Super Cute Meringue Cookies, Macarons and Marshmallows: 50 Fun Recipes for Making Unicorns, Dinosaurs, Zebras, Monkeys and More, written by Amy Chao, features an incredible collection of tutorials and recipes to create colorful little treats for every occasion. A few highlights include Purrr-Fect Hanging Cats, Adorable Elephants, Winter Wonderland Bunnies, Joyful Sea Turtles, and Sleepy Bears on Clouds. I will also be sharing her recipe for White Chocolate Ganache with Raspberry Jam following the review.
Disclosure: I received this book from Page Street Publishing in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and statements are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
Amy Chao
Amy Chao is the creator and baker behind the social media account Amy’s Kitchen (@cookingwithamyy).
Her unique treats have been featured on platforms worldwide including PopSugar, Yahoo!, Food Network, Taiwan News, Buzzfeed, Taste of Home, and more.
She is currently based in Almere, Netherlands.
Super Cute Meringue Cookies, Macarons and Marshmallows
Amy begins Super Cute Meringue Cookies, Macarons and Marshmallows with a short introduction and a few notes on essential kitchen equipment and ingredients.
I was honestly a little intimidated when I first got this book, but Amy’s instructions are incredibly detailed with notes and illustrations along the way and even troubleshooting for a variety of scenarios. Every single recipe I have tried so far has turned out beautifully!
Chapters are divided based on type of treat: Fun Meringue Friends and Floaties, Cute Character Macarons and Tasty Fillings, and Squishy Marshmallows and Hot Chocolate Surprises. The contents also have a list of included recipes and designs with page number for easy reference.
The photography is provided by Wing Lun Fung with cover and book design by Rosie Stewart. Every single recipe is paired with a full-page vibrant photo of the finished treat. There are also step-by-step photos to demonstrate specific techniques such as beating egg whites and forming marshmallows.
Each design has labeled illustrations to show the piping order of the meringues, macarons, and marshmallows. The end of the book also has macaron templates to place under parchment for shaping.
Measurements are listed in grams and tablespoons. Titles are written in English. Each recipe has a headnote with background information, difficulty level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced), yield, ingredients and equipment, and helpful tips.
White Chocolate Ganache with Raspberry Jam
Amy has included a handful of filling recipes to pair with the macaron shapes. I made her White Chocolate Ganache with Raspberry Jam to use as the center for her Sleepy Panda Macarons (recipe and template in book)!
The decadent White Chocolate Ganache comes together with simply white chocolate and heavy cream. After heating and combining until smooth, the mixture is refrigerated briefly before beating with a hand mixer to create a mousse-like consistency.
The homemade Raspberry Jam uses frozen raspberries (so you can make it any time of year!) with a large splash of lemon juice and gelling sugar (sugar with pectin) to set.
Once both components are ready, pipe the white chocolate around the edges of the cooled macaron to use as a barrier to keep the dollop of raspberry jam in the center.
Overall, I absolutely loved the combination of rich white chocolate with the raspberry jam for a sweet and tart contrast.
A Few White Chocolate Ganache with Raspberry Jam Tips
When beating the ganache with a hand mixer, only whip until the mixture turns white with a mousse-like consistency. If beaten for too long, the cream may separate. Amy mentions if the cream does separate, heat the ganache in the microwave for a few seconds until smooth, then cool and try whipping again.
For a smoother texture, you can strain the seeds from the raspberry jam after boiling. Amy kept the seeds in and so did I.
The jam needs to be prepped ahead of time (at least 6 to 8 hours in advance) and at least 30 minutes for the white chocolate ganache. I made them both a day in advance (and the macarons as well) for easy assembly the following day.
Once prepared, the ganache can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to a month. The jam can be refrigerated for up to a month and in the freezer for up to 6 months. After thawing the jam, do not freeze again.
Other Treats
I also made the Adorable Dachshunds, Beautiful Swans in a Pond, Lovely Valentine Hearts, and Cat Paw Marshmallows.
The Adorable Dachshunds were the very first treats I made from the book. These little meringue cookies don’t have an overly difficult design, but the meringue needs to be stiff enough to hold the 3D shape. Once baked and cooled, I drew the face and paws on each Dachshund with an edible marker. My daughter had such fun floating them in her hot chocolate.
