Thursday, September 8, 2011

Sencha Flavoured Macarons with White Chocolate

I had extra egg whites remaining from another baking session but honestly I cannot remember what that was. So I decided to make some macarons which I have not done so for a long while now. As I went about measuring my ingredients, I had this phobia at the back of my mind. What happens if the macarons "bomb" out? It has happened in the past before! For such an uncomplicated recipe it really does test one's patience. Luckily this time round it was a success .. yeehah! I made Sencha flavoured macarons. Sencha is actually the other fancy name for Green Tea.

sencha mac 5


Sencha tea is a popular green tea from Japan made from the top parts of the tea leaf and tea buds. The tea leaves and buds are processed whole.
Japanese plantations produce the sencha leaves, with each region producing a distinct flavor of tea leaves. The leaves are harvested during April and May, and the first new tea leaves are especially sweet.

The leaves are steamed for less than a minute to stop oxidation. The whole leaves are then rolled into long cylinders and dried. The last step is to fire the leaves to preserve them and ensure that its flavour is locked in. Steaming makes Japanese teas quite distinct from Chinese green teas, and it gives the Japanese teas a grassier, vegetable flavor. (Guess you either love it or hate it!) Steamed tea leaves make a greener tea than leaves that are roasted, as with teas. The steaming process also helps to prevent oxidation and gives the tea a longer shelf life. Sencha tea accounts for about 80% of the tea consumed in Japan. It is usually served hot in the winter and chilled in warmer weather.

sencha mac 4


Sencha Flavoured Macarons with White Chocolate
Makes about 15 macarons
Recipe adapted from The Sweet Life in Paris (Broadway) by David Lebovitz

Ingredients for Macaron Batter:

110g icing sugar
1/2 cup powdered almonds (about 2 ounces, 50 gr, sliced almonds, pulverized)
1 tsp sencha dried tea leaves (you can use any other tea leaves)
2 large egg whites (about 60g), aged for 24 hours at room temperature
4 Tbsp granulated sugar

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 160C.

2) Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2-inch, 2 cm) ready.

3) Grind together the icing sugar with the almond powder and sench tea leaves in a food processor for about 10 - 15 seconds. Remove and sieve through a fine siever and set aside.

4) Place egg whites into a clean dry mixing bowl. Beat the egg whites until almost soft peaks, about 2 minutes or so. Then slowly add in the granulated sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks. Do not overbeat.

5) Carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. When the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you’re alone).

6) Pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1-inch (3 cm) circles (about 1 tablespoon each of batter), evenly spaced one-inch (3 cm) apart.

7) Rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons. Leave the macarons aside for about 40 minutes. After that bake them for 15-18 minutes. Let cool completely then remove from baking sheet.

White Chocolate Buttercream
(Makes about 6 cups)

Ingredients:

10oz good quality white Chocolate
4 Egg whites
1 cup granulated Sugar
1 lb Butter, at room temperature

Method:

1) Place the chocolate and into a bowl and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Be careful not to let any water get into the chocolate or it will bind up. You may also place the chocolate into a microwave safe bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and microwave for 10 seconds at a time in order not to burn the chocolate. Removing it after each 10 seconds and stir.

2) Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Now start to gradually add the sugar a little at a time. When all the sugar has been incorporated beat on high till stiff peaks form.

3) Add the butter a little at a time.

4) Now add the melted white chocolate while beating slowly and then beat till smooth. The buttercream can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. To use, let it thaw and then rewhip it again to smooth consistency. Left over buttercream can be frozen for up to a month.

sencha mac 2


sencha mac 1


sencha mac 3

16 comments:

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Mmmm..... They look so good and perfect! Love making macaroons, and I know aaaall about that phobia that lies in the back of the head. But thank God both of my attempts so far have turned out succesful!! :)
What a creative flavour, by the way!! White chocolate and green tea, never would've thought of such a combination!!

Thanks for sharing!!

www.thecreativemuslimah.blogspot.com

Cool Chic Style Fashion said...

Bellissimi :) ciao

Sherleen.T said...

the macaroon looks so good...wonder how it taste too :)

Edith said...

Jo, mac is back in season. I am seeing so many now and yours also very tempting.

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

after finished making mooncakes, next project will be Macarons ^^. Love yours with white chocolate filling.

Sashquatch said...

Ive never hear of sencha before but it sounds absolutely delicious and your macarons most certainly didnt bomb out :) I tasted my first macaron the other day and am determined to bite the bullet and try them sometime soon! beautiful recipe and photos :)

Adriana said...

I love it! Looks so delicious! Your Macarons are wonderful!

tigerfish said...

If you keep the secret about the sencha in the macarons, that might just be the secret ingredient that gets people guessing....hmmmm...."what's in you macarons?"

Kathy said...

Those macarons look adorable! The recipe looks so simple, but the outcome looks like it took hours or strenuous work to get such great results

http://cupcakes-music-fashion.blogspot.com

Janine said...

oh these look fantastic - I love sencha too, and white chocolate sounds like a perfect combination to it! Love the little flakes of tea in the shell too!

Honey Bee Sweets said...

I have to agree with Edith, macs are indeed back in "fashion" again! Geese, I wish I can make such nice ones like yours...not to mention the creativity in flavor combination. 

adish said...

looking so delicious

LuxuryPix is Boulder Colorado’s local premiere real

estate virtual tour provider, supplying image based

marketing solutions to make your business soar above the

competition.
Virtual Tour of Homes

El said...

I've never had sencha before but these look perfectly elegant. Gorgeous!

voip services said...

marketing solutions to make your business soar above the competition.

www.muebles-en-rivas.com said...

Quite worthwhile info, much thanks for the post.

Related Posts with Thumbnails