Strawberry Macarons

I did some digging and found a recipe for some delicious Strawberry Macarons. I’m actually not a huge fan of Macarons, I more like looking at them… but I am a huge fan of strawberry.

Anyhow you’ll want:

• 1 Cup Almond Flour
• 1 Cup confectioner’s sugar - Normal sugar is fine in my opinion
• 2 egg whites - leave them in an open container overnight in the fridge or 2-3 hours at room temperature before using
• 1/2 Cup granulated sugar
• 1-2 Tbsp of strawberry essence
• 1-2 drops pink food coloring - Natural would be best

1. So you can use a food processor, blender or just your mighty strong arms to mix together the almond flour, confectioner’s sugar. Do note that if you’re using a food processor or blender it will come out finely ground and much smoother than if you’re using your strength. A way you could make it more finely ground if not using any electronic equipment is to crush the ingredients up very well first before mixing.
Now sift the mixture around 4 times.

2. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they foam. Again something electronic would make it considerably easier.

Gradually add the granulated sugar little by little until all the sugar is dissolved. Keep beating the egg whites until it’s thick and glossy. Then stir in the strawberry essence and food coloring. 

3. Add in about half of the almond mixture to the egg white mixture. Start stirring as you add in more of the almond mixture until you get a thick, glossy, grainy mixture.

When you tilt the bowl, the mixture should slowly slide down the sides or when scooped up, the mixture It should fall in a thick ribbon that holds its shape on the surface of the mixture for a second or two, and then slowly “melts” back into the bowl.

4. Grab a pasty bag fitted with a round tip and fill with the mixture, and pipe 1 inch circles, 2 centimeters apart on lined baking trays.

Allow the macarons to set a bit at room temperature for 2-3 hours. This is the most important part in order to achieve a smooth top and ruffled bottom.

5. Set your oven to 250°C and bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Keep checking because you don’t want them to turn brown.

6. When they’re done, let them cool completely on the baking sheets. Gently twist each cookie half to release it from the baking sheet. Fill cookies with strawberry cream or anything else to your preference.

So Sean and I met about 5 months ago (6 months on February the 4th) and funnily enough, we’ve been living together ever since we first met. He lived in city before I did and sometimes when we had gotten enough of gaming at Giga we’d just go chill at his place, talk and lounge around until it was time for breakfast. As he constantly replies to people who ask how long we’ve been living together, “She came into my life, then to my apartment and just never left, but I wouldn’t have it any other way” =3


Sean’s original apartment was pretty small but I’m glad we finally moved into a new decent sized one thats actually spacious enough to let us have some space around us.

6 months is a long time to have been living together at this age and I’m pleasantly surprised and happy to know that we enjoy each others company so much and still want each other around all the time. We’ve gotten used to one or the other going out, although it’s mostly Sean that goes out all the time and I bum around at home haha. But it’s nice, though admittedly it feels like we’re a married couple, and again quite surprisingly, I don’t mind at all. I love living with my baby and it’s nice to live with someone who’s more than just a friend but not you’re parents. Just like with living by yourself away from home, you make your own rules but you also make your own boundaries. It’s an incredible way to broaden your life experience and even though I was only 17 when I moved out of home, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

I’m so much more independent now and I do all the things my mother used to do around the house for me. Like the washing and cooking. Sure I’m used to housework and that’s no problem but if I was ever asked to do the washing at home, I’d chuck a whole load into the washing machine and just leave it be for a few hours to let it roll around in the washing machine. Now I’m like the picky housewife who separates towels from undergarments and indoor wear from outer wear.

I’m also no longer a bucket chef who chucks every single ingredient she can find into a pan and fry it to make something tasty and edible. I now think about what to cook, prepare all the food carefully and cook it with care and I make sure it not only tastes good but is also healthy for Sean =]

Sometimes it’s amazing what a relationship can do to you. I was always scared that if I found someone to commit to here in Auckland, that I would stray from my life and be too revolved around their life and I’d become irresponsible fall hopelessly only to realise too late what has happened. But I guess I realise now that if you find the right person, none of those things will happen because they should care about what do you and want to do equally as much as they worry about themselves. Sean’s always encouraging me to go for what I want to do and he tries to help me in every way possible. Although he’s not every good at it himself and hasn’t been very focused, he always tells me I should focus and work hard. If he goes out and say I should play this game and I say I should be studying, he always encourages me to study instead of play games.

It’s a change from people who are always encouraging me to hang with them, go out clubbing and play first mentioning that “ah push you can do your work later”. Sure I’m not like a study fanatic but it’s nice to have someone who genuinely cares about my life as much as I care about it.
Something else about Sean that’s different to any guy I’ve ever met before - He’s met my parents and gets along with them and vice versa.

I took him to Christchurch this past Christmas and he spent a few days down in quakeville with my family and I and thoroughly enjoyed it which I was amazed about. No guy who could be a potential boyfriend or who was an ex-boyfriend of mine has ever managed to win my parents approval so it was unexpected but nevertheless I’m overjoyed about.

What’s funny is that mum even let us sleep in the same bed down in Christchurch! And my dearest enjoyed our stay down there so much that he even suggested we extend our stay down there if we could.

I’ve also never seen my mother so continuously happy with a smile on her face everyday as when Sean was down with me. It’s nice to know my mother approves and likes the guy who I intend to spend the rest of my life with.

I know last year was a year with zero motivation and I didn’t really get as much work done as I had hoped but if I hadn’t moved up last year, hadn’t gone to the net cafe so late at night with a friend to play some games and go clubbing, I would have never met this wonderful man who’s now apart of my life. No guy has ever treated me the way he treats me, taken care of me like he does, helps me the way he helps me and told me we should get engaged within the next few years. I’m truly thrilled. 

If I could get any 2 pets of my choice right this moment, It would be an owl or a cat xD

(Source: supgabie, via agapekid-deactivated20121019)

*____________________* MEWANTSITSTOOCUTE

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I want one so bad right now, just to cuddle =/

(Source: milkypoo, via pinklolly)

I’d like a HD camera so I could take pictures this pro and clear

1 word: HOW?!

(Source: pinkflyingelephants, via visualcomplex)

Found this quite cute. Although it’s a tad delusional. Are they just fake shelves? Because as deliciously real they look, the sizes doesn’t quite match up.

(via so-divine)

Cute weeee buggers

(Source: imgfave)

I got this keychain from a friend in Japan on my exchange last year. It’s so adorable =]
Thanks Akagu 

My most treasured bracelet

So beautiful! I want a wolf like that!

The cute wee teeth! =O

(Source: imgfave, via tierraleigh)