe, I recommend using all demerara, it helps make the cookie softer.
            • Sea salt - salt brings out the flavors in the chocolate and contrasts well with the sweetness. It gives the cookie a more complex flavor. If using regular table salt, use half the amount.
            • Vanilla extract - vanilla helps enhance the flavors in the chocolate chip cookie and just makes the dough more flavorful. There is already a lot of other ingredients in this soft chocolate chip cookie to support the flavor profile so this ingredient can be left out if you don't want to buy it.
            • Large eggs - eggs should be at room temperature for better incorporation with the batter. To speed up the process of bringing cold eggs to room temperature, soak them in warm water for 10-15 minutes.
            • Chocolate chips plus more for sprinkling - I like to use chocolate chips inside the batter and sprinkle large couverture chocolate chip callets on top of the dough ball before baking. This allows the chocolate to sit on top of the cookie after baking and is purely an aesthetic choice, you can skip this if you're in a hurry. Note that chocolate chips are formulated not to melt while callets are meant to be melted into the recipe. Sprinkling some callets on top gives the chocolate chip cookie a gooey chocolatey goodness. I don't recommend using callets inside the batter as it will melt while baking causing the dough to spread.
            • Optional: flaky salt like Maldon. Inspired by one of the recipes in Jackie Kai Ellis' beautiful memoir, I like to infuse my salt with vanilla like the way she instructs. In an air tight container, add ¼ cup Maldon salt, break open vanilla bean, scoop out the seeds, add into salt and stir to combine. Add bean into salt to further infuse flavor. It will be ready to use after 2 days. A substitution for flaky salt can be sea salt, it won't have the same texture but will provide a similar taste.
            • Optional: gold flakes. Pure gold pounded into very thin sheets provides cookies with fancy gold accents.
            Close up of hand holding a large chocolate chip cookies with some more cookies in the back.

            Tips for the Best Large Cookies

            • Allow batter to firm up in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours or better yet, overnight, before baking. This helps in better flavor development and appearance. The dough is easier to shape when it's cold and doesn't spread as much, creating a beautiful rippled edge when baked.
            • When rolling out the dough balls, keep half of it in the fridge so it remains cold as you work.
            • Flatten the dough ball before baking. This will help the large cookies spread out into a disk shape instead of remaining domed. Skip this step for small sized cookies.
            • For the best soft cookie texture, watch the cookies closely during the last few minutes of baking. For large cookies, use a lower heat (325F) to allow the entire cookie time to bake through fully instead of having the edges be done before the insides have fully baked through. The cookies are done when the edges are golden brown and the tops are slightly golden. Remember the cookies will continue to cook on the hot cookie sheet.
            Fancy soft chocolate chip cookies on a plate.

            Step By Step

            In a medium mixing bowl, sift together cake flour, baking soda and salt. Stir well to combine. In a separate bowl, cream room temperature butter and sugar together on med-high until lighter in color and fluffy.

            Hand sifting cake flour for cookies and mixer creaming butter and sugar together.

            Lower mixer speed to medium, add eggs one at at time until fully incorporated. The mixture will look glossy and smooth.

            Egg being added to creamed sugar and butter, batter looks glossy.

            Add vanilla extract. Turn off mixer and add dry ingredients in 3 separate additions. Stir on lowest setting until just combined. Do not over mix.

            Vanilla and flour being added to chocolate chip cookie batter that is being mixed.

            Add chocolate chips and mix until chips are evenly dispersed. Stop mixer, fold in the rest of the dry ingredients by hand.

            Chocolate chip cookie added to a cookie batter that is being mixed. Hand folding batter down.

            Wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge until firm, about 3 hours. If time allows, let sit overnight for better flavor development. To bake, pre-heat oven to 325F. Roll cold dough into golf ball sized spheres (50 grams each) and place them 2 inches apart on a lined baking sheet.

            Cookie batter is being rolled into a ball, flattened onto a baking mat.

            Flatten with palms to a height of around 1 cm and add a few chocolate chips on top. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden brown. The center may be puffy and light golden in color. (Note: it will continue to cook on the hot baking pan once out of the oven.)

            Hand adding chocolate chip on top of cookie dough and then it is baked inside the oven.

            Take out of oven, lightly sprinkle flaky salt on top. Let cool for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack (5 minutes for smaller size.) Place in an air tight container for up to 5 days. Before serving or packaging, add gold flakes to chocolate. Enjoy!

            Cookies on a plate with milk for Santa in front of a Christmas tree.

            Recipe

            Yield: 20 Large Cookies

            Fancy Soft chocolate chip cookies

            Large chocolate chip cookies with gold flakes laid out in a row on parchment paper.

            A fancy chocolate chip cookie that is soft, chewy and not too sweet. Flaky salt, edible gold flakes and its large size elevates this classic treat for gift giving and special occasions.

            Prep Time 25 minutes
            Cook Time 10 minutes
            Total Time 35 minutes

            Ingredients

            • 285 grams cake flour* (Note 1)
            • ½ teaspoon baking soda
            • 1 teaspoon sea salt
            • 225 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
            • 210 grams brown demerara sugar
            • 70 grams granulated sugar
            • 2 large eggs, room temperature
            • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
            • 1 cup chocolate chips plus more for sprinkling
            • Optional: flaky salt
            • Optional: edible gold flakes

            Instructions

            1. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together cake flour, baking soda and salt. Stir well to combine. (Note 2)
            2. In a separate bowl, cream room temperature butter and sugar together on med-high until lighter in color and fluffy.
            3. Lower mixer speed to medium, add eggs one at at time until fully incorporated. The mixture will look glossy and smooth.
            4. Add vanilla extract.
            5. Turn off mixer and add dry ingredients in 3 separate additions. Stir on lowest setting until just combined. Do not over mix.
            6. Add chocolate chips and mix until chips are evenly dispersed.
            7. Stop mixer, fold in the rest of the dry ingredients by hand.
            8. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge until firm, about 3 hours. If time allows, let sit overnight for better flavor development.
            9. To bake, pre-heat oven to 325F. Roll cold dough into golf ball sized spheres (50 grams each) and place them 2 inches apart on a lined baking sheet.
            10. Flatten with palms to a height of around 1 cm and add a few chocolate chips on top.
            11. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden brown. The center may be puffy and slightly golden. Note: it will continue to cook on the hot baking pan once out of the oven. (See Note 3 for temperature and time for small cookies.)
            12. Take out of oven, lightly sprinkle flaky salt on top.
            13. Let cool for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
            14. Place in an air tight container for up to 5 days. Before serving or packaging, add gold flakes to chocolate. Enjoy!

            Notes

            1. Although it's not entirely the same, for this recipe, cake flour can be simulated by removing 4 tablespoon of the AP flour and then replacing it with corn starch.

            2. If using AP flour to substitute, make sure to sift several times so the dry ingredients are evenly dispersed.

            3. For regular sized cookies, bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes. Let cool on baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

            This recipe makes 20 large cookies or 36 regular ones (using medium cookie scoop). See post on how to freeze dough.

            Recommended Products

            As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

            Nutrition Information

            Yield

            20

            Serving Size

            1
            Amount Per Serving Calories 391Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 43mgSodium 187mgCarbohydrates 71gFiber 1gSugar 59gProtein 2g

            This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

            Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

            Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

            © mimi
            Cuisine: amercian / Category: Cookies

            Basic Chocolate Filling for Macarons - Only 3 Ingredients

            · 10 Comments

            A basic chocolate ganache that is sturdy enough for use as a macaron filling at room temperature - great for macaron lollipops! It's easy to adapt this base recipe for a variety of different flavors.

            Macaron lollipops in a bear shape on a plate. Below that is a bowl of chocolate macaron filling.
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            A Chocolate Ganache Ratio Sturdy Enough for Macarons

            Chocolate ganache is made from warmed up cream that is poured over chocolate. After combining together, it becomes a smooth mixture that has a variety of uses. Depending on the consistency, which is controlled by the ratio of chocolate to cream, it can be used for filling cakes, glazing or dripping onto cakes, eaten alone as a truffle or as an easy macaron filling. The ratios in this chocolate ganache is formulated especially for use as a macaron filling, it's firm enough to sit at room temperature and sturdy enough as a filling for macaron lollipops. (For a similarly strong and sturdy filling using white chocolate see: White Chocolate Filling for Macarons.)

            Chocolate ganache macaron filling is one of my favorite fillings because it is so easy to prepare and I always have the ingredients in my pantry. Here's a tip: freeze the cream in ice trays, once frozen, pop the cubes out and put it into Ziplock bags. This way, you'll always have conveniently portioned amounts of this ingredient on hand for making chocolate macaron filling. FURTHER READING: YUMMY MACARON FILLING IDEAS

            Ingredients & Substitutions

            • Semi-sweet or bitter-sweet couverture chocolate - use either semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate depending on desired taste and appropriate flavor pairing. Read explanation below on what is couverture chocolate and why it is recommended over chocolate chips. Regular chocolate chips can be used in this recipe but couverture is ideal.
            • Heavy cream has a milk fat content of 36%, its higher fat content produces a more stable chocolate ganache filling. If you are unable to find heavy cream, it can be substituted with whipping cream which usually has a milk fat content of 33%. Do not use half and half or milk as these do not contain a sufficient amount of milk fat.
            • Butter, unsalted - butter adds to the flavor profile and makes chocolate ganache look glossier. Butter should be at room temperature so it can be easily incorporated into the melted chocolate mixture. Use unsalted butter, if you like the the contrast between sweet and salty, you can always add a little bit of salt into the bowl before pouring the cream. Salted butter can be used but be aware that it may affect the overall taste of the ganache and you cannot control the salt level.
            • Vanilla extract - This is optional, vanilla adds a bit of warmth and rounds out the flavors in the chocolate. If you prefer the natural acidity in chocolate, you can leave this ingredient out. Just taste the chocolate mixture before you add the extract.
            Close up of a bear macaron lollipop.

