"Ispahan" Inspired Macaron Cake with Fresh Lychees & Raspberries

Instructions

Macaron Shells

1. Print out the big macaron template provided in post.
2. Set aged egg whites out at room temperature.
3. Pulse almond flour and powdered sugar together in a food processor.
4. Sift dry ingredients. Discard big pieces of almond that can't be sifted.
5. IF YOU ARE NEW TO MAKING MACARONS, please read the instructions to my BEST MACARON RECIPE before attempting to follow the rest of the instructions since it is condensed for the advanced macaron baker.
6. With the balloon whisk attached, whip the room temperature egg whites on low-medium speed.
7. Add cream of tartar when it becomes foamy.
8. Turn up the speed to medium.
9. Once the whisk starts to leave tracks in the egg whites, add sugar a little at a time.
10. Turn the speed up to medium-high and whip until firm peaks, stop mixer and add gel food color if desired. Continue whipping on medium-high until stiff peaks.
11. Fold the dry mix and meringue together until the batter becomes a "lava" or honey-like consistency.
12. Transfer batter into a piping bag fitted with a #6 round piping tip.
13. On parchment paper or silicone mats, pipe the big macaron cake shape. 
14. Rap the tray hard on the counter to remove any excess air bubbles. Use a toothpick to pop any remaining bubbles. 
15. Wait until the shells become completely dry before baking. This is a critical step to prevent cracking of the big macaron shell. Resting time for big macaron shells will take longer than regular sized macarons. READ: TIPS ON BAKING BIG MACARON SHELLS.
16. Bake at 325F for 25-35 minutes. Every oven is different, you may need to adjust your own temperature settings. Please read How to Use Your Home Oven Properly for Baking Macarons if you are unsure.
17. Macarons are done when the foot doesn't push back and the tops don't move when you wiggle it. 
18. Once baked, let cool completely before removing from the baking mat/parchment paper.

Lychee Cream Instructions

1. Set butter out at room temperature.
2. Open canned lychees. Discard syrup.
3. Set aside 3 whole lychees for use later in the macaron assembly. 
4. Pulse the rest of the whole lychees in food processor until it becomes a fine puree.
5. Pour puree through a strainer to separate the pulp and juice. Keep 90 ml of the juice for use in this recipe. With a spoon, push out as much liquid out of the pulp as possible. Discard pulp.
6. Chop up white chocolate into small pieces.
7. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of lychee juice and corn starch until no visible lumps can be seen.
8. Heat remaining juice and sugar on med-high heat until sugar fully dissolves. Take off heat before it comes to a full boil.
9. Pour a little bit of the hot juice into the corn starch mixture while whisking vigorously.
10. Take this mixture and pour it back into the pot of hot lychee juice while whisking vigorously.
11. Place pot back onto the stove on low-medium heat. It will thicken up considerably within 30 seconds to 1 minute. Take off heat.
12. Pour onto the chopped white chocolate. Wait one minute.
13. Mix well with a spatula until all the chocolate has melted.
14. Add butter and mix together until incorporated.
15. Pour into blender and blend on high for 1 minute.
16. Place in the fridge to set before putting in piping bag.

Rose Buttercream Instructions

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.
4. Gently whisk the whites & sugar mix over the boiling water.
5. Pay attention to whisking the mixture when it starts getting hot, you don’t want to cook the eggs.
6. Whisk the mixture until the temperature reaches 160F*
7. Pour the mixture into the Kitchenaid mixer with the balloon whisk attached. Whip on low to start, then increase to medium.
8. Once the mixture is stiff and the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch, stop mixer. Change the whisk attachment to the paddle attachment.
9. Add butter a little bit at a time while beating with the paddle attachment on medium speed.
10. The mixture might look curdled or separated for a while but keep mixing. It will all come together to become a smooth and fluffy buttercream. 
11. Keep 100 grams of the buttercream for use in our current recipe. Freeze the rest of the buttercream for use at a later date.
12. Add rose water and rose essence and beat until incorporated.

Ispahan Macaron Cake Assembly

1. Wash raspberries thoroughly and gently pat dry with paper towel. 
2. Find two similar sized macaron shells to make a pair.
3. Starting 1 cm away from the edge of the shell, pipe a ring of rose buttercream as a dam then fill it with a small dab of lychee cream. Spread the cream out evenly so that it creates a "barrier" between the shell and the lychee flesh which is to be added next.
4. Pat dry whole lychees with paper towel and split into halves. 
5. Add lychee flesh inside the dam and top off with more lychee cream.
6. Add raspberries around the mound of buttercream. Let it touch the cream slightly to help keep it in place. 
7. Pipe more rose buttercream into the dam until it reaches the height of the raspberries. 
8. Assemble remaining macaron shell on top. 
9. Top off with an edible red rose petal and add 24K gold leaf if desired. Let the macaron cake mature for 6 to 12 hours before eating. (Best eaten within 24 hours.) Enjoy!