101 Dalmatians Macarons - Run #25

I'm a Disney lover.

Time and time again, I've gushed about how it reminds me of my childhood and popping VHS tapes of Disney classics in my VCR.

101 Dalmatians and Cookies n Cream macarons only made sense. I crushed up some REAL Oreo cookies and added them to the meringue and reserved the cream center for the filling. Luckily for me, OREO released limited edition red-filled cookies and the red of the buttercream signifies the collars the puppies wear.

I adored these! I made them for a family party and I watched my niece sneak to the table to grab another one once she finished the one she had before. I'm glad she liked them!

U Can Has Cheeseburger - Run #24

These macarons were absolutely made on accident. I used a new recipe and I did leave the vanilla macarons in the oven a few seconds too long resulting in a now "toasted" vanilla shell. I looked for a filling that would somewhat hide the added on toastiness, and lo and behold, there was a chocolate cappuccino spread in the pantry. I also had little tubes of cookie icing on hand and viola!

Cute, yes?

Okay, I am admitting again that these were not my favorite in flavor (haha), but they are one of my favorites looks wise. I'm so shallow.

Hope you like them!

Kona Coffee Macarons - Run #23

I miss Hawaii.

Before heading home to SF in October, Keat and I stopped by Ala Moana Center to do a little shopping.  I spotted the Honolulu Cookie Co. kiosk in the food court and I made a b-line straight for it.  My favorite out of all of the varieties is the Kona Coffee White Chocolate shortbread cookie.  If you've never had one before, you should really check into it.  Their signature shape is a pineapple - though there is no pineapple in the cookie.  The "leaf" part is left bare, while the "fruit" part is dipped in white chocolate.

They are amazing.

So here is another attempt of creating a Hawaiian-inspired macaron.  I've already made a cute speckled yellow mac with Dole Passionfruit jelly, tried recreating Liliha's Chantilly frosting (and failed), filled my Pink October macs with Honolulu Coffee Co. strawberry guava jam, and made an ultra blue Mauna Loa Chocolate Kiss Mac.  2 for 4 - wah!  Don't get me wrong, the Liliha failure, turned out to be a ftw in the end!  

Honestly, I was not overly happy with these.  I think I should have ground the coffee finer because there were chunks of coffee bean in the mac shell that kind of ruined the experience.  Or next time, I'll brew the Kona coffee in cream and use that to make white chocolate ganache.  The ganache in this one was too runny.  I think I rushed this one...so it's all my fault.

Yes, this is truly a learning experience, isn't it?

3 for 5.

Any suggestions for the next Hawaiian-inspired mac?

11/13/2012 - Kona Coffee Macarons with White Chocolate Ganache

Hello Kitty Macarons - Run #21

I was 16 when I first met my Manang Yolly and Manong Jeff. They were a young married couple from Maui who rented the extra room in our home. They worked at the RC with mom, so she knew they were good people.

I count Manang Yolly and Manong Jeff as a couple whom Keat and I look up to. They met as teenagers and are now a blissfully wedded couple with two smart and beautiful children - one of whom I am godmother to.  They are both so down to earth, kind, generous, loving, and most of all extraordinarily wonderful parents to their kids.  Bonus:  Manong Jeff likes guns.  Keat likes guns.  Get the picture?  If there is ever a zombie apocalypse, I know where I'll run to.  

But I digress...

Fast forward about 12 years and they are about to celebrate their youngest's 5th birthday. Chloe is the epitome of a girly girl. Pink, check. Hello Kitty, check. Crown, check. Manang Yolly throws the greatest shindigs for her kids, and I knew I was going to make macs for the party whether she asked me to or not! It would be an honor and a pleasure...

I made plain shells but colored one batch pink. I used edible inked markers to individually draw Hello Kitty's face on the white ones. I then made a fresh strawberry buttercream and voila!

Hello Kitty macarons!

But today, they were Chloe Kitty macarons.

Happy 5th birthday, Chloe!

11/1/12 - "Chloe Kitty Macarons" - Hello Kitty Shells with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream

Belle Macarons - Run #19

"Little town, it's a quiet village.  Every day like the one before..."

Don't even get me started with the "bonjours" because once I begin, I don't stop!

Belle was a favorite of mine when I was in the 2nd or 3rd grade.  My BFF's at the time at OLPH Catholic School in Daly City would sit together at recess and sing Disney songs from The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and yes, Beauty and the Beast.  My love for B&tB grew when my mom took me to see Disney on Ice at the Cow Palace and the Beauty and the Beast musical at the Orpheum. 

