Bad Day to end the year :( Great, just great...

Good Morning folks, and happy new year!

So, yesterday I attempted Macarons. Hmm. Figured out that wasn't the best thing to do. Here's a tip for y'all - don't attempt to make Macarons when your having a bad day!

 I was already frustrated before I started baking from a bad morning....and it just got worse...and worse...and worse. Nothing wanted to work for me. But I persevered and baked macaroons. They're all different sizes, and I had to throw out the filling I made from the Zumbo recipe I was following and make a simple buttercream instead, but I got there and now have a box of Macarons on the counter.

It takes a lot of ingredients to measure out 3 batches worth!

 

Making the actual mix / batter was ok, not too much trouble there except for not being able to find my thermometer to test the sugar syrup, but it still turned out ok. Piping the macaroons was my first problem - I couldn't find the nozzle I wanted so had to settle for a smaller one which didn't help at all. So after an already bad day, I got frustrated. 

Finally got them into the oven, and apart from being different sizes and a couple collapsing, most were ok.

 

 However there was a stubborn bunch that just refused to cook the whole way. After putting them back in the oven and out again and in and out for about 15 minutes, I turned them over so their bottoms faced up - and Ta-da, they finally cooked!

The next disaster to happen was the filling. It calls for egg yolks (and one whole egg) to be whisked whilst pouring in a sugar syrup, and as you keep whisking it is supposed to thicken as it cools, then you slowly add butter and you have a buttercream filling. But did that want to work? No, of course not. I think it was partly to do with not having my thermometer again. I got very annoyed and threw the whole thing down the sink.

In the end (after having left it all for a while so I could try and calm down) I ended up just doing a simple buttercream with the right flavours added. I did that, and finally assembled the macarons, after about 5 hours making them start to finish. They still looked good even if they were different sizes, but more importantly, they tasted as they should!

 So here i now present you with...

 Salted Butter Popcorn Macarons!

Will attempt the next flavour tomorrow

...after I go and purchase a new thermometer.

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! Its a fairly quiet day here as dad works away (gets home tomorrow). Went over to my Aunt and Uncles place for Brunch, which was nice, but now am back home so thought i would show you what i baked yesterday.

I had the urge to bake banana muffins, so searched the net looking for a recipe. Found this one for Double Choco-Banana Muffins. However,  must say, i was not all that happy with the results.  They didn't rise a lot and were rather dense and a bit tough....i wont use this recipe again - flavour was good though.

Here's me all set to start cooking! I got this apron when i bought a box set of Seasons 1 & 2 of Cake Boss

The recipe itself was pretty straightforward to make. A tip i have leant through baking is that instead of getting your sifter/sieve out for the flour (or buying one if you haven't already got one), just stick the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix them together using a whisk. Less effort than a sifter and just as effective!

 

So instead of making big muffins, I made little cupcakes instead, with some pretty liners that were left over from a previous batch of cupcakes. Whacked in the oven, patiently wait for them to cook and then cool.

Now, normally i use a recipe for my frostings as well, which usually end up being either a buttercream or cream cheese frosting. This time i did one a little different. Now i recently discovered this fantastic Australian online store USA Foods, which as the name suggests, stocks USA foods (I know, shocker, right!?) So i had placed an order of various items, including Reese's Peanut Butter chips (like choc chips, only PB), some chocolate bars and Goober Chocolate. I also purchased a tub of Toasted Marshmallow Creme (AKA 'Fluff') for use in Whoopie Pies that i often make. I had some of this marshmallow goo left over, so decided to make my frosting from that, some cream and icing sugar, and it turned out good, pretty sweet and fairly sticky when trying to frost the cakes, but flavour was great!

I was going to take these over to Brunch this morning, so in the spirit of christmas, i made a tree! Tada! They went down a treat :)