            Using Couverture Chocolate in Macaron Filling

            Since the chocolate filling is an integral component in the structure and taste of the finished chocolate macaron, it's important to focus on using the best possible ingredients like couverture chocolate. Couverture chocolate is a higher class of chocolate containing a higher percentage of cocoa butter than compound eating chocolate, giving baked goods a more complex flavor and better texture.

            Ready to eat chocolates usually contain stabilizers that are not the most desirable for use in baking as it can throw off the proportions in a recipe. (However, this can depend on the recipe, pay attention to the specific type of chocolate to use.) For this chocolate macaron filling in particular, use of a better chocolate will yield a much tastier chocolate macaron which is important considering how hard you worked on making the macaron shells. Moreover, the proportions provided in this recipe are for use with a couverture chocolate.

            Can I Use Regular Chocolate Chips for Chocolate Ganache?

            Regular chocolate chips may be something you already have in your pantry and it's also very easy to find it at every grocery store. However, for this recipe, try to procure a better chocolate if possible. If you can't, you can use regular chocolate chips. But know that some compound chocolate chips are not meant for melting into recipes because they are formulated for folding into a batter and baking without losing its shape.

            Nevertheless, for testing purposes, I have tried making this chocolate macaron filling with regular Hershey’s chocolate chips and it does work. However, flavor wise, it's sweeter and the flavors are less complex. Appearance and texture wise, it is less glossy and smooth. On the performance side, it's less sturdy, the quantity of chocolate should be increased by 30%. One thing to note, I find I do not need the addition of vanilla extract when using the Hershey's brand of chocolate. You can taste and determine for yourself as you work along.

            Bear macaron lollipops on a plate.

            Chocolate Callets Vs. Chips

            Now, a quick note on the difference between chocolate callets and chips. Callets are small bits of chocolate that are made for melting into recipes while chips are chocolate bits formulated for folding into baked goods without melting.

            Why is My Chocolate Ganache Filling Runny?

            Chocolate ganache filling with this ratio of cream to chocolate will be runny and too soft for piping right after it has been blended with the hot cream. It will take some time for it to set and become firm enough for piping. To speed up the process, it can be placed in the fridge to set but it must be checked on every 15 minutes or so to make sure it doesn't harden up to a point that it becomes un-pipeable. Stir it gently each time. Alternatively, if you have the time, just let it sit out at room temperature for 1-2 hours, it will naturally set by itself without becoming too hard to pipe.

            If it becomes too hard, just melt it slightly over the stove top, get it all moving again, gently blend together and let it set until it firms to a pipeable consistency again. Don't overwork it or melt it over high heat as this can cause it to separate or become grainy.

            Step By Step

            If using block chocolate instead of callets/chips, chop up the chocolate and place in a heat safe bowl. The finer the chocolate is chopped, the easier it is for it to melt.

            Hand chopping up chocolate for macaron filling.

            Heat up the heavy cream in a small sauce pan on low heat, watch it closely so that it doesn’t over boil.

            Cream being heated in a small sauce pan.

            Once it comes to a light simmer with steam and small bubbles forming on the sides, immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate. DO NOT LET BOIL. Let it sit for one minute. This will give the cream time to melt the chocolate. If stirred right away, it will cool down the cream and the mixture may become grainy.

            Gently blend with a spatula until fully incorporated.

            A spatula swirling a bowl of cream and chocolate.

            Add the butter, stir to incorporate together.

            Butter being added to chocoalate macaron filling.

            Optional: add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or to taste. Blend to incorporate.

            Vanilla being added into chocolate ganache macaron filling.

            Place it in the fridge and let it firm up to a pipeable consistency before piping. Remember to check on it every 15 minutes and gently stir each each time. Take it out of the fridge and pipe it as soon as its ready, about 30 min - 1 hr. Alternatively, if time allows, just let it sit at room temperature to set.

            Chocolate ganache filling for macarons held in a bow lhas set and looks thick and pipeable.

            How to Make Different Flavored Ganache

            The great thing about this basic chocolate filling for macarons is how easy it is to adapt it for different flavors. There are several ways to adapt basic chocolate ganache filling for macarons:

            • Extract - adding a few drops of extract at the end (like in this recipe) is the easiest way to add flavor to this chocolate macaron filling. This method allows for the addition of more extract if a more potent flavor is desired. As you blend, just add more extract to taste. Flavor ideas: peppermint, vanilla, coffee, jasmine, lavender, rose.
            • Infuse the cream - in this method, add the raw ingredients into the cream and let it sit overnight, allowing the flavors to infuse into the cream. For example, let the cream come to a light simmer with some tea leaves and let it sit in the fridge overnight. When ready to use, strain the tea and use only the cream to make the chocolate filling as usual following this recipe. Flavor ideas include: earl grey tea, lavender, coffee.
            • Cream replacement - replacing the cream with another liquid is a bit trickier as it will affect the consistency of the chocolate ganache filling and the flavors may not be as potent as you prefer. If using this method, be prepared for a little more experimentation and use other ways to support the flavor profile by adding extract or dry ingredients. Flavor ideas: liqueurs, fruit purees.
            • Dry ingredients - adding chopped up dry ingredients into the ganache can help boost the flavors without changing the consistency of the ganache filling. Flavor ideas include: nuts, dried fruits, seeds.

            For some of the methods above, it will take a little experimentation in the kitchen to achieve the right consistency but that's all part of the fun when creating your very own recipes. Here are some recipes I created using three of the methods above. It will help guide you in the creative process of adapting your very own chocolate ganache macaron filling: Chocolate Peppermint Macaron, Lavender Chocolate Macaron, Baileys Chocolate Macaron, Lavender Earl Grey Chocolate Macarons.

            How to Store Chocolate Filling

            By itself, this chocolate filling can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days. However, the assembled chocolate macaron should be stored inside the fridge during maturation. This will help the chocolate filling set and extend the freshness of the macaron.

            To freeze chocolate ganache filling, tightly wrap it with plastic wrap, making sure there are no gaps. Store in freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to fill your macarons, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then bring it back to room temperature before using. To freeze assembled macarons with chocolate filling, follow this guide on How to Freeze Macarons.

            For a richer and sweeter chocolate filling try: American buttercream with real chocolate.

            Recipe

            Yield: Fills 24 macarons

            Basic Chocolate Ganache Filling for Macarons

            Ingredients for chocolate ganache macaron filling laid out on counter.

            A basic chocolate ganache that is sturdy enough for use as a macaron filling at room temperature - great for macaron lollipops! It's easy to adapt this base recipe for a variety of different flavors.

            Prep Time 15 minutes
            Set Time 45 minutes
            Total Time 1 hour

            Ingredients

            • 100 grams of semi-sweet couverture chocolate (or bitter-sweet)*
            • 100 grams of heavy cream
            • 20 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
            • Optional: ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

            Instructions

            1. If using block chocolate instead of callets/chips, chop up the chocolate and place in a heat safe bowl.
            2. Heat up the heavy cream in a small sauce pan on low heat, watch it closely so that it doesn’t over boil.
            3. Once it comes to a light simmer with steam and small bubbles forming on the sides, immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for one minute.
            4. Gently blend with a spatula until fully incorporated. Add the room temperature butter, stir to incorporate together.
            5. Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or to taste. Blend to incorporate.
            6. Place it in the fridge and let it firm up to a pipeable consistency before piping. Remember to check on it every 15 minutes and gently stir it each time. Take it out of the fridge and pipe it as soon as its ready, about 30 min – 1 hr. Alternatively, if time allows, just let it sit at room temperature to set.
            7. Once piped, place the assembled macarons in the fridge to mature for 24 hours. Refer to post on how to freeze filling for future use. Enjoy!

            Notes

            *For some brands, semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate can be simply denoted as "dark chocolate".

            Recommended Products

            As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

            Nutrition Information

            Yield

            24

            Serving Size

            1
            Amount Per Serving Calories 43Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 7mgSodium 10mgCarbohydrates 3gFiber 0gSugar 2gProtein 0g

            This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

            Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

            Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

            © mimi
            Cuisine: french / Category: Macaron Recipes

            Tender Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake

            · 9 Comments

            A moist and tender chocolate cream cheese pound cake requiring only 20 minutes active time. Quick and easy to prepare, even for the novice baker. This cake is perfect for afternoon tea, picnics, potlucks and parties.

            Chocolate cream cheese pound cake cut open with slices arranged in staggered pattern with crumb side facing up.
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            Easy & Tender Chocolate Cake

            After developing the recipe for matcha cream cheese pound cake, I made it several times more as I needed to bring over a quick treat to my loved ones during this stay at home period. I just loved how easy it was to put the pound cake together and how little manipulation it needed after baking, there was no filling to be made and no frosting that needed to be applied. It used ingredients that could be found in every grocery store, minus the matcha powder. It's such an easy delicious cake that one reader even made over 40 of them to raise money for charity. I decided I really needed a chocolate version of this as I know matcha powder may be hard to come by in some parts of the world and everyone loves a scrumptious chocolate cake! Here is the new recipe for a tender chocolate cream cheese pound cake. (Btw, cheesecake lovers, here are a few more cheesecake recipes you might want to check out: no-bake pumpkin cheesecake & earl grey Japanese cheesecake.

            Chocolate pound cake slices in staggered pattern as shot from above to show top of cake.

            Using Couverture Chocolate in Pound Cake

            Since this cream cheese pound cake relies on chocolate for the overall flavor, using a good chocolate is ideal. Ready to eat chocolates usually contain stabilizers that are not the most desirable for use in baking as it can throw off the proportions in a recipe. However, this can depend on the recipe, pay attention to the specific type of chocolate to use.

            On the other hand, couverture chocolate is a higher class of chocolate containing a higher percentage of cocoa butter than compound eating chocolate, giving baked goods a more complex flavor and better texture.