Clearly I had to do a Belle macaron and aside from cinnamon, I've never incorporated spices into my macs.  These were so much fun to make and had a unique flavor.  Saffron being one of the most expensive spices kind of symbolizes how Belle came from humble beginnings and found love and happiness in a gorgeous palace with everything she ever wanted.  Lucky b------------ just kidding.  =)

10/23/12 - Belle Macarons - Yellow Saffron Shells
with Chocolate Truffle Filling

Cinderella Macarons - Run #18

Today is the day before Thanksgiving.  Usually for me, it's the day I am freaking out because of all the cooking I am about to do the next day, but since I'm not cooking anything this year (thank you Fort McKinley and Nations) I'm just chillin.' It's also giving me time to review my year and truly give thanks for all the blessings I have been given.

There are 5 things this year that I am so grateful for:

1)  All the traveling I did
2)  All the good/bad macaron experiences I had
3)  My family and friends
4)  My job/my home
5)  My life - to elaborate: all the memories that make me the person I am at present.  The holidays make me look back on years past and I ALWAYS always think of my grandparents who have given me so much as a child growing up in their household.

I was truly a Disney kid...and come to think of it, I'm also a Disney adult.

My mom would buy me the VHS tapes of the movies that came out. Cinderella, Pinocchio, and The Little Mermaid were always on rotation at home.  Collecting Disney movies was a hobby, and it filled me with so much happiness when I added a new VHS to my bookcase where I kept them.  Pretty soon however, DVDs took over and soon after that digital. I hate to admit, but I no longer own a VHS or DVD player.  It's kind of sad to not being able to have a concrete possession of those movies anymore...but that's another story.

Anywho, after making several types of macarons I thought it would be a great idea to create some that are inspired by my favorite Disney characters. Cinderella was my favorite to watch as a child. You know that opening scene when Cinderella wakes up and proceeds to sing "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes?" I can recite it along with her.

So for my inaugural Disney mac, I created Cinderella with the help of my friend Jennifer A. of LoveLeis.  Her flavor idea and my baking.  Great team!  Jennifer suggested the pumpkin because of the pumpkin carriage Cinderalla rode to the ball in.  Also, it being the Autumn season, this is perfect to have because of the spice in the pumpkin pie filling.

10/21/12 - Cinderella - Light Blue Shells with Homemade Pumpkin Pie Filling

I also chose to keep them in one of those butter cookie tins because they remind me so much of my grandparents.  They used to take me on trips with them to Powell in Downtown SF.  Never fail, we'd head to the old Woolworth Store (now the Gap store) and they'd get me these tins of butter cookies.  Though they all taste the same, my favorite always seemed to be the sugar-crystal'ed pretzel shaped one.  Plus when Inang would cook, I kept myself occupied by watching Disney movies. All in all, this whole process of making hear particular macaron brought back so many memories I had with Inang and Tatay.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving weekend!  Eat lots and love lots!

xoxo,
Jo

Pink October Macarons - Run #17

October is a special month. It's in the thick of Fall. The holiday season is about to start. The weather gets a bit nippier. But October is special also because it is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Working at an oncology practice, I see breast cancer patients all the time. These patients are strong and beautiful. Over the years, some have become very special to me and it goes without saying that heartbreak is expected when it comes to cancer...but there is always hope.

I made pink macarons because I wanted to do something for my patients. I know there is more we all can do to help our friends and family affected by this illness. So walk for them, donate for them, volunteer for them until we find a cure. Ladies, please take care of yourself and have yourselves examined by your physician at your yearly physicals.

This is dedicated to my current and passed patients, my friends and family affected by cancer as well as their friends and families and especially to my Auntie Mina: RIP. We love you.

10/18/12 - "Pink October" - Pink Macarons with Strawberry Guava Jelly

San Jose Sharks Macarons - Run #16

I miss my Sharkies. I swear. This NHL lockout is getting me frustrated. With the Giants winning the World Series and the end of the MLB season, I don't know what to do with myself.

The Niner games are on once a week and its proven that it is not good for my blood pressure to watch their games. Tie?! Really?! I never was into the Warriors much. The Chicago Bulls in the 90's were my team. Period. And I'm just catching interested in the SF Bulls hockey team. So what now?!

