Celebrating Japanese New Year....le Macaron de Shōgatsu!

This article is part of "The Macaron Series"
http://lafleuraucacao.blogspot.com/2009/10/in-mood-for-loveand-macaronthe-macaron.html

As we count down along with the crystal ball in NYC, January 1st is also considered by most Japanese to be one of the most important annual festivals and has been celebrated for centuries with its own unique customs. After an evening a festivities, toasts with Champagne, and feeling at ease on my day off, I decided to create macaron that celebrate Japanese New Year (正月) or Shōgatsu.


Japanese people eat a special selection of dishes during the New Year celebration called osechi-ryōri (御節料理). This consists of boiled seaweed (昆布), fish cakes (蒲鉾), mashed sweet potato with chestnut (栗きんとん), simmered burdock root (金平牛蒡), and sweetened black soybeans (黒豆). Many of these dishes are sweet, sour, or dried, so they can keep without refrigeration—the culinary traditions date to a time before households had refrigerators, when most stores closed for the holidays.

This special macaron incorporates one of the ingredients from osechi-ryōri, sweet chestnut, with 2 other signature flavours of Japan, Red Bean (赤豆) and Matcha Green Tea (抹茶).


~ le Macaron de Shōgatsu ~

Makes 20 Macarons

6 Sweet Roasted Chestnuts - cut into 1/4" cubes

1 batch of red bean flavoured macaron shells
for the Macaron Recipe, please click on this link below for the recipe for the Earl Grey Macaron:
http://lafleuraucacao.blogspot.com/2009/10/earl-grey-macaronnew-creation-for.html

* Replace the 8g of Earl Grey tea powder with 8g of Red Bean (Kochi An) powder

1 batch of Matcha Ganache
for the Matcha Ganache Recipe, please click on this link below for the recipe for the le Macaron de l'amour:
http://lafleuraucacao.blogspot.com/2009/11/macarons-that-shimmered-for-union-of.html


Assemble the le Macaron de Shōgatsu:
1. Place the ganache into a piping bag and pipe mixture onto one macaron shell.
2. Place 3-4 pieces of sweet roasted chestnut cubes into the ganache.
3. Gently press an un-piped shell onto the ganache until the ganache just reaches the rim of the macaron.
4. Dust very lightly with Matcha powder if desired.

Bon Appetit!

Recipe: Szechuan Spiced Israeli Couscous with Infused with Dried Shiitake

~ Szechuan Spiced Israeli Couscous with Infused with Dried Shiitake ~

An Asian flavoured vegan side dish that is a perfect addition to your holiday dinner!


This recipe is an extension to a previous post:
Where a mushroom intertwines with the receptor of the fifth taste....the Dried Shiitake and the Mysterious Umami....


1 lb package Israeli couscous
1 lb Frozen edamame, defrosted and shelled
8-10 Dried whole shiitake
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tbs Toasted sesame seeds
2 tbs Toasted sesame seed oil
2-3 tbs Szechuan Chili Bean Paste
1 tsp Szechuan peppercorn
3-4 tbs Chinese chicken marinate sauce (this is vegan)
1 tsp sugar
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
12 Sweet roasted chestnut - optional


1. Soak the dried shiitake in ~1 cup of COLD water overnight, then squeeze out the excess liquid from the reconstituted shiitake and slice thinly.
*Do not discard the soaking liquid, as it has now been infused with the luring aroma of the shiitake, which will be used later to cook the Israeli couscous
2. In a 4-6 quart pot, heat the Toasted sesame seed oil in medium heat, then add the sliced shiitake.
3. Stir fry the shiitake till lightly golden, then add the smashed garlic and Szechuan peppercorn and toast them until golden.
4. Stir in the Israeli couscous and allow it to toast for 2 minutes, turn the heat to high then add the amount of liquid as instructed on the package (use the shiitake soaking liquid plus water). Cover and allow it to come to a rapid boil.
5. Reduce heat so the mixture returns to a simmer. Stir occasionally with spoon and cook until the Israeli couscous has absorbed all the cooking liquid and has become al-dente.
6. Mix in the defrosted shelled edamame and allow it to heat with couscous for 2 minutes.
7. Stir in the marinate sauce and chili bean paste and allow the couscous to absorb the sauce for about 1-2 minutes.
8. Remove from heat and stir in the toasted sesame seeds and sweet roasted chestnuts.
* I think the sweetness and the chewy texture from the luscious chestnuts give this side dish a special touch and an unique sensory experience!

Bon Appetit!

The Pineapple Bun with Chestnut Cream questions the mathematical principle of one plus one....

