Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Getting Lemon


Lemon & Lemon Myrtle Macarons
In Cockney rhyming slang "don't get lemon" mean's "don't get smart" - lemon - lemon tart - smart - get it?

Well today I was feeling a little "lemon" for the Sweet Adventures Blog Hop - Lemons, hosted by Le Delicieux. Inspired by visiting Zumbo's patisserie the other week, I'd made my mind up a few weeks ago that I was going to try macarons for the next hop (just as well it wasn't a pudding hop!) and was excited to see the lemon theme.

As it was my first time making macarons, I followed a recipe but added a little Australian twist, so I'm happy to share my Lemon & Lemon Myrtle Macarons (based on the exploding lemon macaron recipe on the BBC website):



Lemon & Lemon Myrtle Macarons
Ingredients (makes 40 - 20 macaron sandwiches)
Macarons
4 egg whites (at room temperature)
80g caster sugar
110g almond meal
220g icing sugar
zest of 2 lemons (keep 1/2 a lemon for the juice in in the butter cream)
1/2 teaspoon of lemon myrtle powder
a few drops of yellow food colouring

Lemon & lemon myrtle butter cream
125g butter
75g icing sugar
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 teaspoon of lemon myrtle power

Method
For the Macarons
Grease and line 2 baking trays with baking paper
Beat the egg whites till they form stiff peaks
Gradually add the caster sugar and beat till glossy
Sieve the almond meal and icing sugar
Add the lemon zest
Fold a little of the egg white mixture into the dry mixture
Add a few drops of yellow food colouring and continue folding the egg white mixture in, till all combined
Fill a piping bag with the macaron mix and pipe 40 small 1.5cm diameter circles onto the trays
Leave them to rest at room temperature for 20 mins
Preheat the oven to 170°C
When the macarons are no longer sticky to touch, put them in the oven for 10 mins, switching the trays after 5 mins
When the macarons are just crisp remove them from the oven

For the Lemon Butter Cream
Squeeze the 1/2 lemon and add lemon myrtle powder to the juice, and allow to infuse
Cream the butter
Add the icing sugar and beat till combined
Add 2 tablespoons of the juice to butter cream and blend
Manage the consistency to a smooth spreadable paste by balancing the juice with icing sugar (add more juice if the butter cream is too stiff, and add a little icing sugar if it's too wet

When the macarons are cool, spread a generous layer of butter over one macaron and sandwich another on top. Serve and enjoy :-)

8 comments:

Jennifer (Delicieux) said...

Fantastic Macs!! I have to say lemon macarons are my favourite. I've only tried making them once, but my oven was being temperamental so they didn't turn out as I hoped. I'm going to try making my own macaroons again soon.

Lizzy (Good Things) said...

Lemon myrtle, yum, how very fresh tasting! Love your work.

Erin @ she cooks, she gardens said...

Great work on the macarons and for them to work out first go indicates you have the magic touch when it comes to baking. I've tried and failed many times, it's certainly an art form. Well done, they look divine.

Moya said...

Macarons, I adore them and I know how temperamental they can be to make! I have never tasted lemon myrtle but I am sure it has an interesting flavour. Delicious!

JJ @ 84thand3rd said...

Great idea to add the lemon myrtle! I've yet to make macarons, must try some soon.

Stephanie @ 52 Kitchen Adventures said...

This was your first macaron attempt? Well done! They look great! Lemon is a great macaron flavor and I think you got the coloring just right (I was a tad cautious with the yellow food coloring on mine). I've never had lemon myrtle and now I'm curious to find some...

Christina @ The Hungry Australian said...

Lemon and lemon myrtle? Very intriguing :) I think you've done a great job with these - lovely macarons.

Erica said...

Such pretty little macarons, well done! I love the lemon myrtle addition, I'll definitely have to give these a go.

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