In the NHL, I appreciate the fact that they can beat each other up when the enforcers get frustrated. I miss it so much. I suppose I can support the SF Bulls until the head honchos at the NHL can figure it out.

Til then I just have to enjoy my San Jose Sharks-inspired macarons. I tried making the shells in the same technique as I used with the birthday cake [cake cake cake] macs I made last month. The teal was on the greener side than blue, but I am extremely please with how the design came out.

Hey, at least my hubbies Ryane Clowe (San Francisco team) and Devin Setoguchi (Ontario team) are playing North America-side while my other faves are signed in Europe. I missed them last Saturday and they have another one coming up on Black Friday.

See you there!!

10/17/12 - "Chomp Chomp Chomp" - Teal Grean and Orange Shells
filled with Mint Chocolate Ganache

Leche Flan Macarons - Run #15

These macarons were made completely by accident.

Earlier in the week, I was determined to make an "I Miss Hawaii" macaron series.  I already did a Dole Plantation Jelly one and a Mauna Loa Kisses one...so what next?  I fell in love with the famous coco puff from Liliha Bakery in Kalihi that I knew I had to make a macaronized version of it.  Here is a list of some of my favorite bites from Hawaii btw.

The key to Liliha's coco puff is definitely that signature topping.  It's call chantilly frosting and it's different from the "chantilly cream" that is simply composed of whipping cream and sweetener.  Liliha's recipe is kept a secret, but many people have attempted to dissect its properties and make it.  I found a recipe online and stood in front of my double boiler whisking the eggs, butter, sugar, and everything else.  At the end of it, my filling ending up tasted like leche flan (a Filipino custard dessert) rather than chantilly frosting. I know so. I made mom taste it and asked her what it was...and she said leche flan.  I did this blind tasting with everyone in my family and they said leche flan.  Here's another to add to the Filipino mac collection!

Well then, the Liliha chantilly frosting macaron has to be attempted another day...however, this leche flan macaron was amazing!  In hindsight, I might have added too many egg yolks to the mix, but it's all good.  What a delicious mistake!

10/14/12 - Leche Flan Macarons - Light Purple Shells with Sweet Custard Filling

Macadamia Kiss Macarons - Run #14

Yes, I still was high off of our Hawaii vacation. I brought home pasalubong (souvenirs) for my family, but I ended up eating whatever I brought back myself...including the bags of Mauna Loa macadamia nut chocolate Kisses we got from ABC Store.

Because they are only available in Hawaii, they are not cheap. Whenever I go to Hawaiian festivals here on the mainland, I see them go for $7-$8 a bag! Crazy! That still didn't stop me from making a delicious macaron with melted Kisses for the filling.

They were great and I have never seen Jayla eat so many macs before!

10/11/12 - Macadamia Kiss Macarons - Mauna Loa Blue Shells Filled withMelted Macadamia Nut Kisses

Passionfruit Jelly Macarons - Run #13

Hawaii.

Oh, Hawaii.

I have a love/hate with Hawaii. It's like the Philippines, but on American soil. The food is awesome. The weather wasn't too bad. I'm still afraid of the ocean. I adore the culture, but I would freak out if I saw a line of fire torches coming down the mountain. The views are gorgeous; however, tropical islands come with tropical insects who like to eat me alive. After three days in paradise, I was stuck in bed with infected bites and Vicodin-sick-stomach. No bueno.  I did however get a taste of some macs on the island.  My friend Lara suggested we go to the Honolulu Coffee Co. at Ala Moana Shopping Center to try their Hawaiian lilikoi and haupia macs and they were delicious. 

I got really sad leaving Hawaii. It's that aloha spirit that makes me want to come back.

Seriously though, I felt like I was having macaron-making withdrawals by the time I got home.  I knew for sure that once I did get home, I would make Hawaiian-inspired macs.  We didn't make it out to the Dole Plantation, but good thing there was a Dole kiosk at the airport. I copped a jar of the Dole Plantation Passionfruit jelly! Perfect!  I also wanted to try something new as far as design.  I did a yellow shell with green speckling.  I think it looks really cute.  Don't you think?

10/10/12 - Yellow and Green-Speckled Shells filled with Passionfruit Jelly from Dole Plantation

Birthday Cake Macarons - Run #12

It was Cousin Roxanne's birthday on October 6, but unfortunately I was going to be away on vacation! To make it up to her, I baked her birthday cake [cake cake cake cake] macarons!

