If you are in love, or even if you are in “putting up with,” vaslentines day is the time for excess.  More is more when it comes to love and sweets, and these heart shaped candys- filled with maca-aren’ts and buttercream frosting are really something to sink your teeth into- you can go all out with fancy sprinkles or keep it easy and just pipe some frosting into a candy melt shell- possibly the easiest, instagram worthy approach to dessert ever.  Just like in love, you do you.  To get started- melt your candy melts and “paint” your silicon shell, pop in the fridge to harden and then add a second layer around the top edges (you will thank yourself later, just like all the smart cookies who picked good guys over the maybe more exciting guys…) When that second layer is hard, pop them out and pipe in a frosting of your choice.  You can end there if you want your sugar high now!  For an extra layer of lux, pop in a 1” maca-not-really shell.  Add a dot of frrosting and then melt the edges on a warm plate- I use the tray from my toaster oven.  Rub those edges smooth, do 2 at once so you can quickly smush them together.  Let set for a minute and you are done!  You can drizzle with royal icing and sprinkles or leave them to their geometric perfectness.  I also use the double coat trick on the large silicon dessert cover, and I try to find words to decorate to match my dark soul, but any words will do!  Pull out your mallets and break hearts left and right and indulge! 

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fast and furious fak-amacs

a really fast wayt to get the flavor of a macaron without the hardwork

Ingredients

  • 165 g almond flour
  • 165 g confectioners sugar
  • 1 tbs powdered egg white (i used meringue powder since this recipe is all about the cheat)
  • 1/2 c egg whites

Instructions

  • mix all ingredients together, let rest fo one hour
  • pipe into 1'' circles on parchment paper
  • bake 200 F for 15 minutes
  • then raise temp to 350 and bake for another 11 minutes
  • hide these inside a recipe so no one will know they are maca-fakes. 😉 i wont tell.

Notes

optional- scoop out 20 g almond flour and substitute in 20 g (2.5 tbs about) cocoa powder for a chocolatey shell
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Second Generation American Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 4 c confectioners sugar
  • 1 c butter
  • pinch salt
  • 1 c chip ganache

chip ganache

  • 1 package flavored chips (about 10 oz)
  • 2/3 c heavy cream heated on stove
  • 1.5 tbs butter

Instructions

  • pulse the chips in a food processor until finely chopped
  • heat heavy cream on stove until simmering (stir to make sure it is all at simmering temp, not just the edges)
  • pour cream over chips, stir to coat and let sit for a minute to melt
  • add 1.5 tbs butter to the chip ganache mixture, stir in, let cool for a few minutes
  • beat frosting butter in stand mixer until light and fluffy
  • pour in about 1 c of the ganache mixture and beat together
  • add a pinch salt
  • add in 4 c of confectioners sugar, more or less until your frosting is the consistancy you need for piping.
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royal icing

this is a great coating for a huge cookie, it firms up and is pretty hardy!

Ingredients

  • 6 c confectioners sugar sifted!
  • 3/4 c water
  • 1/3 c meringue powder

Instructions

  • with mixer on low, drizzle water over confectioners sugar
  • mix on low for about 7 minutes, do not put mixer any higher than low or you get loads of air bubbles
  • add coloring as needed, if you want thicker frosting, add more sifted confectioner sugar in 1/4 c increments
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