Christmas noms: Eggnog macarons

Eggnog eggnog eggnog. Creamy spiced bozziness. What's not to love about eggnogg?

I have raved about my love of eggnog before, and what better way to celebrate Christmas eggy-nogginess than to make Eggnog Macarons!

Now, while I do try and post really easy recipes up on my blog, every now and then I like to make a use-every-bowl-in-the-kitchen kinda recipe just as a challenge and just because it's so much fun.

Only when there is a dishwasher nearby, of course.

This is one such recipe.

Caramel Latte Macarons: coffee macs with salted caramel filling

Actually, this seems to be the basic need of the human heart in nearly every great crisis - a good hot cup of coffee. ~ Alexander King

I know I've been moaning about exams and studying for a while.  Now, looking back on it though, it really wasn't all doom and gloom.

Studying/working-till-all-hours teaches you all sorts of new skills and life lessons, like: how to take strategic 10 minute power-naps; how to disguise how scummy your hair is by putting it up in an alty top-knot; and most importantly: the art of getting as much caffeine into your system as possible.

Lately, I've been gorging myself on Nestle Caramel Latte sachets.  I know all you coffee snobs out there are gasping in horror.  I like to think of these instant coffee drinks as a caffeinated coffee flavoured treat rather than an actual coffee.  

Caramelly and frothy and with that essential caffeine kick.  What's not to love?

However, there is only so much coffee-drinking one can before the old bladder doth protesteth.  That's when you get to the coffee-eating, that's where the coffee baking comes in: Coffee Macarons with Salted Caramel Filling.

Think caramel latte but a macaron.  Words can't espresso how good these are.

All Black Sesame Macarons with Coconut Buttercream for Baking for Hospice

Rugby is a wonderful show: dance, opera and, suddenly, the blood of a killing ~ Richard Burton

I'm baaaaaack! It was study break last week and I was up in Auckland spending lots of quality time with family.  A happy sad week, witnessing the beginning of a brand new life and the twilight of another.  Reliving old memories, making new ones.  Lots of laughs, lots of tears.  It might look like I abandoned the blog for a bit but I was baking up a storm so watch this space for all the baking shenanigans I got up to!

Well, if you're in New Zealand, unless you've been living under a rock, you will know that little old NZ is hosting the Rugby World Cup 2011.

It's kind of a big deal.

Rugby is our national sport.  Kiwis live and breathe rugby and the All Blacks are national heroes.  But despite the All Blacks being favourites to win practically every Rugby World Cup since it's inception, we unbelievably haven't won or hosted the prestigious Webb Ellis Trophy since the very first RWC in 1987.

But this year is THE year! I can feel it in my bones.

So naturally, to show our support for our men in All Black, the Baking for Hospice theme this round was The Rugby World Cup round.  And for my contribution I made All Black Sesame Macarons with Coconut Buttercream.

Go ABs!

{Paint the town black, all black}

Let it snow: Vanilla macarons with rose quince buttercream

 

"They're crispy on the outside but chewy on the inside and taste very hard to make" ~ my husband when he tasted his first macaron.

Macarons: delicate little cookie sandwiches that are the epitome of french baking chic.  These wee things may look pretty and delectable but macarons are notoriously difficult to make.  Apparently even seasoned patisserie chefs can get a dud batch depending on the humidity, weather and a million other mysterious variables.

I have never got the guts up to try to make macarons.  Yes, the thought of making these dainty morsels scared the bejeebers out of me!  Until finally, a couple of weeks ago, I decided to face my fear. I decided to make macarons.

Seems appropriate that seeing as it is snowing outside today, I blog about my attempt at tackling my culinary Everest: Macarons, by making snowy white Vanilla Macarons with Rose Quince Buttercream.

{snowed in: road closed, lectures cancelled...time for a cuppa}

"Can the Snow Queen come in?" said the little girl.
"Only let her come in!" said the little boy. "Then I'd put her on the stove, and she'd melt."
~ Hans Christian Andersen