            For this recipe, try to procure a better chocolate if possible, if not, you can use regular chocolate chips. But know that some compound chocolate chips are not meant for melting into recipes because they are made for folding into a batter and baking without losing it's shape. Nevertheless, for testing purposes, I have tried baking this chocolate cream cheese pound cake with regular Hershey's chocolate chips you can find at every grocery store and it still turned out delicious. It comes out a bit sweeter, less rich and complex but it was only noticeable because I was tasting the two of them side by side. If you want to use regular chocolate chips found at any grocery store, that's totally fine.

            Ingredients and Substitutions

            • Cake flour or pastry flour - cake flour is a low protein flour which will help make this cookie softer than if using AP flour. It usually has a protein content between 6-8% while pastry flour, also a lower protein flour, has a protein content between 8-9%. Grocery stores usually sell a combination of cake and pastry flour at 7-9% protein. It can be substituted with all-purpose flour but the cake will be a little tougher than if using cake flour. I recommend having a bag on hand in the pantry, in addition to use in cakes, cake flour can also be used to make fancy soft chocolate chip cookies too!
            • Sea salt - salt brings out the flavors in the chocolate and contrasts well with the sweetness. If using regular table salt, use half the amount.
            • Baking powder - this is the leavening agent. Traditionally pound cakes are naturally leavened by the air created in the batter when creaming the butter and sugar together. Adding baking powder helps by giving the cake additional lift in case there are any weaknesses in the batter.
            • Dutch Process Cocoa powder - Dutch cocoa powder is made from cocoa beans that have been treated with alkali to neutralize its acidity, making it less acidic tasting than natural cocoa.
            • Instant coffee powder - Coffee/espresso powder is the secret ingredient that makes chocolate cakes taste and smell amazing! We use only a small amount here to highlight the chocolate and make the flavors pop. You won't really taste the coffee but you'll notice that the flavors and aromas it adds to this chocolate cream cheese pound cake will make it almost addictive. I've tried making it without the coffee powder and I think it really makes a huge difference. Try to get some if you can. Instead of espresso powder, I chose instant coffee powder for this recipe because it's easy to find at every grocery store. It usually comes conveniently packed in small single servings, allowing it to stay fresher for those who use it only occasionally for baking. Espresso powder is more concentrated and can be substituted with half the amount the recipe calls for.
            • Brown demerara sugar - other types of soft brown sugar and white granulated can be used but will change the taste and texture slightly.
            • Butter, unsalted - it’s very important to have the butter at room temperature for it to cream properly with the sugar allowing the mixture to trap in air which will then help the cake expand when baking. This will give the cake a nice soft texture. To speed up the process of bringing it to room temperature, cut it into small cubes and microwave it on low for 6-8 seconds at a time. It should be soft enough to indent with your fingers but still holds its shape.
            • Cream cheese - use the brick type as cream cheese in a tub is too soft for use in this cake. It needs to be softened to a spreadable consistency, microwave it on medium at 8-10 second intervals. Make sure it is no longer hot when it is added to the batter.
            • Eggs - it’s important for the eggs to be at room temperature as well. If cold eggs are added to the butter, it will make the butter solidify, the butter melts once baked resulting in unsightly tunnels and large holes in the cake. To speed up the process of bringing cold eggs to room temperature, soak them in warm water for 10-15 minutes.
            • Vanilla extract
            • Semi-sweet couverture chocolate callets/chips, melted - Using a better chocolate will make this chocolate cream cheese pound cake richer, tastier and with more depth. It can be subbed with ready to eat chocolate chips regularly used for baking chocolate chip cookies. Make sure it's no longer hot when it is added to the batter.
            • Semi-sweet couverture chocolate callets/chips - there are 2 sets of chocolate chips listed here. This second set is for adding into the batter at the end. Dispersed in different parts of the finished cake, it gives this chocolate pound cake a delicious gooey chocolate goodness.
            Two slices cut out of a chocolate cream cheese pound cake with rest of cake uncut.

            Tips for Making This Pound Cake

            • Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature so they can be easily incorporated into a smooth evenly textured batter. This will give the cake a nice soft texture and prevent tunnels and holes.
            • Triple sifting the dry mixture will ensure that the leavening agent is dispersed evenly throughout the mixture, again, preventing holes and tunnels. If you don't have time to sift it so many times, stir the powders together very well with a whisk.
            • After adding the dry ingredients to the wet batter, use the lowest setting (“stir” on some machines) to stir the batter until just incorporated. There will be some flour left on the side of the bowl, use a spatula to fold in the rest by hand. This will ensure the batter doesn’t get overworked resulting in a tough cake.
            • After transferring the batter into the cake pan, drop it on the counter several times to remove all the excess air in the batter.
            • Line the cake pan with parchment paper for a clean release and quick cleanup. Parchment paper is not the same as wax paper, it does not have a wax lining so it can be composted. Check with your local authority if you're unsure.
            • Pound cake is a denser and richer cake that tastes amazing on it's own. If you're looking for a softer, fluffier cake style, try my Super Fluffy Chocolate Cake Roll or Coffee Cake Roll with Kaluha Cream.
            • This is a very easy to put together cake, however, if you're looking for something sweet that's even more fool-proof, try Japanese Coffee Jelly.
            Slices of cream cheese chocolate pound cake on a long dish.

            Step By Step Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake

            Melt the first set of chocolate in the microwave on medium heat until just melted, do this at 20 second intervals. Stir each time to check the consistency. Let cool.

            Soften cream cheese in microwave on medium until it achieves a spreadable consistency, around 10 seconds. Set aside to cool. It should no longer be hot when added to the batter.

            Hand stirring melted chocolate in a ramekin. Cream cheese in a bowl at a spreadable consistency.

            In a small bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, cocoa powder and instant coffee powder. Sift 3 times to ensure leavening agent is evenly dispersed throughout dry mixture. Set aside.

            Hand sifting dry mixture containing cocoa powder.

            In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed in a counter mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until it looks lighter in color and fluffy.

            Check that the chocolate and cream cheese are no longer hot. Add the softened cream cheese and mix on medium-low until just incorporated. Pause mixer.

            Beaters in a stand mixer creaming brown sugar and butter together.

            Add the melted chocolate and mix on medium until homogenous.

            Hand pouring melted chocolate into a mixer with pound cake batter.

            Add the eggs one at a time, mix until the mixture looks smooth and creamy.

            An egg being poured into the chocolate cream cheese pound cake batter.

            Add the vanilla extract. The mixture will now look glossy and creamy. Pause mixer, add the flour mixture into the wet batter in 3 separate additions. Mix on the lowest setting ("stir" on some machines) until almost all of the dry ingredients inside bowl are no longer visible.

            Flour being added into a glossy and creamy pound cake batter.

            Add the second set of chocolate chips and stir until chips are evenly dispersed throughout.

            Hand pouring chocolate chips into a mixer bowl filled with cream cheese pound cake batter.

            Turn off mixer, take the bowl out and scrape down the sides, gently fold in the rest of the dry ingredients by hand. This will prevent overmixing, resulting in a tough cake.

            Transfer batter into an 8.5" X 4.5" loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Use a bit of the batter to help secure the paper in place. Bang the pan on the counter several times to remove excess air.

            Hand folding the cake batter.

            It is normal for pound cakes to have a crack after baking because it is a denser cake and the exterior finishes cooking first forcing the batter to rise, creating a crack on the top. If desired, place a thin strip of cold butter into the center of the cake. This will guide the air to escape through there, resulting in a beautiful center crack once baked.

            A line of butter inside the pound cake batter.

            Bake for 40-50 minutes until the cake springs back in the center when gently pressed and a skewer inserted comes out clean. The cake will look deep brown in color. Let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

            How to Serve

            This pound cake is so flavorful and tastes great on its own as a tea cake. It can also be served with fresh fruit like strawberries and raspberries or with something richer like ice cream or real chocolate frosting, chocolate American buttercream or mascarpone whipped cream. It maintains its shape very well so it's perfect for cutting into cubes which can then be added onto ice cream and other desserts.

            How to Store and Freeze this Cake

            For the most tender pound cake texture, keep cake at room temperature for 2-3 days in an air tight container once cooled. If placing in the fridge, let it come back to room temperature before serving, about 20-30 minutes. This cake also freezes beautifully, just wrap with plastic wrap and then with aluminum, it will keep well for 2 months. It's convenient like one of those frozen cakes you can buy at the grocery store, but better! You'll always have a delicious homemade chocolate cake on hand to entertain surprise guests or devour after a long day at work. Enjoy!

            XOXO,
            Mimi

            Cream Cheese Pound Cake on a dish surrounded by seasonal flowers.

            Recipe

            Yield: 8 slices

            Tender Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake

            Tender Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake

            The most moist and tender chocolate cream cheese pound cake. Requiring only 20 minutes active time, quick and easy to prepare. This cake is perfect for afternoon tea, picnics, potlucks and parties.

