Some people are avid cupcakers and some are avid cookie bakers.  I suppose I am an avid macaron maker; no surprise there.  Since my successful Thanksgiving macaron batches, I’ve been thinking up ideas for my Christmas baking.  Perhaps I was drunk off holiday boxed gifting chocolates but, 1 box in, an idea hit me.  Instead of a box of gifting chocolates, I could do a box of holiday chocolate [Pot of Gold, Ferrero Rocher, Lindt etc.] inspired macarons.

This week I decided to test this idea and make my first batch.  I started with my fave of the holiday chocolates; TOFFIFEEs!

…toffee ganache…
[enough to fill about 50 macarons]

ingredients

1/2c butter
1/2c sugar
pinch of salt
6oz white chocolate chips
1/2c heavy cream

create the toffee | combine butter+sugar+salt in a sauce pan over med heat | occasionally stir
on a separate element, set up a double boiler and begin to melt the white chocolate | occasionally stir

toffee mixture will start to boil and darken in colour
monitor until it reaches 285ºF [137ºC]

when toffee mixture hits the 270ºF mark, on a 3rd element, heat cream to a simmer
gradually add cream to melted white chocolate in the double boiler | stir to combine
gradually add toffee mixture to the chocolate + cream mixture | stir to combine

pour toffee ganache into a shallow dish | let cool in room temp
once cool, cover the ganache with plastic wrap directly touching the ganache surface.
refrigerate for 2 hours – over night  | when mix thickens, it’s ready!
whip ganache with an electric mixer to soften and fluff
scoop into a pipping bag | the ganache may be stiff and difficult to pipe at first but it will soften as you work it

To assemble you will need…

-your paired macaron cookies –> recipe here <–
-a hazelnut-chocolate spread [like Nutella] | about 1/3c scooped into a pipping bag
-hazelnut pieces | a nut quartered in size or smaller

pipe a ring of toffee ganache onto 1 side of the macaron
pipe a hazelnut-chocolate bullseye in the middle
smush a hazelnut piece into the centre of the chocolate bullseye
sandwich the filling with the other macaron half

Like the curse of the Toffifee, I bet you can’t eat just 1!

Though we eat soup year ’round [mainly ramen], as winter nears, all I want is tomato soup.  I dropped the tomato hint to Mike earlier in the week and to my not so surprise, I came home Thursday night to find a kitchen counter littered with tomatoes.  TOMATO SOUP!!!  Mike made tomato soup AND grilled cheese!

…tomato soup…

ingredients

14 whole tomatoes
2 bulbs of garlic |peeled
6 shallots
1/8c parsley
1/8c thyme
1/8c basil
1/2c olive oil
1L chicken stock
salt + pepper for seasoning

roast all vegetables + spices + olive oil in a pan | season with salt + pepper
roast until caramelized
add chicken stock | bring to a simmer
blend mixture with a hand mixer or blender
pass soup through a fine mesh sieve
add salt + pepper to taste

optional: garnish with oven dried tomatoes + bacon garlic crumb
…oven dried tomatoes…

vines of mini tomatoes
olive oils
salt
peppers

line baking sheet with parchment/foil/silicone mat
spread tomatoes on baking sheet
drizzle with olive oil
season with salt + pepper
bake in oven at 225º for 4hours

…bacon + garlic crumb…

ingredients

1c raw bacon
1/4c shallots | chopped
1/8c garlic | minced
1c bread crumbs
salt + pepper + thyme | seasoning

in a pan caramelize bacon + shallots + garlic
add enough bread crumbs to soak up the fat
season with salt + pepper + thyme

…grilled cheese…

smoked applewood cheddar
braised short rib
sun choke mustard
sourdough bread
caramelized onion + bacon

sandwich accordingly and grill

Grilled cheese sandwiches are the perfect dipping accessory for any soup; especially tomato!

recipes, recipes, recipes

happy baking + cooking + grilling