Chocolate Dandelion Macarons -Mactweets Challenge #18

by Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Those wildflowers, Jamie and Deeba over at Mactweets challenged us this month to reinvent the chocolate macaron by pairing it with unusual flavor.

Recently I picked up a bottle of dandelion syrup at Munich’s Viktrualienmarkt. This was the perfect opportunity to break it open to create a macaron filling.

The woman at the little shop at the market who sold me the syrup took some time to explain that all of their plants are harvested according with some sort of magical timetable by the moon and the sun. By the time she was finished, I felt like I was holding a bottle of liquid magic in my hands.

According to Wikipedia This 30 million year old plant has had plenty of time throughout history to earn many names, referring from everything to the milk found in it’s sap to where it grows to its diuretic qualities. 

Lion’s tooth (Germany)
Bed Wetter (France)
Dog’s Lettuce (France)
Mole’s Salad (France)
Dog Pisses (France)
Milk Pot (Denmark)
Dog Milk (Hungary)
Monk’s Crown (France)
Horse Flower (Holland)
Worm rose (Sweden) 
Butter Flower (Finland,Estonia)

and my favorite: Flower that grows in Public Spaces by the Riverside (China)

The syrup itself is sweet, tangy and a tad bitter. Immersing its flavor in buttercream was perfect and didn’t turn it into bittercream as I had initially feared.

Chocolate Dandelion Macarons
For the shells:
I used David Lebovitz’s recipe for chocolate Macarons shells found HERE and added a teaspoon of dandelion tea leaves. I pulverized them further in a spice grinder.

For the buttercream:

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 stick butter room temperature
  • 1+1/2 – 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup dandelion syrup
  • Food coloring (I used Wilton’s Yellow and Leaf Green)

Directions:
  • Cream butter and 1 cup of the powdered sugar together.
  • Add remaining sugar a little at a time until combined.
  • Turn mixer down to low and stream in syrup.
  • If buttercream is too thin add more sugar, if it is too thick add more syrup.
  • I split the buttercream into two portions and colored them.
  • In addition to coloring the buttercream I also used star tips to pipe the buttercream on the shells.
  • I got this decorating tip (haha) from Gesine Prado-Bullock from her macaron making video HERE.

For Decorating the Shells:

I used Royal icing. This one is Sweet Sugarbelle’s. I quartered the recipe.
Ingredients:
  • 3/4 tablespoon Meringue powder
  • 1 cup Confectionary sugar
  • 1+1/2 tablespoons water
  • Food coloring (I used Wilton’s Yellow and Leaf Green)

Directions:
Beat all ingredients together for 6 – 8 minutes. 
The icing will be very stiff. Slowly dilute with drops of water until the icing is piping consistency. The icing should hold it’s shape when piped.
Divide in half and color each portion.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a no.1 tip with the yellow icing and another fitted with a no. 2 tip with the green icing 

I tried two different methods to apply the dandelions to the shells. Both worked.
Method #1 – On a sheet of parchment paper pipe out the dandelions.
Wait until they are completely dry, separate them from the paper and gently apply them to the macaron shells. 
Dipping a  small paintbrush in simple syrup, I adhere them to the shells. 
Method #2 – Pipe the dandelions directly on the shells.
This was another fun inspirational challenge. Thank you Mactweets!

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13 comments

Anonymous May 4, 2011 - 4:31 pm

You are a true artist, Lora! Love the happy colors of the dandelions that you painstakingly created for each of your perfectly chocolate macarons. Um, "dandelion" sounds a lot more appetizing than "dog pisses," "bed wetter" and "worm rose." Always enjoy your MacAttack entries!

Reply
Deeba PAB April 28, 2011 - 7:50 am

What an amazing creation! Love having you over at MacTweets and love the energy you mac with! These are gorgeous Lora..dandelion syrup? Magical indeed!! Who would have thought? Love the colourful fun you had with these!

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shaz April 27, 2011 - 11:40 pm

Oooh, very pretty and what a special flavour! I've heard of dandelion tea, but never come across the syrup before. Sounds intriguing.

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LadyMacaron20ten April 20, 2011 - 10:49 am

My mum told me when I was little that I'd wet the bed if I picked a dandelion then funnily enough when I grew up both my husband and I started drinking dandelion tea for the health benefits. Your liquid gold sounds amazing and I bet your macarons tasted delicious. I also loved your artwork – very creative.

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RollerScrapper April 18, 2011 - 5:00 am

Amazing! I just blew on two dandelions yesterday and my husband told me he purchased a dandelion digger just for me. I don't care if I have to dig dandelions b/c I love them when they go to seed 😀

They are also quite vibrant in your pictures. I love your royal icing decorations and those chocolate macarons look amazing, my only attempt of those turned into some weird wrinkly cookies.

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Victoria (The District Chocoholic) April 16, 2011 - 11:49 pm

This is so cool! I'd read that dandelion is a good liver detox agent to consume in the spring when it's available, and thought about combining it with chocolate in some truffles but was too lazy. Stunning macs with intricate decorating work.

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sweetlife April 16, 2011 - 5:19 am

dandelion syrup, wow I need to find this..how creative, love your macs!!

sweetlife

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Sprinkled with Flour April 14, 2011 - 8:19 pm

These look like some wonderful macaroons! I'm sure they must be delicious:)

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SprinkleBakes April 14, 2011 - 4:10 pm

LOVE your inventiveness! The Chinese name is my favorite too.

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Paula April 14, 2011 - 3:57 pm

Great looking and inventive Mac!

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Jamie April 14, 2011 - 12:13 pm

I agree with Linda: your macs are always unique, creative and fun! Gorgeous macs and I love the flowers! And the dandelion cream is a wower! Love having you bake your fabulous creations for Mactweets every month!

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Joanne April 14, 2011 - 10:45 am

Dandelion syrup…now THAT is one I've never heard of before! But it's so very full of spring cheer, that I'm sure it tastes amazing!

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Linda V @ Bubble and Sweet April 14, 2011 - 9:21 am

I can always rely on you for a fun reply to the Mactweets challenge. I'm a bit of a floral flavour fan and I like the bright coloured filling.

Reply

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