CSR Bake A Difference - Macaron on Cupcake

Christmas is just 11 days away and I am excited on the ideas of Christmas baking I have in mind.  This macaron on cupcake is one of them. I always have a thing for macaron and last year I spent most of my Sunday afternoon baking cupcake with different flavor. Well this year, why not combining those 2 of my favorite sweet things together for bake a difference post?

This fund raising event of Bake a difference encourage people to bake their Christmas presents instead of buying them and donate the money they save to Mission Australia. You can make donation here. CSR will match each donation dollar up to $100,000.00. This year I am honored to be able to be a part of this great cause by baking Macaron on Cupcake.

Macaron On Cupcake

Basic Macaron Shells Ingredients

225g Pure Icing Sugar

140g Almond Meal

100g Aged Egg Whites (One day Old)

1 teaspoon Egg White Powder

Method

1. Line two baking trays with baking paper.

2. Combine the icing sugar and almond meal. Sift together twice, discarding anything remaining on the sieve.

3. In Electric Mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add the food coloring to the egg whites.

4.  Fold the sifted sugar and almond meal into the egg whites, continuing to fold until the mixture is glossy and moves slowly when the bowl is tilted.

5. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with 5 mm plain piping nozzle. Pipe rounds onto the baking tray. Spacing them approximately 2 cm apart. Tap the tray firmly on the bench a couple of times to knock out any air bubbles

6. The macaron shells must now stand at room temperature until crust forms ( this may take up to 1- 2hours, depending on the humidity of the room). When they are ready, you should be able to touch one lightly and have no mixture stick to your finger.

7. Preheat oven to 130°C

8. Place macaron shells into the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes

9. Once the macaron firm to touch, remove them from the oven and cool completely on the baking tray.

Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients

120g Plain Flour

140g Caster Sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of Salt

40g Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

120ml Whole Milk

1 Egg

1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C

2. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a electric mixer with paddle attachment (or you can use the handheld electric whisk).. Beat on slow speed until get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually pour in half of the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.

3. Whisk the eggs, vanilla extract and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated. Scrape the side of the bowl with rubber spatula. Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture smooth. Do not over mix.

4.Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full.

5.Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly int the tray before turning out onto the wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

300g Icing Sugar, sifted

50g Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

125g Cream Cheese, cold

Method

1. Beat the icing sugar and butter together on medium slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.

2. Add the cream cheese in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated. Turn the mixer up to medium high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes.

When the cupcakes are cold, pipe the Cream Cheese frosting n top and decorate with Macaron and I used green tea button, which I bought them in Japan for decoration.

Isn't these look like snowman?

I really had some fun making this macaron on cupcake for Bake a Difference. Thank you to Penny from Jeroxie, Addictive and Consuming for hosting this event.

Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce

(Adapted from "Poh's Kitchen"- Poh Ling Yeow)

If you watch Masterchef Australia Season 1, you must remember the runner up contestant, Poh Ling Yeow. I am the biggest fan of her cooking. I always find her cooking very stylish and very interesting. Although, I was very dissapointed when she didn't win the "Masterchef' tittle and I made a promise to myself, if she were going to publish a book one day, on the first week she launch the book, I would rush myself to bookstore to buy her cook book. Approximately 1 year and few months later, she's not only made her dream come true but she made mine as well.  She publish the cookbook called "Poh's Kitchen". Big yay!

The recipes on her cookbook is exactly like what I imagined in my mind, which in my opinion is more for home cook and introducing the food from many countries, from Asian to Western dishes. This sticky date pudding with butterscotch sauce is really caught my eye. Sticky date pudding may sound simple and traditional but as Poh mentioned on her book "This is an oldie but a Goodie", which I am totally agree. 

Here it is, I present you Poh's version of Sticky date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce.

Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce

Ingredients
200g Dates, pitted and chopped
1 cup (250ml) Water
1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda)
1 teaspoon Ginger, finely grated
100g Unsalted Butter, softened
145g Caster Sugar
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
185g Flour, sifted
2 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder, sifted
Double Cream, to serve
Strawberries, to serve


Method
1. Preheat oven to 170°C


2. Line a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper. Place the dates, water and bicarbonate soda in a small sauce pan and bring to the boil. Set aside and cool

3. In an electric cake mixer, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, beating thoroughly each time. Add the vanilla, fold in the flour and date mixture.

4. Bake on the middle shelf for approximately 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the pudding comes out clean.

Butterscotch Sauce

Ingredients

100g Unsalted Butter

220g Brown Sugar

125ml Pouring Cream

Method

Combine butter, brown sugar and cream in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and set aside until required

Serve the pudding warm with a large spoonful of the butterscotch sauce drizzled directly onto the pudding, a dollop of double cream and strawberries on the side.