            Prep Time 20 minutes
            Cook Time 40 minutes
            Additional Time 1 hour
            Total Time 2 hours

            Ingredients

            • 160 grams cake flour
            • ½ teaspoon sea salt
            • ½ teaspoon baking powder
            • 2 teaspoon Dutch processed cocoa powder
            • 2 teaspoon instant coffee powder
            • 160 grams brown demerara sugar*
            • 180 grams butter, unsalted, room temperature
            • 140 grams cream cheese, softened*
            • 90 grams semi-sweet couverture chocolate callets, melted*
            • 3 eggs, room temperature
            • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
            • 50 grams of semi-sweet couverture chocolate callets*

            Instructions

            1. Pre-heat oven to 325F.
            2. Melt the first set of chocolate in microwave on medium heat until just melted, do this at 20 second intervals. Stir each time to check the consistency. Let cool.
            3. Soften cream cheese in microwave on medium until it achieves a spreadable consistency, around 10 seconds. Set aside to cool. It should no longer be hot when added to the batter.
            4. In a small bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, cocoa powder and instant coffee powder. Sift 3 times to ensure leavening agent is evenly dispersed throughout dry mixture. Set aside.
            5. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed in a counter mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until it looks lighter in color and fluffy.
            6. Check that the chocolate and cream cheese are no longer hot. Add the softened cream cheese and mix on medium-low until just incorporated. Pause mixer.
            7. Add the melted chocolate and mix on medium until it is just incorporated together.
            8. Add the eggs one at a time, mix until the mixture looks smooth and creamy.
            9. Add the vanilla extract.
            10. Pause mixer, add the flour mixture into the wet batter in 3 separate additions. Mix on the lowest setting ("stir" on some machines) until almost all of the dry ingredients inside bowl are no longer visible.
            11. Add the second set of chocolate chips and stir until chips are evenly dispersed throughout.
            12. Turn off mixer, take the bowl out and scrape down the sides, gently fold in the rest of the dry ingredients by hand.
            13. Transfer batter into an 8.5" X 4.5" loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
            14. Bang the pan on the counter several times to remove excess air.
            15. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the cake springs back in the center when gently pressed and a skewer inserted comes out clean. The cake will look deep brown in color.
            16. Let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
            17. Once cooled, keep cake at room temperature for 2-3 days in an air tight container. If placing in the fridge, let it come back to room temperature before serving, about 20-30 minutes. To freeze, wrap with plastic wrap and then with aluminum, it will keep well for 2 months. Enjoy!

            Notes

            Some ingredients are duplicated, use in the order listed in instructions.

            Brown demerara sugar can be replaced with white granulated sugar and other types of soft brown sugar. The texture and taste will vary slightly from original recipe.

            Use brick style cream cheese as the tub versions may be too soft for use with this recipe.

            If possible, use a good quality semi-sweet couverture chocolate. It can be substituted with regular chocolate chips.

            Recommended Products

            As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

            Nutrition Information

            Yield

            8

            Serving Size

            1
            Amount Per Serving Calories 480Total Fat 31gSaturated Fat 18gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 136mgSodium 251mgCarbohydrates 48gFiber 1gSugar 30gProtein 6g

            This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

            Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

            Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

            © Mimi
            Cuisine: amercian / Category: Cakes
            Side shot of matcha pound cake with golden crust.
            Matcha version of this tender cream cheese pound cake. Click for recipe.

            Baileys Irish Cream Macarons with Gingerbread Man Template

            · 9 Comments

            Boozy Baileys Irish Cream macaron with a smooth and creamy filling. The macaron shells are infused with gingerbread spices - a great choice for holiday gift giving. Pipe the macarons into gingerbread man shape with the free template provided.

            Macarons on a marble filled with Baileys Cream filling. Bottom photo is macarons in gingerbread man shape.
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            Smooth and Creamy Filling

            After working on the recipe development for the boozy Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Macaron Recipe, I still had a decent amount of the delicious liqueur leftover so I decided to create another version of Baileys Irish Cream Macarons filling with it. It's such a wonderful flavor to work with and I knew that it would make a delicious filling either as a chocolate or cream filling. The Baileys chocolate filling from my last post is great for the chocolate lover and has that certain boozy kick reminiscent of those cute miniature liqueur filled chocolate bottles. This recipe is a lot creamier with a more subtle nuance of liqueur. The cream is quite delicate both in flavour and texture, and c'mon with the name Baileys Irish Cream, it just seems wrong not to make a creamy filling with it.

            Tip: almond flour can be made by grinding blanched almonds together with the powdered sugar in the recipe. See paragraph below on how. Even when using ready-made almond flour, it can be ground to a finer texture (than what is shown in the photo above) for a smoother macaron shell.
            Close up of Baileys liqueur bottle with gingerbread man macarons in the back.

            Abstract Silver and Gold Gingerbread Men

            As for the decorative design on these little gingerbread men, I added an abstract motif with a royal icing made from, you guessed it - Baileys Irish Cream. After piping the motif, wait until it dries completely before adding the edible gold paint on top. Waiting until it dries completely will help prevent the icing from wrinkling once the paint is added. I also applied edible gold and silver flakes on top to give it a chicer look.

            An Army vs. a Small Clique

            I've provided a recipe for the macaron shells and filling, both yielding different quantities. The gingerbread macaron shell recipe yields 12 macarons while the filling yields enough to fill 36 macarons. This is deliberate as I like to provide the smallest recipe possible so you can test out the recipe before committing to a large batch. This is especially useful for making macarons since as we all know, they don't always turn out the way we want the very first time. Just keep in mind that my Best Macaron Recipe for the shells can be doubled, tripled or even quadrupled to match the amount of filling in this recipe. The recipe for the filling could not be reduced any further since it was the smallest amount that could be made while containing one whole egg.

            How to Pipe Gingerbread Men Macarons

            After preparing the gingerbread macaron batter according to instructions in the recipe card, transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a round no. 5 tip. Pipe the gingerbread man's head. Do this for each of the gingerbread man before moving onto the next step, this will allow a light skin to form and prevent the batter from forming into one big blob. (For demo purposes, I am piping the entire character at once.)

            Pipe the gingerbread man's arms, do this for each ginger bread man before moving onto the next body part.

            Pipe the gingerbread man's legs, do this for each ginger bread man before moving onto the next body part.

            Pipe the gingerbread man's body, do this for each ginger bread man before moving onto the next body part. Bake according to instructions in post. Let cool completely and assemble with filling before adding the decorations.

            Prepare Baileys royal icing according to instructions in recipe card. Pipe desired design onto gingerbread man. Let dry completely, this might take over several hours. Store in fridge in an air tight container until dried.

            Add edible gold foil as desired. It's best to apply them with tweezers or wooden chopsticks as the foil will stick to your fingers and disintegrate.

            Check that the Baileys Irish Cream royal icing is completely dry to a point that it does not indent from gentle pressure. Paint a light coat of the edible gold paint on top. Let dry completely in the fridge.

            Gingerbread man macarons standing with a bottle of Baileys Irish Cream in the back.

            Which One is the Winner? Baileys Chocolate, Baileys Cream or the Hybrid?

            I made several batches of both Baileys chocolate macarons and these Baileys Irish Cream macarons, and each time, it was hard to decide between the two. When I devoured the chocolate one, I wanted the cream one next and vice versa. So in the end I also tried piping a ring of the chocolate version on the outside while filling in the center with this creamier one. I really loved that version as well. Give all three versions a try and let me know what are your thoughts.

            I hope you enjoy the recipe and templates I've provided below. Happy winter bakes to you!

            XOXO, Mimi

            Bird's eye view of gingerbread man macarons on a table with Christmas string.

            Recipe

            Yield: 12 macarons

            Baileys Irish Cream Gingerbread Man Macarons

            Gingerbread Baileys Irish Cream macarons on a table with a bottle of Baileys in the back.

            Boozy Baileys Irish Cream macaron with a smooth and creamy filling. The macaron shells are infused with gingerbread spices making it perfect for the holidays.

            Prep Time 2 hours 30 minutes
            Bake Time 1 minute
            Total Time 2 hours 31 minutes

            Ingredients

            Gingerbread Macaron Shells

            • 65 grams almond flour
            • 65 grams icing sugar
            • ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
            • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
            • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
            • 50 grams egg whites
            • 45 grams castor sugar or granulated sugar
            • A few drops of GEL colour of your choice (Warm Brown by Americolor was used here)

            Baileys Irish Cream Filling

            • 70 grams granulated sugar
            • 40 grams Baileys Irish Cream
            • 1 whole egg
            • 2 egg yolks
            • 155 grams room temperature butter

            Small Batch Bailey’s Irish Cream Royal Icing

            • 40 grams icing sugar
            • 1 teaspoon meringue powder
            • Small spray bottle
            • 4 teaspoon Baileys Irish Cream

            Instructions

            Gingerbread Macaron Shells

            1. This set of instructions is for an experienced macaron baker, if you're new to macaron baking, make sure to go over my original Best Macaron Recipe before starting.
            2. Set aged egg whites out on counter until it reaches room temperature.
            3. Sift the spices along with the almond flour and icing sugar.
            4. Whip egg whites with a handheld mixer until foamy, add cream of tartar.
            5. Once the beater starts leaving tracks in the egg whites and the bubbles have tightened up in size, add granulated sugar ⅓ at a time.
            6. Once all the sugar has been fully incorporated and before reaching stiffpeaks, add 1-3 drops of gel colour to your liking. Whip until Stiff Peaks.
            7. Test meringue stiffness. It should have pointed peaks when the whisk is pulled out.
            8. Pour a third of the spice/almond/powdered sugar mixture into the egg whites. Gently fold it into the egg whites. Then add the rest of the mixture and fold.
            9. Stop folding once the dry ingredients have been fully incorporated and the batter has reached a “lava” like or honey consistency. The batter should pass the figure-8 test.
            10. On parchment paper or silicone mats, pipe the batter to the size of the circle on the template. If making the gingerbread man, refer to post on how to pipe dachshund puppy macarons.
            11. Remove the paper template from underneath the parchment paper or mat.
            12. Rap the tray several times on the counter to rid of excess bubbles.
            13. Before the batter dries, pop any remaining bubbles with a toothpick.
            14. Let it rest on the counter for 30 min. AND until a “skin” has developed. This will prevent the shells from cracking during baking.
            15. Preheat oven to 320 F.
            16. Place the tray on the middle shelf and bake for 12-14 minutes. Bake only one tray at a time.
            17. Take them out and test doneness. The feet should not push back and the shell should not be wobbly.
            18. Let them cool off on the pan (or off if they are overdone) while making Baileys Irish Cream filling.