Does one plus one always add up to two? To most of us, we would not have the slightest doubt in answering yes, but in the minds of certain brilliant mathematicians, we can see the dawn to a hefty debate, and the same could be said in the world of gastronomy. Two perfectly lovable ingredients with their own individuality could cause a cosmic collusion when brought together, leaving a dark void on your sensory palate....I was fully aware of such consequence as I took a bite of my Japanese curry panini, drizzled with a sweet balsamic dressing....

Though the contrary can be said when this Chinese bread is under the spotlight. These two sinful treats are destined to meet, and unify into one bite-ful of love....the crusty sweetness Pineapple Bun filled with Chestnut Cream!


For those who have never savoured a Pineapple Bun, it is a signature icon that represents Hong Kong, both its history and character. It is believed that with the lack of resources during post-war periods, and the preference of locals for sweets, left over breads were topped with a pastry made of a dough similar to that used to make Chinese sugar cookies, which consists of sugar, eggs, flour and lard. The crusty sweetness complements the embraced bread that is soft and slightly sweetened. Lard is the key for the dimensions of texture; the sweet crust should be slightly crispy and flaky on the exterior, yet moist and tender at where it meets the bread component.


As if this soft pillow is not sinful enough on its own, the creamy yet aromatic chestnut filling heightens the body and the textural complexity of this bread. Although most Chinese bakery uses boiled chestnuts for their puree, as you take the initial bite, the nuttiness from the chestnut puree begins to invade your tongue, follows by the mesmerising aroma as it slides down your throat. It makes me wonder how much more intoxicating when this chestnut filling is made with the Sweet Roasted Chestnut!

For those who might be interested in making this lovable treat, please check out my recipe for the Pineapple Bun:

http://lafleuraucacao.blogspot.com/2008/09/recipe-pineapple-bun.html

The Marrons Glacés cream recipe, please check out the following page:

http://lafleuraucacao.blogspot.com/2009/11/recipe-tiramisu-aux-marrons-glaces.html

Let's get baking =)

Recipe: Tiramisù aux Marrons Glacés

Recipe: Tiramisù aux Marrons Glacés
the magic unleashes when the beloved Tiramisu and Mont-Blanc collide....


This article is part of "The Chestnut Series"
http://lafleuraucacao.blogspot.com/2009/10/autumn-ingredient-for-chilling.html


Serves 10 to 12

2/3 cup castor sugar
3 cups whipping cream
2 (8 oz.) containers mascarpone cheese
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
2 pkg. ladyfingers.
1/3 cup cold strong coffee or espresso
1/3 cup dark rum
250g crème de marrons
200g unsalted butter, at room temperature
Cocoa powder for dusting


1. In a large bowl, lightly beat the mascarpone until smooth. Add the castor sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt and using an electric beater, beat this mixture until it is smooth and thickened like fluffy cream.

2. Using a spring-form 9 x 13-inch pan, 3-inch deep, quickly dip ladyfingers in dark rum and line them in the bottom of the pan, a single even layer.

3. Cover the ladyfinger layer with half of the mascarpone mixture. Dust liberally with cocoa powder.

4. Add another layer of ladyfingers dipped in dark rum, and cover it with the remaining mascarpone mixture.

5. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 24 hours. This is important, as it blends the flavors and the ladyfingers soak up the liquid.

6. To make the Marrons Glacés cream, beat the room temperature butter until fluffy. Add the crème de marrons and beat until combined.

7. Remove the tiramisu from the spring-form pan, and place it on plate or cake turn-table.

8. Using a spatula, evenly cover the tiramisu with the soft Marrons Glacés cream.

9. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Bon Appetit!

Le mystère du Mont-Blanc....

This article is part of "The Chestnut Series":
http://lafleuraucacao.blogspot.com/2009/10/autumn-ingredient-for-chilling.html

Sweet and savoury bites with chestnuts should be anything but foreign to those who spent their childhood in Asia. Their passion for these sweet succulent fruits has reached the obsession level, yet never plateaued at their creative constructions with this jewel. From savoury soups within the Chinese medicinal culinary bible, to the velvety luscious sweet version, from the sweet roasted chestnuts with their mesmerising scent escaping through the cracked shells, to a piece of pastry where the crispy meringue, smooth puréed chestnuts and Crème Chantilly melt into a harmonious sensation, it is hardly a challenge to discover one invention that suits your palette.


Remembering my dislike in Mont-Blanc as a child is a thought that is as ancient as it foreign. My debut to this pâtisserie was with a cake slice that was assembled with two dominating sponge layers adhered with whipped cream and layers of puréed chestnuts that were minuscule in volume. It took an adventure in Paris, a Pâtisserie across from Musée Du Louvre, Angelina, to win my heart over this time-honoured French Dessert (there is almost nothing as poetic as devouring this treat on a wooden bench within the Jardin des Tuileries!).