The Beautiful Swans in a Pond also come from the Fun Meringue Friends and Floaties chapter. These gorgeous cookies stand upright! They took a little more effort to pipe each component, but Amy’s instructions were exact and I particularly appreciated the step-by-step diagrams to make the neck, wings, and body.
I knew the moment I opened the book that I was going to attempt the panda macarons, but wanted to test the batter on an easier shape first. These Lovely Valentine Hearts are definitely more unique than the traditional round macarons, but are still a good shape for beginners with a single color and minimal piping. Perfect for Valentine’s Day or an Anniversary, I paired them with Amy’s Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream (she also recommends adding the raspberry jam in the center).
For the Squishy Marshmallows and Hot Chocolate Surprises chapter, we decided to make the Cat Paw Marshmallows. This shape is also a good one for beginners. A round plain marshmallow base is topped with pink marshmallow paw prints. It was another favorite for pairing with hot chocolate and coffee.
Super Cute Meringue Cookies, Macarons and Marshmallows is a fantastic pick for those interested in sweet treats with adorable styling. The designs range from beginner to advance with incredibly detailed instructions and troubleshooting through every part of the process. Along with the abundance of animals, there are also seasonal and holiday-themed treats.
Most of the ingredients are readily available in larger American grocery stores and baking supply stores. Having a variety of gel food coloring, round piping tips in an assortment of sizes, and other specialty equipment such as edible markers and small paintbrushes will be helpful.
White Chocolate Ganache with Raspberry Jam Recipe
Excerpt from Super Cute Meringue Cookies, Macarons and Marshmallows
White Chocolate Ganache with Raspberry Jam
Ingredients
White Chocolate Ganache:
- 250 grams (9 ounces) white chocolate cut into chunks or in chip form
- 2/3 cup (160 milliliters) heavy cream
Raspberry Jam:
- 250 grams (9 ounces) frozen raspberries
- 150 grams (5 ounces) gelling sugar sugar with pectin added, Dr. Oetker brand suggested
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
White Chocolate Ganache:
- Place the chocolate in a heatproof glass or ceramic bowl.
- In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil.
- Once the cream starts to boil, add it to the white chocolate and wiggle the bowl so all the chocolate is covered with the cream, then let sit for 1 minute, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until all the chocolate has completely melted.
- If you still see some chunks of chocolate that haven't been melted, pop the bowl into the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Once your ganache looks smooth and all the chocolate has melted, refrigerate it for 30 minutes, or until it has a pasty consistency and a yellowish color.
- Now, mix the ganache with a hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, or just until it turns white with a mousse-like consistency. Be careful not to over whip, or the cream might split! If this does happen, heat the ganache in a microwave for a few seconds and stir until it becomes smooth again. Let it cool and whip again.
- To store the ganache, cover it with plastic wrap, placed so it touches the surface of the ganache, and keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- Thaw by microwaving the ganache in 10-second intervals, mixing with a spatula after each interval, then beat the ganache again for 1 to 2 minutes on medium speed before using.
Raspberry Jam:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the frozen raspberries, stirring constantly, until they have been softened. This should take around 5 minutes.
- Add all the gelling sugar and continue to stir until the raspberries have completely broken down and the pectin has dissolved.
- Squeeze in the lemon juice and let it boil for 5 minutes over medium heat.
- Transfer the raspberry jam directly to a Mason jar or a heatproof glass or ceramic bowl. You could strain out the seeds if you want, but I kept the seeds in mine.
- Refrigerate the jam for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
- Your raspberry jam will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- To thaw, simply transfer the jar from the freezer to the fridge and leave it there overnight.
- Once you have thawed it, do not refreeze the jam again.
To assemble:
- When filling your macarons, pipe a rim of white chocolate ganache around the edge of the macaron shell, leaving the center empty, then fill the center with raspberry jam. The ganache will prevent the jam from oozing out on the sides.
Jill
Wow! Taking macarons to a whole new, adorable level. I’m not sure I’d personally have the skills but I enjoy looking at others’ fabulous work. These are so cute!
Shelby
These are absolutely adorable, and the filling is irresistible!
Elisa
Love the design, so cute!!! Thanks for sharing đŸ™‚
Paula
This ganache looks sooooo tasty! And I can barely handle how cute those pandas are!