Elmo Macarons

February 3: Elmo’s Birthday

Islander LOVES Elmo!!! She just can’t resist the Sesame Street star with the bright red fur and big eyes, nose and smile. He exudes energy, optimism, cheer and playfulness—all of which are positive qualities that we need more of, not just in “Elmo’s World” but in ours. Islander has an accumulation of toys, clothing, cups and party decorations (gifts from Highlander, family, friends and even herself!) that rivals any kid’s collection.

In honor of Elmo on his birthday, Islander gave macarons a makeover by piping on his famous facial features to add a peppy personality to the petite French cookies. Elmo is her muse and the inspiration behind the dessert decorations. Pictured below in the visual tutorials are a variety of her beloved Elmo “models” who joined her in our kitchen while making macarons. Happy birthday, Elmo!

Listen to Elmo’s Song.

Recipe

For the basic macarons (Italian meringue method)

• 1 cup almond flour/meal
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 egg whites (fresh, unpasteurized and aged overnight at room temperature)
• ½ cup sugar, granulated white
• ¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• red food coloring

Directions

Sift the almond flour/meal with the powdered sugar. Grind in a food processor in batches to remove any lumps (optional). Whip the egg whites until peaks form. Make a simple syrup to stabilize the egg whites by boiling the sugar and water together until it reaches a temperature of 245 degrees F on a candy thermometer (or until it reaches a soft ball stage). Pour into the egg whites and whip again until stiff and glossy.

Fold in the almond flour/meal-sugar mix until the consistency “flows like magma.” Mix in the vanilla flavoring. Tint the macaronage with red food coloring. (We used a combination of red liquid drops and red concentrated gel icing color but recommend the latter for a more vibrant hue and less liquid in the macaronage.) Pipe one-inch discs on a parchment paper on top of an insulated baking sheet.

Let the discs air dry to develop a thin skin for at least 30 minutes. Bake in a preheated oven at 300 degrees F for about 15 minutes. Watch the “feet” develop, but be careful not to brown or burn the macarons. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Peel off the macarons from the parchment paper. Sort by size and match pairs.  Make the filling.

For the chocolate ganache filling

(Adapted from Baker’s Chocolate)

• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate squares (we used Baker’s brand)

Directions

In a saucepan, heat the whipping cream on medium-low heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. In a microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt the chocolate squares. Pour the cream into the melted chocolate. Stir until well combined. Let cool to thicken. Whip the chocolate ganache until it reaches a spreadable consistency.

Fill a pastry bag with a large round tip. Pipe in the filling and sandwich the macarons together. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the filling set.

For Elmo’s face decorations

• 1 tube white frosting (for the eyes)
• mini chocolate chips (for the pupils)
• 1 tube orange frosting (for the nose)

Directions

Pipe two small rounds (eyeballs) with the white tube frosting near the edge of a macaron. Add the mini chocolate chips (pupils) on the point of the white icing of the eyes.

Complete the facial features by piping in a small round (nose) with the orange tube frosting. Let the orange frosting dry for a few minutes before gently pressing down on any tips of the nose. Refrigerate the macarons to set. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Notes

• Elmo is our muse and model for making macarons and is the inspiration behind our entry into the January 2011 MacAttack challenge following the “MacInspiration” theme.
• Visit Elmo and all his friends on Sesame Street. The official site has a selection of videos, coloring pages, interactive games, playlists and more! PBS TV has similar stuff.
• Watch a YouTube interview with Elmo on the Sesame Street channel.
• Listen to an interview with Kevin Clash, the positive puppeteer behind Elmo, on Wisconsin Public Television. “Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey” won the Special Jury Prize at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.
• Sesame Street fans who like our Elmo macarons may be interested in our Cookie Monster cupcakes.

Bubenschenkel

(St. Blaise Fry Bread)

February 3: Feast Day of St. Blaise

Catholics seem to have strange customs, such as the Blessing of the Throats on the Feast Day of St. Blaise. But this tradition of praying for one’s health during wintry weather has only good intentions. The food associated with St. Blaise, bubenschenkel (German for “boy’s thighs”), however, is even stranger. The fried, puffy bread looks like shorts, a summer clothing.  Whatever the season or ritual reason, it is still a fun experience to get your throat blessed and eat bubenschenkel in honor of St. Blaise.