A Mont Blanc (Italian Montebianco) is a cake or tart made of puréed chestnuts and whipped cream, often on a meringue base, and gets its name from the Mont Blanc mountains. Often sugar or cream will decorate the top of a Monte Blanc to resemble snow-capped mountains. It is a popular dessert in Hungary. In Hungary it is known as "gesztenyepüré" (literally chestnut puree).

This dessert dates back to 1475 in an Italian cook book from 1475, and was often served in the home of Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia. It became popular in France in the 17th century. Some sources claim that the cake was either invented at the Angelina cafe in France or in the Jiyūgaoka district of Tokyo.



Originally Mont Blancs were yellow, by using chestnuts sweetened through a pickling process. However, it has become increasingly more common to find light, or even dark brown Mont Blanc, utilizing the true colour of the chestnut.

The modernisation of Mont-Blanc has incorporated the use of Autumn pickings from the garden, such as pumpkin, squash, and purple yam in place of chestnut. Though I am often fond of fusion ideas, chestnuts can never be replaced in a true Mont-Blanc!

It has been an adventure to be on a quest to discover nouvelle patisseries that feature the Mont-Blanc, and here is one of my favourites, from Le Tao patisserie in Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan. Please do share with me of your own favourites!



....traditional meringue base, with whipped cream that was lighter than Crème Chantilly, and chestnut puree that was made with Japan origin Marrons. The fragrant of this fruit was lingering on your taste buds after every bite. Délicieux~!

Recipe: Chestnut Ice Cream....the collusion of the warm against the cold

This article is part of the Chestnut Series!
http://lafleuraucacao.blogspot.com/2009/10/autumn-ingredient-for-chilling.html

An inspiration from my visit to Hokkaido....


Sometimes the senses from the ice cream trickling down your throat that much more exciting while walking against the chilling wind....


Chestnut Ice Cream

Makes 2 quarts

1 quart milk
7/8 cup heavy cream
10 egg yolk
1 1/4 cup sugar
8 ounces chestnut puree
1 ounce rum
10 sweet roasted chestnuts or Marron glacé - chopped into bite size


1. In a saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. Add the cream. Bring to boil again. (Do not cook after the liquid has reached the boil.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture is a very pale lemon yellow, and a ribbon forms when the whisk is lifted from the mixture.

3. Pour the hot milk and cream into the eggs, and mix thoroughly. Add chestnut puree and rum.

4. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Over low heat, stir it with a wooden spoon until it thickens slightly and coats the spoon - about 5 minutes. DO NOT BOIL. (To be certain the mixture is ready: With a finger draw a thin path through the mixture on the surface of the spoon; the mixture is ready when the path will not close up.)

5. Pass through a fine sieve. Refrigerate until cold, then churn with ice cream maker.

6. Stir in the chopped chestnuts when ice cream has completed churning.

Bon Appetit!

An Autumn Ingredient for the Chilling Weather....the Chestnut Series!

The Nor'easter storm brought in the first October snow, and a harsh reminder of the chilling winter ahead. All those thoughts of black ice was wiped away by the sight of these golden luscious nuggets at the local Chinese market. The hearty fruits of the winter....

As a member of the nut family, fresh chestnut fruits have about 180-200 Kcal per 100 grams serving, much lower than its cousins like walnuts, and almonds. As with any plant product, chestnuts contain no cholesterol. They also contain very little fat, mostly unsaturated, and with its no gluten properties, it can play an important role in the diet of individual with gluten sensitivity. Chestnuts can be dried and milled into flour, which can then be used in gluten-free baked goods, and Italians often use it to make pasta and gnocchi.


The French and Italian brought this fruit to the next level by candying them in a vanilla infused syrup, and the exquisite marrons glacés was born in the 16th century. There is almost nothing more heavenly than a marrons glacés with sips of espresso. They are also the basis for many desserts, among which the famous “crème de marrons”, itself a staple ingredients for more desserts such as the mont-blanc, ice-creams, cakes, sweet sauce or garnish for other desserts.



Even with these delicious treat that would satisfy any gourmet, it is hardly a match against the sensory explosion caused by the fragrance of the Sweet Roasted Chestnuts 糖炒栗子 on the streets of Hong Kong.



This Chinese street food was dated back in the 10th century, and poems were written to dedicate its glorious caramelised colour and a scent that sends those with a devotion to the heavens.

堆盤栗子炒深黃，客到長談索酒嘗，寒火三更燈半灺，門前高喊『灌糖香』