            Baileys Irish Cream Macaron Filling

            1. Set butter out at room temperature.
            2. Whisk egg and egg yolks together until incorporated.
            3. In a small pot, heat up the Baileys liqueur and sugar on medium heat until the mixture starts to steam and you can see a few bubbles rise up from the sides of the pot. DO NOT allow the mixture to come to a full boil.
            4. SLOWLY pour ⅓ of the liquid mixture into the egg yolks and egg mixture while whisking vigorously to prevent cooking the eggs.
            5. Then take this egg mixture and pour it back into the pot with the liquid mixture. do it SLOWLY while whisking vigorously.
            6. Put it back onto the stove on medium heat. Stir to prevent eggs from curdling. Cook the mixture until it reaches 160 degrees. Take off the heat immediately.
            7. Pour mixture through a strainer into a mixing bowl. Use a spoon to push it through.
            8. In a stand mixer, using a balloon whisk, whisk the mixture on medium speed until it is cool to the touch. It will look lighter in color and the volume will have increased but it will still be runny.
            9. Change to the paddle attachment. On slow speed, add butter a little at a time. Once incorporated, beat on medium speed until fluffy.

            Small Batch Bailey’s Irish Cream Royal Icing

            1. Sift icing sugar and meringue powder into a mixing bowl.
            2. Add 1-2 teaspoon of Baileys liqueur to the dry mixture and stir with a spatula to get the mixture going. If it’s still lumpy, add another 1 teaspoon of liqueur and stir again.
            3. Add the rest of the liqueur with a spray bottle by slowly spritzing it onto the mixture until it reaches the proper consistency of a “15 second” icing. When a knife cuts through the icing, it will take 15 second for the cut to disappear.
            4. Place in a piping bag and seal the ends so the icing doesn’t dry out.
            5. Pipe desired design onto the gingerbread men and wait at least 12 hours for the icing to dry before adding edible paint on top.





            Notes

            The macaron shell recipe can be doubled, tripled or quadrupled to accommodate how many macarons you'd like to make. There is enough batter here to make 12 round or 12 gingerbread men with the template provided at the end of this post. 

            There is enough Baileys Irish Cream filling to fill approximately 36 macarons. This recipe was scaled to the smallest amount possible while using 2 yolks and 1 whole egg so there will be leftovers if the recipe for the shells is not doubled or tripled.

            Alcohol will remain in the filling. Take caution when serving to children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.

            Always remain vigilant when heating up alcohol as it can cause a fire. 

            Recommended Products

            As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

            Nutrition Information

            Yield

            12

            Serving Size

            1
            Amount Per Serving Calories 231Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 74mgSodium 98mgCarbohydrates 22gFiber 1gSugar 21gProtein 3g

            This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

            Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

            Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

            © mimi
            Cuisine: french / Category: Macarons

            Free Gingerbread Man Macaron Templates for this Project

            These are some free gingerbread man macaron templates available for download for my Newsletter Subscribers. Just sign up for the newsletter and wait for the double opt-in confirmation email. Confirm your subscription and you’ll be sent the password to the member’s only area. 

            Gingerbread man macaron template.
            Gingerbread man macaron template.

            Note: This post was originally published on November 26th, 2017. This is part 2 of 2 of the recipes I shared on AM1470 with Deborah Moore on November 28th, 2017.

            How to Bake Smooth and Round Macaron Shells

            · 26 Comments

            Wondering how to bake macarons that are smooth and round? Tired of baking bumpy, irregular, lopsided macarons? Here are some tips, video and recommended tools for baking smooth and round macarons shells.

            A plate filled with smooth round macarons in multiple colros.

            Fixing Bumpy, Irregular, Lopsided Macarons

            Bumpy, irregular shaped and lopsided macarons can be fixed with a little bit of practice and using the right tools. There are several steps during the macaron making process which can affect how round and smooth your macarons are:

            Sifting/grinding of almond flour:
            This stage affects the bumpiness of the macaron shells. If the almond flour is not fine enough or clumpy, it will leave the top of the macaron shells bumpy and rough. The almond flour should ideally be fine, not too oily and sifted at least once.

            Meringue:
            This stage affects the roundness of the macaron shells as a soft meringue won't be able to hold a nice round shape when piped.

            Folding/macaronage:
            This stage affects the bumpiness and roundness of the macaron. If the almond flour/sugar mixture hasn't been fully incorporated into the meringue, this can make the shells look bumpy and also harder to pipe into nice round shapes as it won't pipe out as one cohesive batter.

            Piping/proper tool usage:
            This stage affects the roundness of the macaron. After the almond flour is prepared properly and fully incorporated into the meringue, using the right piping technique and tools will help achieve a rounder macaron shell. There are several tools I include below which will help.

            Resting/drying:
            This last stage affects the smoothness of the macaron. At this stage, we need to make sure all the excess bubbles that may still be trapped in the shells are released.

            To achieve ideal conditions for baking round and smooth macaron shells, please follow the guide below:

            Round and smooth macarons in various colors on a grey plate.

            Bonus Tip for Macaron Colors that Fades After Baking

            These festive red shells were made by adding a generous amount of Americolor's "Super Red". About 4-5 drops will do the trick. I find Americolor's gel colouring to be very stable when baked and I don't lose too much of the colour in the baking process. When I first started baking macarons, I often heard that you need to add a LOT more colour than you actually need because the colour will fade after baking. After baking many a  batches with Americolor, I haven't found any problems with my shells losing its colour after baking.

            One of the interesting tidbits that arose in the discussion some of my IG baking friends had on one of my posts was that certain gel colour brands just don't work as well. Another issue I can think of is that when shells get over-baked, they also tend to "lose" it's colour because it has started to brown. So watch out for those two issues. One, you'll need to get yourself some quality gel colours and two, you'll need to know how to use your oven properly to bake macarons. Click the link to read that post.

            I hope this post on how to bake smooth and round macaron shells have helped you. If you have any further questions, please leave them below.

            XOXO,
            Mimi

            Note: This post was originally published on December 6th, 2015

            Recipe

            How to Bake Smooth and Round Macaron Shells

            A plate filled with round and smooth macarons with no bumpiness.

            Tired of baking bumpy, irregular, lopsided macarons? Here are some tips, video and recommended tools for baking smooth and round macarons shells.

            Instructions

            1. If making own almond flour, use blanched (skinless) almonds to make it.
            2. Always grind almonds together with the powdered sugar to prevent it from become too buttery or gummy. Here's how to grind your own almond flour.
            3. Don't forget to grind store-bought almond flour too! This will remove clumps and further refine it. As stated before, do not grind almond flour by itself, grind it with some of the powdered sugar from the recipe.
            4. Always sift the almond/powdered mixture to aerate it and isolate large pieces. This basic strainer type works efficiently without clogging.
            5. Discard what can't be sifted.
            6. Make sure the meringue is stiff enough. If the batter is weak and too soft, it doesn't hold a nice round shape when piped.
            7. Use proper macaronage techniques to fully incorporate the almond/sugar mixture into the meringue. Here's more on How to Macaronage.
            8. Transfer batter to a good quality piping bag. It will provide more control and stop the batter from flowing out in an uneven fashion. (Ziplock bags are too flimsy and don't provide good control while piping.)
            9. Pipe shells onto a silicone mat for rounder shells.
            10. If using parchment paper, use good quality ones. If it comes in a roll, flatten it out ahead of time but placing heavy objects on top of it. Secure the paper onto the pan with magnets or some wet batter.
            11. Pipe batter evenly from the top down starting in the center, not on an angle.
            12. Pipe with an injection syringe for more control. See it being used in the video below and buy it here.
            13. Rap the tray hard against the counter to pop any trapped air bubbles.
            14. To prevent nipples/points on the batter, proper macaronage is key. If the points remain even after rapping the tray on the counter, it can be smoothed out with a wet finger but know that next time, more folding is needed.
            15. Use a toothpick to pop any leftover air pockets.
            16. Let the shells dry until they have developed a "skin". This will prevent them from cracking in the oven.

            Recommended Products

            As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

            Did you make this project? Share your results with me 🙂

            Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

            © Mimi
            Category: Macarons

            Chocolate Peppermint Macarons with Christmas Bear Template

            · Leave a Comment

            Chocolate peppermint macarons are so easy and delicious to make for the Christmas holidays using 4 simple ingredients in the filling. Pipe the macaron batter into cute bear in ugly Christmas sweater shapes for edible holiday gifts.

            Christmas bear macarons in a tea cup, below is picture of macaron bears on a silicone mat with holly sprinkle being added on.
            [feast_advanced_jump_to]

            Peppermint Candy Cane Flavor for the Holidays

            I'm really happy to bring you this new tutorial for Chocolate peppermint macarons piped into a Christmas bear shape. It's the first time that I am posting a #MacaronArt recipe that comes with an accompanying video and template! Hopefully, it will provide you with a comprehensive look into the makings of macaron art. We will be spending a lot of time decorating and preparing the special Christmas bear shaped macaron shell so I wanted to make the chocolate peppermint filling a bit more approachable. It's so easy to prepare and only requires 4 ingredients - chocolate, cream, butter and peppermint extract. Here's how:

            Tip: almond flour can be made by grinding blanched almonds together with the powdered sugar in the recipe. See paragraph below on how. Even when using ready-made almond flour, it can be ground to a finer texture (than what is shown in the photo above) for a smoother macaron shell.

            How to Make Chocolate Peppermint Ganache

            1. Chop up the chocolate and place in a heat safe bowl. Try to chop it as fine as you can. This will allow the hot cream to effectively melt the chocolate.
            2. Heat up the heavy cream in a small sauce pan on low heat, watch it so that it doesn’t over boil.
            3. Once it comes to a light simmer, immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for one minute so the chocolate has a chance to melt.
            4. Blend with a spatula until fully incorporated.
            5. Add the room temperature butter and incorporate.
            6. Add ½ tsp. of peppermint extract (or more if you like a real minty taste) and incorporate.
            7. Place it in the fridge and let it cool off and firm up before piping (30 min. - 1 hour). Check on it every 15-20 minutes, use it as soon as it achieves a pipeable consistency.