When we were kids, I used to bake cakes for my cousins. I used boxed mixes from Betty Crocker and Pillsbury and layered the cakes with canned frosting. There's something about canned frosting - the grittiness and how it's always too sweet and artificially flavored - that reminds us of childhood.

So what better filling was there than canned frosting? Yes, I'm very nostalgic. To make it extra special, I used coloring gel to create the different shades of the rainbow and piped a rather dope design for each mac.

This is definitely one of my favorites!

10/2/12 - Birthday Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Macarons with Rainbow Frosting

Hot Chocolate Macarons - Run #11

During the colder months of the year, nothing is better than a mug of warm creamy hot chocolate. A marshmallow or two...or three...and some whipped cream is perfection.

I took the sweet flavor of hot chocolate and literally put it in a macaron. Really. I took powdered hot chocolate mix and pulsed it in my food processor with my almond flour and confectioners sugar before proceeding with the macaronage. After whipping up a gooey masharmallow buttercream, I was in heaven.

Honestly, the cookies were great warm out of the oven. I ate four even before they got to cool thoroughly.  Chocolatey cookies tend to do that to me. 

9/30/12 -  Hot Chocolate-Flavored Macaron Shells
Filled With Marshmallow Fluff Buttercream

Pierre Herme-Inspired Pistachio Macarons - Run #10

My dear friend Lara truly believes in me...so much so that she lent me her Kitchenaid stand mixer while she tours SPAIN! Miss Jelly over here! Just teasing!

Before she left with her husband Kuya Chip for their anniversary vacay, she and I attempted to make pistachio macarons filled with Pierre Herme's recipe pistachio butter & white chocolate filling. I've had Pierre Herme's macarons smuggled to me from Paris by my Twinsy Cristina (God bless you), so I knew how good they are!

Tell me why this was a fail upon fail macaron experience! From over beating the egg whites in the stand mixer since it was our first time using it for this process, over-greening the batter til it became leprechaun-worthy, theb watching the macs bake, rise, and develop feet only to see them collapse. Don't even get me started on the filling! That was drama too!

It was so frustrating, but we got a few that were decent after making a second (less green) batch using my hand mixer and less coloring. Like I keep saying: learning experience! This is one recipe I'd like to revisit for sure!

I am not settling for "decent." They have to be "great."

9/28/12 - Pistachio Macaron Shells with
Pierre Herme-Inspired Pistacio White Chocolate Filling

The San Francisco Giants Are The 2012 World Series Champions!!

We Interrupt Our Normally Scheduled Programming To Bring You ...

THE GIANTS WON THE WORLD SERIES!

What a season!

I remember back on July 31 during the regular season, I brought my godson Keanu to a game at AT&T Park. There were new faces on the team and one man caught my attention.  Turns out we just did a trade to get him.

"Who's Scoo-tah-row?" I asked.

"Auntie, it's 'Scoot-a-row'!" he replied.

Yes, I got schooled by a 9-year-old, but it turned out to be one of the more memorable games I've been to. Soon we were counting down "magic numbers," clinching the #1 spot in the division...then the league...and finding ourselves in the Fall Classic after everyone left us for dead.

Talk about torture!

There are only a few faces left from the 2010 team: Panda, Posey, and Huff for example; nevertheless, the synergy this team had was truly magic. Crawford's boyish face radiating from that newspaper article made us want him to win and live his dream. Crazy-eyed Reverend Pence spreading his gospel game after game. Blanco and Pagan's running catches and defensive plays stopping runners in their tracks. The pitching teams' passion and skill making us binge on rally enchiladas and hashtagging #rally all over the interwebs...and doing it Gangnum Style with Romo after the 27th out. The ridiculously loud bats of Panda, Posey, and Scutaro. Belt's handling of the ball in his glove at first making out after out. Every one of them made an impact, for sure.

Last Friday, I was compelled to make Giants macarons again. My black and orange monogrammed ones were a hit; however, I didn't want to jinx them. I posted my blueprints on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook (killed 3 birds with one push of a button), but proclaiming I would only make them only after we won the series.

The day of Game 4 came, and I was anxious. I had to make them. Something told me I had to. Win or lose, they're still my team and will always be my team. So I did...

This one is dedicated to the TRUE fans. The ones who never stopped believing. The ones who stuck by them after losses, controversies, and injuries. The ones who watched the clincher from their office computers at work only to cheer as quietly as possible when Posey hit the grand slam. The ones who stayed in the rain after Game 7. The ones who were rooting them on from Opening Day and cheered them on through the 10th inning.

