Chinese New Years Mandarin Macarons with Mandarin Jasmine Ganache

♥ MIMI’S MANDARIN MACARONS ♥
Makes 12 Mandarin Macarons

♥  MANDARIN BATTER INGREDIENTS:
– 65 grams almond flour
– 65 grams icing sugar
– 45 grams castor sugar
– 50 grams aged egg whites
– 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
– Orange Gel Colour (2 drops of Orange from Americolor)

♥ EXTRA SUPPLIES (besides ones needed for regular macaron making):
– Green Gel Colour (a smidge of Avocado from Americolor)
– Pink Gel Colour (a smidge of Soft Pink from Americolor)
– Bow Insterter Tool or Sharp Knife
– Veining Tool or toothpick
– Fondant (a very small amount)
– Black Edible Pen

Mandarin Jasmine Ganache Recipe

Mandarin Jasmine is a classic pairing from the orient. I add a little bit of pink salt to bring out the mandarin flavour which, although strong, can be just a bit flat. Lastly, to avoid pesticides or toxins, use only zest from an organic mandarin.

♥ 100 grams of semi-sweet chocolate

♥ 100 grams of heavy cream

♥ 25 grams butter

♥ Zest of one organic mandarin

♥ Natural jasmine extract

♥ Himalayan pink salt

– zest the mandarin, set aside

– chop up the chocolate and place in a heat safe bowl

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

– once it comes to a simmer, immediately pour it over the chopped dark chocolate, wait one minute.

– incorporate with a spatula until chocolate is fully melted

– add mandarin zest and incorporated

– add the butter and incorporate

– add 2 tsp. of jasmine extract when the mixture is no longer hot and incorporate

– place it in the fridge and let it cool off and firm up before piping (approximately 1 hour)

– after piping onto the shells, sprinkle himalayan sea salt onto the ganache before assembling the shells together

Small Batch of Edible Glue for Applying the Leaves & Blush

♥ 20 grams icing sugar

♥ 1 1/2 tsp. of meringue powder

♥ water in a spritzer bottle

Combine the dry ingredients in a glass bowl. Spritz the water onto the dry ingredients a little at a time and then blend everything together until you reach a thick consistency. If it’s too runny, add more sugar. A spritzer is great for controlling the amount of water you are adding at one time.