            How to Pipe Christmas Bear Macarons

            Prepare batter according to instructions in recipe card below. If you don't know how to make multiple colored batters, read this tutorial on How to Make Multiple Colors From One Batch of Macarons. First pipe the bear head on a silicone mat. Silicone mats are great for helping character macarons retain its shape.

            Rap the tray on the counter and pop remaining bubbles with a toothpick or scribe tool. Do this for all the heads before moving onto the ears. This will give a chance for the batter to develop a light skin which prevents the batter from running into each other.

            A hand popping bubbles in piped macaron batter.

            Next, pipe the bear ears. Do this for all the bears. A round #10 piping tip was used here. The smaller opening allows for more control during piping.

            Macaron batter that looks like a bear shape.

            Gently add the holly sprinkles onto the bear head before a firm skin develops. Do this for all the bears before moving onto the next step.

            Christmas holly sprinkles added onto macaron bear batter.

            Pipe red batter underneath bear head. Do this for all the bear heads before moving to next step.

            Ugly sweater being piped onto bear macaron head.

            Add holly and heart sprinkles onto bear's sweater before the batter dries completely.

            holly sprinkles being added onto bear with ugly Christmas sweater.

            Bake according to instructions, let cool. After cooling, fill bears with chocolate peppermint ganache filling. Place in fridge to set, about 30 minutes. This will make the macaron easier to work with while decorating.

            Chocolate peppermint ganache being piped onto Christmas bear macarons.

            Glue white melting wafer onto bear with edible glue. Do this for all the Christmas bears and let set before moving onto next step.

            Snout being added onto Christmas bear macaron.

            Draw in eyes with edible pen.

            Eyes being drawn onto Christmas bear macaron.

            Give yourself enough time to practice making these chocolate peppermint macarons in Christmas bear shape before the big day, whenever that will be for you. Perhaps you might want to bring these to a holiday party or surprise your family on Christmas day. I know they will be thrilled to receive any type of goodies that you personally made with them in mind. If you want more ideas for holiday macarons, check out my guide Ultimate Guide to Making Christmas Macarons or if you are really pressed for time and want an easier bake requiring less skill, try my Cutest Peanut Butter Bear Cookies.

            Wishing you a happy holidays!

            XOXO,
            Mimi

            Peppermint chocolate bear macarons in a teacup held with open hands.

            Christmas Macaron Templates

            Christmas bear macaron template.
            Bears hanging onto candy cane macaron.
            Bear on candy cane macaron template.

            Recipe

            Yield: 12 macarons

            Easy Chocolate Peppermint Macarons

            Easy Chocolate Peppermint Macarons

            Chocolate peppermint macarons are so easy and delicious to make for Christmas. Pipe the macaron batter into cute bear in ugly Christmas sweater shapes for edible holiday gifts.

            Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
            Cook Time 15 minutes
            Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

            Ingredients

            Macaron Shells

            • 65 grams almond flour
            • 65 grams icing sugar
            • 45 grams castor sugar*
            • 50 grams egg whites, aged
            • Brown gel colour (Americolor Warm Brown was used here)

            Peppermint Chocolate Ganache

            • 50 grams of semi-sweet couverture chocolate (or dark)
            • 50 grams of heavy cream
            • 10 grams butter
            • Peppermint extract

            Small Batch of Edible Glue

            • 20 grams icing sugar
            • ½ tsp. of meringue powder
            • water in a spritzer bottle
            • White melting wafer for bear snout

            Instructions

              Basic Macaron Shells

              1. This set of instructions is for an experienced macaron baker, if you're new to macaron baking, make sure to go over my original Best Macaron Recipe before starting.
              2. Set aged egg whites out on counter until it reaches room temperature.
              3. Sift the almond flour and icing sugar.
              4. Whip egg whites with a handheld mixer until foamy, add cream of tartar.
              5. Once the beater starts leaving tracks in the egg whites and the bubbles have tightened up in size, add granulated sugar ⅓ at a time.
              6. Once all the sugar has been fully incorporated and before reaching stiff peaks, add 1-3 drops of gel colour to your liking. Whip until Stiff Peaks.
              7. Test meringue stiffness. It should have pointed peaks when the whisk is pulled out.
              8. Pour a third of the almond/powdered sugar mixture into the egg whites. Gently fold it into the egg whites. Then add the rest of the mixture and fold.
              9. Stop folding once the dry ingredients have been fully incorporated and the batter has reached a “lava” like or honey consistency. The batter should pass the figure-8 test.
              10. On parchment paper or silicone mats, pipe the batter to the size of the circle on the template. If making the Christmas bears, refer to post on how to pipe Christmas bear macarons.
              11. Remove the paper template from underneath the parchment paper or mat.
              12. Rap the tray several times on the counter to rid of excess bubbles.
              13. Before the batter dries, pop any remaining bubbles with a toothpick.
              14. Let it rest on the counter for 30 min. AND until a “skin” has developed. This will prevent the shells from cracking during baking.
              15. Preheat oven to 320 F.
              16. Place the tray on the middle shelf and bake for 12-14 minutes. Bake only one tray at a time.
              17. Take them out and test doneness. The feet should not push back and the shell should not be wobbly.
              18. Let them cool off on the pan (or off if they are overdone) while making Peppermint Chocolate Ganache filling.


            Peppermint Chocolate Ganache

            1. Chop up the chocolate and place in a heat safe bowl.
            2. Heat up the heavy cream in a small sauce pan on low heat, watch it so that it doesn’t over boil.
            3. Once it comes to a light simmer, immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for one minute.
            4. Gently blend with a spatula until fully incorporated.
            5. Add the butter, stir to incorporate.
            6. Add ½ tsp. of peppermint extract (or more if you like a real minty taste). Stir to incorporate.
            7. Place it in the fridge and let it firm up to a pipeable consistency before piping, remember to check on it and use it as soon as it's ready, about 30 min. - 1 hr.

            Small Batch Royal Icing

            1. Combine the dry ingredients in a glass bowl.
            2. Spritz the water onto the dry ingredients a little at a time and then blend everything together until you reach a thick consistency. When you pick it up, it should not flow easily off the spatula.
            3. If it's too runny, add more sugar. A spritzer is great for controlling the amount of water you are adding at one time.
            4. Use immediately. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap when not in use.


            Notes

            1. Castor sugar (aka berry sugar or extra fine granulated sugar) is preferable but can be substituted with granulated sugar.

            Recommended Products

            As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

            Nutrition Information

            Yield

            12

            Serving Size

            1
            Amount Per Serving Calories 157Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 13mgSodium 22mgCarbohydrates 18gFiber 1gSugar 16gProtein 2g

            This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

            Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

            Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

            © mimi
            Cuisine: french / Category: Macarons

            Sloppy Peach Cake in a Cup

            · 4 Comments

            A sloppy peach cake in a cup that looks perfectly put together. An easy and delicious cake you can bake in any sized pan using ingredients that are available year round. Perfect for serving at dinner parties and afternoon tea.

            Peach cakes in a cup laid out on a table with wild flowers.
            [feast_advanced_jump_to]

            Deconstructed Japanese Chiffon Cake in a Cup

            One of the most common questions I receive from my readers on one of their favorite recipes, Strawberry Japanese Cake Roll, is how to bake the Japanese chiffon cake in a different pan size and whether or not the whipped cream needs to be stabilized. That cake roll look absolutely magnificent and mouthwatering but I do appreciate that not everyone has the time or skills to roll a perfect cake roll on the first try.

            Not wanting my readers to miss out on this very delicious Asian-bakery inspired cake (trust me and the reader reviews, it's so good!), I decided to write this new recipe for Sloppy Peach Cake in a Cup that can be baked in any sized cake pan, and without the need for stabilization of the whipped cream. The peaches can also be substituted with a variety of different fruits whether canned or fresh. Anything goes, that's why it's called "sloppy", although, it looks anything but 🙂

            As for the taste, it's most liken to the light, semi-sweet cakes at the Asian bakeries. It's composed of a fluffy chiffon cake base and a creamy but not-too-sweet whipped cream. Sloppy peach cake in a cup is definitely a dessert that you can eat a second or third helping without being overwhelmed by it's sweetness or richness.

            Close up shot of peach cakes in a cup.

            Ingredients & Substitutes

            The great thing about this peach cake is that all the ingredients can be found year round in any grocery store like canned peaches, making it a cake you can prepare well into the fall and winter for Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas parties. You can also make this cake in other flavours using my other chiffon cake roll recipes: Chocolate Cake Roll, Matcha Adzuki Bean Cake Roll. Here are the other ingredients:

            • Canned peaches - peaches can be substituted with canned mixed fruits. Using mixed fruits will yield the same delicious taste as the fresh fruit cakes you can find at the Asian bakeries. If in season, real fruits like strawberries, cherries and bananas work very well too.
            • Granulated sugar
            • Cake flour - it can be substituted with all-purpose flour but cake flour is preferable for foam cakes as the lower protein content will yield a softer airier cake.
            • Baking powder
            • Sea salt - if using table salt, use half the amount.
            • Whole fat milk
            • Eggs
            • Vegetable oil (e.g. canola) - choose a neutral tasting vegetable oil like canola or avocado.
            • Vanilla extract
            • Cream of tartar - this is an acid used to stabilize the meringue. It can be substituted with lemon juice or vinegar in double the amount. It's usually sold with the spices in the baking aisle. If you really can't find it, it can be omitted but be careful with whipping the meringue. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and stop immediately once it has reached that stage.
            • Optional garnish - I used pineapple mint and flowers from my garden for the purpose of the photo. You can find flowers certified to be edible from Whole Foods in the produce area where the fresh herbs are kept. Alternatively, berries always look wonderful as a garnish on desserts.
            • Mason jar - a 125 ml mason jar was used in this recipe, yielding 6 full jars of peach cake. You can use any type of vessel you like to hold your peach cake.
            Peach cakes in a cup on the bottom level of an afternoon tea cake stand.