Congrats to the San Francisco Giants! 2012 World Series Champions.

...and yes, I really did cry after the win.

<3

I'll post a complete description with our usual collage of the macarons as we continue our "run # sequence" which shouldn't be long from now...until then...

Now back to your regular scheduled broadcasting...

Red Velvet Macarons - Run #8

So...

If you have ever been to my family parties, you will know that it is almost "expected" of me to bring some sort of red velvet "sumptin"...my fams in Union City, California already be knowing. I've brought red velvet cupcakes, red velvet cheesecake, but what I'm bum rushed for (at the door before I could even stop to kiss-kiss everyone) are my red velvet cookie whoopies. Ever since I got rave reviews for them at an SF Wars competition, I made them for my family parties.

Then I thought, "wouldn't it be fun to create a red velvet macaron?"

And that's what I did. I give you my "Southern Sweethearts":

9/23/12 - "Southern Sweethearts" - Red Velvet Shells
with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Buttercream

Buko Pandan Macarons - Run #7

I knew one of these days I had to make a Filipino-inspired mac. One of my mentors is Annapet from The Daily Palette whom we fondly call "Ninang" or godmother in Tagalog. Earlier in the year at one of our kapaMEALya potlucks, she brought over amazing ube macarons with Brazo de Jun Belen filling! Thanks to Arnold of inuyaki for the pic. They were to die for! She became an inspiration.

Now that I'm making my own, I cherish all the kind words and advice I receive, especially when they come from her and other macaron makers.

So for my first Filipino mac, I chose "buko pandan" or screwpine leaf and coconut flavor. Buko pandan is a dessert which consists of tapioca, gelatin, sweet coconut gel in a cream flavored with pandan and coconut. I wanted to encapsulate that flavor in a mac. I used a green pandan extract and powdered coconut flavor for both the shell and frosting. While not the best macs (aesthetically/technique-wise) I've made thus far, the flavor was there.

9/21/12 - "Buko Pandan" - Screwpine and Coconut Flavored Macarons

Stuffed French Toast and Bacon Macarons - Run #6

Bacon.

Chic? Ou passe?

Bacon is just one of those things where it can be good with everything, but I understand when people say that putting it in everything needs to stop...especially when it is stuck in a dessert.  Well, this is probably going to be the last time I will ever put bacon in a dessert...or will it?

Sometimes savory and sweet are meant to be together!
Behold!  All the flavors of brunch in one little macaron:

9/19/12 - "Stuffed French Toast and Bacon" Macarons
Cinnamon shells with Canadian maple-cream cheese buttercream
and studded with Maple Niman Ranch Bacon



San Francisco Giants Inspired Macarons - Run #5

San Francisco. 

The Giants have the best fans.  Through the good through the bad and of course the torture. Can you believe how great they were last night?!  I swear, it had to be all those rally enchiladas!  Vogey was amazing!  I hope the energy we give them tonight will carry them to the World Series!  Keep believing!

Ever since I was a kid watching Willie McGee stealing bases, hanging Kurt Manwaring's centerfold picture on my wall over my bed, and cheering on my favorite trio:  Will the Thrill, Matt Williams, and Robby Thompson, I have been a fan.  Of course, growing up with the Barry Bonds homerun record, getting devestated with the 2002 World Series loss, calling JT Snow my husband, and finally almost coming to tears watching them win the 2010 Word Series have made my life as a fan a rollercoaster. 

Nevertheless, I love my team...and this was for them and all their faithful fans!

GAME 7!!  We got this!

9/16/12 - "Black & Orange" - David Lebovitz's chocolate macarons
colored further with black gel and monogrammed with the official
SF Giants logo filled with salted caramel buttercream

I will forever say "Go Giants!"

Linkin Park Inspired Macarons - Run #4

On Friday, September 7, my friends and I went to the Civic Tour at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Moutain View, California.  My most favorite band in the world (they are the only artist on my iPhone) would be playing a set of my most favorite songs ever.  Still smitten from the most awesome concert ever, I made these lovelies:

9/13/12 - "LP Fanatic" - vanilla shells topped with chocolate LP logo
and filled with Nutella buttercream

  This was my 3rd time seeing them in concert.  I don't think I can ever get sick of seeing them live.  Such a great show.  I love you, Mike!