Friday, April 30, 2010

Orange Bergamote Tea Macaron with a Prune Cardamom Filling

The next on the list was to use the Prunes Cardamom filling I had made. However, I was wondering how would you say it? Prunes Cardamom Filling or Cardamom Prune Filling, which comes first? the igredient that dominates the dish or whatever sounds exotic..
Anywhos, here goes the recipe:

GET
 65 gms Almond Meal / Powdered Almonds
80 g Icing Sugar
15 g Orange Bergamot Tea                                                                     
40 g Fine Sugar
50 g Egg White


SET
* Egg Clarification: If you have the time, it is better to separate the egg whites from the yolks 48 hours before you start making macarons. The whites should be stored in a box in the refrigerator and taken out hour before you start the preparations.
* Take the almond powder, bergamote tea leaves and the icing sugar, pass it through a mixer.
* Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt (if they haven't been clarified before), and gradually add the sugar. Beat untill stiff peaks are formed.
* Sift the almond flour and sugar mixture over the beaten eggs.
* Fold in the powder with a light yet firm hand. Mix in circular motions until the powder is well incorporated. Take a small portion of this mixture in a bowl and add the colours or flavourings. Then incorporate well into the main mixture.This is the time to add in the lemon zest.
* Mix well only untill the mixture is smooth, shiny and glossy.
* Spoon batter into piping bags and pipe small (or large) circles on a baking sheet. Sprinkle some bergamot tea leaves over each shell.
* Bake at 150°C for 10-11 minutes.
* Cool the sheet once out of the oven and gently release the macaron shells from the paper.
* Keep the shells inverted on a wire rack to cool down.

Prune Cardamom Filling
This is perhaps the easiest yummiest filling to make with a heady note of cardamom.

GET
500 g of prunes/plums
200 g sugar
150 g white chocolate (chopped)
5 green cardamom pods

SET
* Chop the prunes into small pieces, add the sugar and heat this mixture on a medium high heat till the sugar melts and the liquid starts to boil.
* Peel the pods, slightly grind the seeds with the use of a mortar and pestle (if you have one), else substitute with 5 tsps of cardamom powder.  Add the powder to the prune mixture. Finally add the white chocolate;
* Cook on a medium heat until the mixture becomes nice and pulpy. Take off the heat and let it cool off completely.


The Final GO
* Pair the macaron shells and sandwich them with a generous helping of the prune cardamom filling.

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