            How to Bake Peach Cake in Any Sized Cake Pan

            One of the most common problems readers had with baking the chiffon cake base in my cake roll recipes is having the right sized pan. This problem is eliminated in this sloppy peach cake in a cup recipe. We will be cutting the cake down to the size of our container (ex. mason jar or glass) so we don't need to bake the cake in a specific pan size per se. Metal cupcake pans, loaf pans etc. are just some options that will work.

            This recipe was originally written for an 8"X12" pan so any baking pan smaller than this size will work. Fill the pan with batter and make sure the batter is at a 2 cm thickness. You can test this by measuring the height of the residual wet batter left on a toothpick after it has been inserted into the filled pan. Using this thickness as a baseline, you can for the most part follow the baking time and temperature of the recipe as written. For very small pans like cupcake tins, check on the cake doneness a few minutes early.

            5 peach cakes in a cup on a 2-tier afternoon tea cake stand.

            Step-By-Step Peach Cake in a Cup

            Cake being suspended in a sifter in one picture. Egg yolks and flour in another bowl.

            In a large mixing bowl, sift in cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. I like this type of strainer for sifting dry ingredients because it's quicker and provides better control. Create a well in the center. Inside it, add yolks, oil, vanilla extract and milk.

            Mixed peach cake flour mixture in one bowl and meringue at stiff peaks in another bowl.

            With a spatula, stir to combine until fully incorporated, do not over mix. Set this milk-flour mixture aside.

            Next, Make the meringue in a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl (ex. stainless steel mixing bowl or glass mixing bowl). This is crucial as meringues do not whip well in the presence of oil and water. Whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar. Whip until stiff peaks as shown in the photo above on the right. When the whisk is pulled out, the meringue does not droop on itself.

            Meringue being folded into a wet peach cake batter, next to it is an empty cake pan lined with parchment paper.

            Gently fold the meringue into the cake flour batter until fully incorporated.

            Dab a little bit of the batter onto the parchment paper and stick it to the pan to prevent the paper from tipping over into the cake batter. I used a darker colored pan here giving my cake a more golden finish.

            2 empty pans, one filled with batter, the other holds a baked peach cake with golden crust.

            Pour batter into lined cake pan from one spot, spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula. Rap the cake pan on the counter a few times to rid excess bubbles.

            Bake for 14-16 min. at 325 F. Let cool 5 min. in the pan before removing. Place cooling rack over cake pan.

            Upside down cake pan on a wire rack, next picture is cake with parchment paper on top.

            Flip cake over onto the rack, remove pan. Gently remove paper. Let it cool down.

            Upside down sheet chiffon cake on a wire rack, next picture is a cookie cutter cutting into the peach sheet cake.

            For cleaner lines, once cake is no longer hot but before it cools completely, cut it to desired size with knife or cookie cutter. Set aside, do not stack together.

            Whipped cream being whipped in a mixing bowl, next picture is whipped cream that has become stiff.

            Refrigerate mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes. This will help cream whip better.

            Beat the cream and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the chilled bowl. Whip on low speed and then increase to medium-high. Stop beating once the cream turns stiff. It will look clumpy and matte. Do not over whip. Use cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.

            A knife cutting into canned peaches, next is a jar filled with one layer of peach cake.

            Pat dry canned peaches with clean paper towels. Cut up into cubes and slices.

            Layer bottom of cup or jar with one layer of cake.

            A small jar filled with peach cubes, next photo is whipped cream on top of the peaches in previous photo.

            Add chopped peaches, then top with a layer of cream.

            A layer of peach cake placed on top of the whipped cream layer in the jar in previous photo. Next photo is a layer of cream in ja

            Add another layer of cake, then top with another layer of cream. Level off with a knife or spatula. Place sliced peaches on top. Garnish with fresh fruits or herbs if desired.

            Peach dessert cups on a table counter with flowers.

            I hope you have a chance to make these peach cakes in a cup, it's a great choice for holiday parties or just a lazy night at home. Here are some other flavor ideas for you: Chocolate Cake Roll, Matcha Adzuki Bean Cake Roll, Cotton Candy Cake Roll, Coffee Cake Roll, Pumpkin Cake Roll, Tiger Vanilla Cake Roll , Carrot Cake Roll, Earl Grey Tea Cake Roll and Gingerbread Cake Roll. Just bake the cake in any sized pan and cut out the cake according to instructions in post. If you have any other questions, please let me know below.

            XOXO,
            Mimi

            Recipe

            Yield: 6 cups

            Sloppy Peach Cake in a Cup

            Slices of peach on top of cake in a jar.

            A sloppy peach cake in a cup that looks perfectly put together. An easy and delicious cake you can bake in any sized pan with ingredients that are available all year long.

            Prep Time 1 hour
            Cook Time 14 minutes
            Total Time 1 hour 14 minutes

            Ingredients

            Japanese Style Chiffon Cake

            • 1 can of peaches
            • 25 grams granulated sugar
            • 45 grams cake flour
            • 1 teaspoon baking powder
            • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
            • 50 ml whole fat milk
            • 3 egg yolks
            • 40 ml vegetable oil (e.g. canola)
            • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
            • 4 egg whites
            • 50 grams granulated sugar
            • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

            Fresh Cream

            • 1 cup whipping cream (33% M.F.)
            • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

            Instructions

            Japanese Style Chiffon Cake

            1. Line a cake pan with parchment paper. Refer to post on size variations.
            2. Preheat oven to 325 F.
            3. In a large mixing bowl, sift in cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine.
            4. Create a well in the center. Inside it, add yolks, oil, vanilla extract and milk.
            5. Stir to combine until fully incorporated, do not over mix. Set this milk-flour mixture aside. 
            6. In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar.
            7. Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have tightened up, add second set of sugar a little bit at a time.
            8. Increase speed to med-high, whip until stiff peaks. You've now made a meringue. (See notes)
            9. Gently fold ⅓ of the meringue into the milk-flour mixture to get it moving. Once incorporated, fold in the rest of the meringue. Do not stir. Use batter immediately. 
            10. Pour batter into lined cake pan from one spot, spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula.
            11. Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets.
            12. Bake for 14-16 min. at 325 F until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center.
            13. Let cool 5 min. in the pan before removing.
            14. Place cooling rack over cake pan, flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper. 
            15. Once it is no longer hot but before it cools completely, cut it to desired size with knife or cookie cutter.


            Fresh Whipped Cream

            1. Refrigerate mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes. This will help cream whip better.
            2. Beat the cream and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the chilled bowl. Whip on low speed and then increase to medium-high.
            3. Stop beating once the cream turns stiff. Do not over whip.
            4. Use cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.

            Assembly

            1. Pat dry canned peaches with clean paper towels. Cut up into cubes and slices.
            2. Layer bottom of cup or jar with one layer of cake.
            3. Add chopped peaches, then top with a layer of cream.
            4. Add another layer of cake, then top with another layer of cream. Level off with a knife or spatula.
            5. Add sliced peaches on top. Garnish with fresh fruits or herbs if desired.


              Notes

              1. Stiff peaks in characterized by the egg whites having pointed peaks that point upwards without drooping when the whisk is pulled out.
              2. Some ingredients are repeated, use them in the same order as outlined in instructions.
              3. Peach cake in a cup can be made up to 2 days in advance. Please note that the whipped cream will deflate a little overnight, for best results, whip cream and assemble right before (or 2 hours) serving.
              4. A 125 ml mason jar was used in this recipe, yielding 6 jars. Vessels of any other sizes can be used.

              Recommended Products

              As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

              Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

              Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

              © mimi
              Cuisine: japanese / Category: Cakes

              Baileys Chocolate Ganache Filled Gingerbread Dachshund Puppy Dog Macarons (Template)

              · 5 Comments

              Boozy gingerbread spice macaron shells that are filled with Baileys Irish Cream flavored chocolate ganache. Perfect for gift giving and holiday parties. So flavorful, delicious and sophisticated, tastes just like a mini liqueur chocolate bottle!

              A stack of Baileys ganache macarons with title in the middle and some puppy dog macarons on the bottom.
              [feast_advanced_jump_to]

              Boozy Gingerbread Treat for the Holidays

              I've been planning feverishly for the holiday season since mid-November and I knew I wanted to create a new winter macaron flavour that would incorporate gingerbread spice macaron shells with some other festive flavour. Whatever would those flavours be? Cranberry, eggnog, peppermint were all obvious choices but I didn't really want to use them with gingerbread. Although eggnog didn't make the cut, it did get me thinking how nice it was to sit around a fireplace on a cozy fur rug sipping on a creamy drink laced with alcohol. That's when I thought of Baileys Irish Cream! The creamy liqueur reminiscent of a boozy Frappuccino - born before Fraps were even a "thing" - had just the flavour profile that I was seeking: Irish Whiskey with notes of cream, coffee and chocolate.

              I discovered a new appreciation for this liqueur and loved the Baileys Irish Cream flavour so much that I created two new winter macaron recipes with it. The filling for this Baileys chocolate ganache macaron is composed predominantly of chocolate and is the easier one of the two to execute. The other recipe is creamier and has a more subtle Baileys flavor, get the other Baileys macaron recipe here: Baileys Irish Cream Macarons with Gingerbreadman Template.

