Advent Wreath #1 · In The Deep Dark Forest

Advent Sunday is coming up, and this weekend I photographed three advent wreats I made this year. This first one I made from fabric and yarn scraps, and moulded around a styrofoam wreath using mini pin needles to fasten.



I also made a batch of Vanilla Macarons, some with lemoncurd, some with creamy chocolate ganache. Ohhh, how I love these angel-like almond cakes. So delicate they almost crush between ones fingers, and they taste like heaven. If you ask me :-)
I wrote the recipe at the end of the post



details :-)





To use any candle you like for your wreath, cut the top of four meat needles. Over a candle light flame heat up the blunt end of the needle (use a plier to hold it so you don't burn your fingers), and push the hot end up into the bottom of the candle. Hold the candle needle up vertically for a few seconds undtil the steric has set). With the pointy end of the needle you can easily stick the candle into the styrofoam.
Remember never leave a burning candle unattended :-)



I'll post second Advent wreath real soon :-)
:-) - Christine

Read on for Vanilla Macarons recipe
Vanilla Macarons with lemoncurd
makes app 20 macarons
225 grams powdered sugar
120 grams blanched almonds (without skin)
vanilla powder
3 egg whites (I use pasteurized)
25 grams caster sugar

Grind powdered sugar and almonds to a fine flour
Whip the egg whites with sugar until it holds shape when you tap it :-)

Sift the almond flour and vanilla powder into the whites and fold, then stir gently.
This is the tricky part I think. The texture need to be elestic but not runny, so be gentle. When you lift the spoon, the dough shouldn't break the beam to soon, so to speak, but be long and elastic.

Put it into a pipingbag, and pipe out little evenly sized circles on a baking sheet.

Now the macarons need to dry, and depending on humidity, let them sit for about half an hour-fortyfive minutes.

Set the oven for 150 degrees.

After drying, bake the cakes for about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them, so they don't get brown.

When cooled, pair them, piping lemoncurd (I cheated and used a good quality store bought) or chocolate cream on one side, sandwiching them together.

Chocolate ganache
Heat up 0,5 dl double cream to it almost boils Remove from heat and pour into heat resistant bowl containing 100 grams good dark chopped chocolate. Stir, let cool a bit, and put into piping bag

Have fun :-)