Recipe

(Adapted from Cooking with the Saints by Ernst Schuegraf)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• ¼ cup warm water
• 1 cup milk, scalded and cooled
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• pinch of sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 6 cups flour
• oil for frying

Directions

Dissolve the yeast in water. Set aside. In a mixer with the dough hook attached, place the milk, melted butter, sugar, salt, eggs and flour. Pour in the dissolved  yeast. Mix until a dough is formed. Transfer to a bowl, cover and place in a warm oven and let the dough double in size for about an hour.

Roll out the dough on a clean and slightly floured surface to ½-inch thick. Cut into 2- by 4-inch rectangles. Make a slit in the middle to resemble “shorts.”

Let the bubenschenkel rise for another 15 minutes in the oven. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Yield: Approximately 18 pieces.

Notes

• In the iconography of St. Blaise, he is often associated with a pair of candles, traditionally those made of beeswax and crossed. There are fancier versions of St. Blaise candles available for the Blessing of the Throats ceremony. Candles are popular around this time of the year, especially during the week of Candlemas.
• Bubenschenkel is a bland bread. Serve with honey or as a side dish.

Groundhog Day Cupcakes

February 2: Groundhog Day/Candlemas/Feast Day of the Presentation of the Lord

In observance of the unusual American tradition of Groundhog Day, we made some cute yet creepy critter cupcakes resembling the woodchuck weather forecaster. Our candy “groundhog” appears to be bursting from a burrow of a chocolate cupcake iced with snow white frosting.

According to folklore, if a groundhog emerging from its underground home on February 2 is not frightened upon seeing its shadow, it will leave the hole, signifying that winter will soon end and spring will come early. But if the groundhog sees its shadow and goes back into hiding and hibernation, it is predicted that winter will continue for six more weeks.

This custom parallels some beliefs about Candlemas or the Presentation of the Lord Feast Day, when Mary and Joseph brought out baby Jesus to the temple 40 days after his Christmas birth after hiding in Egypt from the evil King Herod. Just as the groundhog is a sign for things to come, so is Jesus the Messiah. Temple Elder “Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: ‘This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.’” (Luke 2:34-35 NIV).

Who knew that Groundhog Day cupcakes could also be edible evangelism?

Recipe

Ingredients

• Chocolate cupcakes (for the ground/burrow base)
• Vanilla frosting (for the snow)
• Oreo cookies (for the dirt)
• Mini Almond Joy chocolate bars (for the groundhog’s body)
• Chocolate chips (for the groundhog’s ears)
• Mini chocolate chips (for the groundhog’s pupils)
• White Tic-Tac breath mints (for the groundhog’s tooth)
• 1 tube white icing (for the groundhog’s eyeballs)
• 1 tube pink icing (for the groundhog’s nose)
• 1 tube chocolate icing (for the groundhog’s cheeks and assembly)

Directions

Bake and cool the chocolate cupcakes. Generously spread the tops of the cupcakes with vanilla frosting, pulling upwards to create fluffy points (this gives the illusion of the groundhog bursting up from its snow-covered burrow).

Put 3-5 Oreo cookies in a plastic bag, letting the air out as much as possible. Use a rolling pin to crush the cookies into fine crumbs. Sprinkle on top of the frosted cupcakes. Set aside. Create an assemly line to make the groundhog candy toppers by preparing the rest of the ingredients.

Dab a small amount of chocolate tube icing on two regular size chocolate chips and a Tic-Tac breath mint to secure the ears and tooth to the mound on the Almond Joy. Pipe two rounds of chocolate cheeks over the Tic-Tac breath mint. Use the white tube icing to make the eyeballs.

Place two mini chocolate chips, points down, on the white eyeballs to make the pupils. Complete the groundhog’s face by piping a small round nose with the pink tube icing. Add a toothpick to the bottom end of the groundhog candy topper. Insert it into the middle of the frosted cupcake. Present the Groundhog Day cupcakes on a platter to serve.

Notes

• Punxsutawney Phil from Pennsylvania is the nation’s most popular woodchuck weather forecaster. Read more about the groundhog’s predictions for a late or early spring at PunxsutawneyPhil.com or Groundhog.org.
• Substitute the chocolate chips for mini chocolate M&M’s to make the ears and cheeks of the groundhog. Or just pipe them in with the chocolate tube icing outfitted with a small round tip.