              Ingredients Needed

              • Almond flour - I prefer to make my own almond flour via this tutorial. Many others have had success using this brand.
              • Icing sugar - a.k.a powdered sugar. The kind I use and sold in most North American grocery stores contain some corn starch as an anti-coagulate.
              • Castor sugar - aka berry sugar or extra fine granulated sugar dissolves easily making it ideal for meringues. This can be substituted with regular granulated sugar. Do not run regular sugar through a grinder as this will not achieve the same results.
              • Egg whites, aged - aged egg whites is a method of separating the egg whites from the yolks and letting the whites sit in the fridge for a minimum of 24 hours to help the proteins relax. This helps the egg whites whip to volume without breaking. Read this tutorial on How to Age Egg Whites
              • Ground ginger - the three spices in this recipe can be substituted with the equivalent amount of gingerbread spice.
              • Ground cinnamon
              • Ground nutmeg
              • Semi-sweet chocolate couverture - avoid using regular chocolate chips as they may contain stabilizers and additives that won't be compatible with this recipe.
              • Baileys Irish Cream liqueur
              • Heavy cream - can be substituted with regular whipping cream with a fat content of 33%, found in most grocery stores.
              • Butter - unsalted, room temperature
              • Vanilla extract

              Tips for Making Baileys Macarons

              • There is only a few ingredients in the baileys macaron filling so quality is key here. Use good couverture chocolate to make the ganache, the higher percentage of cocoa butter will make a huge difference to the overall taste and texture.
              • Once the Baileys chocolate ganache is completed, place it in the fridge to set. Check on it every 15-20 minutes until it firms up to a consistency that is smooth and pipeable but not hard.
              • Continuously watch over the Baileys Irish Cream as it heats, never leave alcohol on unattended heat as this may cause a fire. 
              Wiener puppy dog macarons in ugly Christmas sweaters filled with Baileys chocolate laid out in rows of 3 on a white table.

              How to Pipe Macaron of Puppies in Ugly Christmas Sweaters

              If you want to make these baileys macarons for gift giving during the holidays, you can get more character and flavor ideas on my Christmas Macarons Guide or you can try piping these sweet puppy dogs with their ugly Christmas sweater. Here's how:

              1. Before starting, watch accompanying video and print out puppy macaron template provided below. 
              2. Double my Best Macaron Recipe, half the batter should be colored with brown color and the other left uncolored. If you don't already know how to make multiple colored batters, see this tutorial: How to make Multiple Colors in One Batch of Macarons.
              3. Using a fine round piping tip (ex. Wilton 5), pipe ears with gingerbread macaron batter. Do this for each puppy before moving onto next step. This will give them time to dry and develop a skin. 
              4. Pipe sweater with white macaron batter. Do this for each puppy. 
              5. Add the holly sprinkles or any holiday themed sprinkle you desire onto the surface of the white macaron batter. If the sprinkles are sinking into the batter, wait just a bit longer until a firmer skin forms before adding the sprinkles. But do this before the batter dries completely. 
              6. Pipe the head, neck and back section of the puppy. Give these sections time to develop a skin before piping the legs and tail. It can be a weak skin, whats more more important is that the batter doesn’t transfer to your fingers when you touch it. 
              7. Bake macarons for 12-14 min. at 320 F. The timing will vary depending on your oven. Read my oven guide for baking macarons if you are unsure. 
              8. Once the macarons have come out of the oven, let them cool completely before taking off the mat. Be patient! The puppies might break apart at the seams if they are not completely cooled. 
              9. Prepare royal icing acorrding to instructions on recipe card.
              10. Add a bit of white royal icing in the middle of the break between the sweater and the puppy. 
              11. Before it dries, quickly sprinkle the white nonpareil sprinkles onto the royal icing to create a fluffy sweater effect. 
              12. Use an edible pen to draw in eyes and eyelashes.
              13. Use a tiny dab of white gel colour to add a little “sparkle” to the eyes. 
              14. Use a fine brush to add a bit of pink lustre dust to the cheeks. 
              15. Use black royal icing to fill in the shape of the ears and nose. Make an outline of the ears, then fill in with more royal icing. Use a scribe tool or skewer to smooth out the icing. 
              16. With the royal icing, draw in a small swirl for the tail. 
              17. Let royal icing dry completely before assembling with filling and packaging. This may take a minimum of 8 hours. 

              I hardly know a soul who doesn't gush over a sweet puppy and these little guys proved to be quite a hit on Instagram too. Join me there and follow along for the fun.

              Wishing you a very happy holiday baking season!

              XOXO,
              Mimi

              Note: This is part 1 of 2 recipes I shared on AM1470 with Deborah Moore on November 28th, 2017

              White Christmas tree with white stockings hung next to it.
              Baileys macarons in a stack styled with mini polar bear figurines and a bottle of Baileys Irish Cream.

              Dachshund Dog Macaron Templates

              Available for download for Newsletter Subscribers. Just sign up for the newsletter and wait for the double opt-in confirmation email. Confirm your subscription and you’ll be sent the password to the member’s only area. 

              Dachshund Puppy dog macaron template.
              Dachshund wiener dog macaron in ugly Christmas sweaters facing each other with a heart sprinkle in between.

              Recipe

              Yield: 12

              Baileys Chocolate Ganache Gingerbread Macarons

              A stack of Baileys Irish Cream chocolate macaron.

              Boozy gingerbread spice macaron shells that are filled with Baileys Irish Cream flavored chocolate ganache. Perfect for gift giving and holiday parties. So flavorful, delicious and sophisticated, tastes just like a mini liqueur chocolate bottle!

              Prep Time 1 hour
              Cook Time 12 minutes
              Total Time 1 hour 12 minutes

              Ingredients

              Gingerbread Macaron Batter

              • 65 grams almond flour
              • 65 grams icing sugar
              • 45 grams castor sugar*
              • 50 grams egg whites, aged
              • ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
              • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
              • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
              • Brown gel colour (Americolor Warm Brown was used here)

              Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Ganache

              • 120 grams semi-sweet chocolate couverture
              • 80 grams Baileys Irish Cream liqueur
              • 40 grams heavy cream
              • 20 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
              • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

              Small Batch Royal Icing for Puppies (optional)

              • 40 grams icing sugar
              • 1 teaspoon meringue powder
              • 4 teaspoon water
              • Small spray bottle
              • Small spatula
              • Black gel colour

              Supplies for decorating puppies

              • White gel colour
              • Edible pen in black
              • Fine tipped brush
              • Pink lustre dust
              • Christmas holiday sprinkles
              • White nonpareil sprinkles
              • Scribe tool or a sharp toothpick or skewer
              • Piping bag with fine piping tip

              Instructions

              1. This set of instructions is for an experienced macaron baker, if you're new to macaron baking, make sure to go over my original Best Macaron Recipe before starting.
              2. Set aged egg whites out on counter until it reaches room temperature.
              3. Sift the spices along with the almond flour and icing sugar.
              4. Whip egg whites with a handheld mixer until foamy, add cream of tartar.
              5. Once the beater starts leaving tracks in the egg whites and the bubbles have tightened up in size, add granulated sugar ⅓ at a time.
              6. Once all the sugar has been fully incorporated and before reaching stiff
                peaks, add 1-3 drops of gel colour to your liking. Whip until Stiff
                Peaks.
              7. Test meringue stiffness. It should have pointed peaks when the whisk is pulled out.
              8. Pour a third of the spice/almond/powdered sugar mixture into the egg whites. Gently fold it into the egg whites. Then add the rest of the mixture and fold.
              9. Stop folding once the dry ingredients have been fully incorporated and the batter has reached a “lava” like or honey consistency. The batter should pass the figure-8 test.
              10. On parchment paper or silicone mats, pipe the batter to the size of the
                circle on the template. If making the puppies, refer to post on how to pipe dachshund puppy macarons.
              11. Remove the paper template from underneath the parchment paper or mat.
              12. Rap the tray several times on the counter to rid of excess bubbles.
              13. Before the batter dries, pop any remaining bubbles with a toothpick.
              14. Let it rest on the counter for 30 min. AND until a “skin” has developed.
                This will prevent the shells from cracking during baking.
              15. Preheat oven to 320 F.
              16. Place the tray on the middle shelf and bake for 12-14 minutes. Bake only one tray at a time.
              17. Take them out and test doneness. The feet should not push back and the shell should not be wobbly.
              18. Let them cool off on the pan (or off if they are overdone) while making Baileys Irish Cream chocolate filling.


              Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Ganache

              1. Bring butter to room temperature.
              2. Chop up chocolate into little chunks and place in a heat proof bowl.
              3. In a small sauce pan heat the Baileys Cream and the heavy cream together on medium heat. Once you see steam and some bubbles form on the sides, immediately take off the heat.
              4. Pour the hot cream onto the chocolate and wait for one minute.
              5. Stir the mixture with a spatula to incorporate.
              6. Add room temperature butter and stir to incorporate.
              7. Add vanilla extract and stir to incorporate.
              8. Place in the fridge to set before putting into a piping bag. (Approx. 30 min. to an hour)

              Assembly
              1. Find 2 matching sized shells, pipe a dollop of Baileys chocolate filling on one shell, assemble with the other shell.
              2. Leave assembled macarons in the fridge in an airtight container and let them mature for 24 hours.
              3. After 24 hours of maturation in the fridge, bring them back to room temperature 30 min. before serving. ENJOY!


              Royal Icing for Puppies (optional)

              1. Sift icing sugar and meringue powder into a mixing bowl.
              2. Add 1-2 teaspoon of water to the dry mixture and stir with a spatula to get the mixture going. If it’s still lumpy, add another 1 teaspoon of water and stir again.
              3. Add the rest of the water with a spray bottle by slowly spritzing it onto the mixture until it reaches the proper consistency of a “15 second” icing. When a knife cuts through the icing, it will take 15 second for the cut to disappear.
              4. Place in a piping bag and seal the ends so the icing doesn’t dry out.
              5. For this project, use a bit of the uncolored icing to create the “fur” portion of the sweater. Then add black gel to the remainder of the icing to use for piping the nose, ears and tail.

              Notes

              1. Alcohol in the liqueur does not fully evaporate from the boiling process. Take caution when serving to children, pregnant women, the elderly or those with compromised immune systems. 
              2. Never leave alcohol on unattended heat as this may cause a fire. 
              3. Castor sugar (aka extra fine granulated sugar or berry sugar) can be substituted with granulated sugar.

              Recommended Products

              As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

              Nutrition Information

              Yield

              12

              Serving Size

              1
              Amount Per Serving Calories 176Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 7mgSodium 20mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 1gSugar 18gProtein 2g

              This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

              Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

              Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

              © mimi
              Cuisine: french / Category: Macarons