Rum Macarons

August 16: National Rum Day

Ahoy there, macaron mateys! Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! It is National Rum Day and we have filled our macarons with booze (instead of our bodies, as we do not really drink much alcohol). The rum in the buttercream filling tempers the sweetness of the rum-flavored macaron shells. We also dusted them in edible gold glitter for a treasure trove effect to make a pirate proud. Our recipe follows this month’s MacAttack theme of “Kick-It-Up Liquor Macs” for the MacTweets website challenge. Bite into our booze-infused rum macarons and you’ll be hooked! Aye!

Recipes

For the rum macaron shells (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
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla or coconut extract (we used the latter for a complementary flavor)
• 1 tablespoon rum (we used Bacardi gold rum)

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. Stir in the vanilla or coconut extract and rum. Fold in the almond flour/meal-sugar mix until the consistency “flows like magma.”

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 rum buttercream filling

• ¼ cup (½ stick) butter, softened
• pinch of salt
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons rum (we used Bacardi gold rum)
• edible pearl dust (we used Wilton brand gold color to match the gold rum theme)

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with a pinch of salt until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar. Thin to a spreadable consistency with rum a few tablespoons at a time. Add more powdered sugar if the filling is too thin. 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.

Using a dry, food-safe brush, paint both sides of the macaron shells with edible pearl dust to give them a golden luster.

Notes

• Thanks to our matey Lisa L. for the almond flour/meal from Germany. Aaaarrr!
• For more rum recipes on National Rum Day, check out our blog post for Bacardi Rum Cake.
• The technique for these rum macarons are similar to our champagne macarons which we made on December 31 for National Champagne Day.
• Get more alcoholic “kicks” and click on the MacTweets website to see other “lush-ous” liquor-flavored macarons.

St. Roch’s Fingers

August 16: Feast Day of St. Roch

We got a little sidetracked on one of our summer trips in “Little Italy” in Boston, Massachussetts. Instead of following the Freedom Trail, we ended up following the procession of St. Roch (San Rocco). We saw his statue raised on a platform and draped in dollar bills and checks given by those seeking prayerful intercessions and giving thanks for their life’s blessings (the money is given to various charities in the community). We curiously joined the crowd and marching band and walked with them for a little while until we made our way back on the Freedom Trail. Later we learned that one of the town’s churches, in conjuction with the saint’s society and other local organizations, sponsors an annual festival in honor of St. Roch. Although we did not attend the celebration then and missed out on sampling the food items from the vendor booths, we have observed his feast day at home by making a dessert in his honor. St. Roch’s Fingers reminds us of a mini version of the Italian tiramisu except it is more simple. Try this cool custard-in-cookies for a hot summer day and especially for the Feast Day of St. Roch.

Recipe

(Adapted from Cooking With the Saints by Ernst Scheugraf)

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• pinch of salt
• ½ tablespoon brandy
• lady finger cookies (we used Alessi brand)

Directions

Microwave the milk on high power for at least 45 seconds until scalded. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with sugar and salt until pale yellow. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly. Transfer to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until thickened (more than five minutes) but do not boil the custard.

Strain and discard excess liquid and cool the custard to room temperature. Refrigerate to set. Mix in the brandy until smooth. Cut a few lady finger cookies to fit the bottom and sides of a small cup or dessert bowl.

Fill with custard over the lady finger cookies. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to allow the flavors to blend and the lady finger cookies to soften. Sprinkle with a little cocoa powder or grated chocolate, add a swirl of whipped cream and top with a cherry (optional). Serve chilled.

Notes

• Learn more about St. Roch and the tradition of his procession and festival at St. Rocco’s Feast Association of Malden website.
• With leftover lady finger cookies, try the tastier tiramisu recipe in October for National Dessert Month.

St. Lawrence Fried Fish

August 10: Feast Day of St. Lawrence

Having traveled to both sides of the coasts of North America, we try to take advantage of sampling the seafood there. Just last month, for business and pleasure, we were near the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans and ate fresh catch from the Gulf of St. Lawrence (Canada) and St. Lawrence Island (Alaska). So for the Feast Day of St. Lawrence, we fried some fish. Although the recipe calls for any type of fillet, we used halibut, which is a popular fish in both areas. St. Lawrence is also one of the patron saints of Canada, Highlander’s birth country, and of chefs! In honor of the martyr who died for the faith by being burned by a gridiron, have some fried fish on his feast day.

Recipe

(Adapted from Cooking With the Saints by Ernst Scheugraf)

Ingredients

• 2 small onions
• 2 small potatoes
• ¼ cup flour
• ½ tablespoon rosemary, crushed and dried
• ½ tablespoon dill, fresh
• 2 fish fillets (we used halibut)
• bacon strips (3-4 strips per person)
• butter
• ¼ cup cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

Cut off the stem and root of each onion but do not peel.  Wash the potatoes and prick with a fork but also do not peel. Wrap each vegetable in heavy foil and bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for about 30-45 minutes, or until they are softened. Keep warm on the side.

On a lipped plate, mix the flour with the rosemary and dill. Dredge the fish fillets in this mixture. Fry the bacon in a pan and remove when cooked and crisped. Drain on paper towels. In the same pan, fry the fish in the bacon drippings for about 2-3 minutes or until browned and covered in some bacon bits. Be careful not to overcook the fish. Transfer the fish fillets to a plate and serve with the baked onion and potatoes. Add butter and cheese to the potatoes if desired.

Notes

• According to the cookbook author, the name of this recipe comes from the fish that were caught in the St. Lawrence River in Canada and fried on the banks in lots of bacon drippings. It is an outdoor recipe to be cooked over a campfire but has been adapted for the indoor kitchen.
• Thanks to Lisa L. for the fish platter from Germany.