Pusheen Sushi Mixed Berry Macarons

My friend requested for some macarons with the theme of Pusheen, cute and Japanese food. This was what I came up with!

I used the Swiss meringue method to create the macaron shells.

Piped shells! 

These are rather large, especially the one with the maguro and ikura, so baking time was about 30 min.

I used a mix of strawberries and raspberries to make the compote. There isn't a fixed recipe as you can adjust the sugar level according to taste. I just added some pinches of salt, sugar that is 10% of the combined weight of fruits and 1 tsp of yuzu concentrated juice. You may use lemon juice. Sieve out the raspberry seeds if you prefer. Reduce the compote to consistency of your liking. I reduced it to slightly more than half the original weight. It just takes patience to cook over low heat (not boiling) to reduce the compote. You will be rewarded with an intensely flavoured fruity goodness at the end of it.

I will share the mixed berry ganache recipe in this post.

Mixed berry whipped ganache
Ingredients:
70g white chocolate
12g unsalted butter
20g heavy cream
Pinch of salt
3g freeze-dried raspberry powder
3g freeze-dried strawberry powder

Steps:
1. Place whote chocolate, butter and cream in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on medium power for 10 seconds. Mix well, pressing the contents together. Repeat heating and mixing until melted. Do not overheat.

2. Add salt and freeze-dried fruit powders and mix well. I used Fresh-As freeze-dried powders from Redman, a baking supply store in Singapore.

3. Freeze for 2 min and whip the contents with a spatula until buttercream-like texture. If you are doubling the recipe, you may need to chill for another minute and whip again. Repeat chilling and whipping as necessary until buttercream-like.

Transfer both cooled compote and ganache into piping bags. Fill the shells with thin layer of ganache in contact with the shells and a wall of it to contain the compote/jam.

Filling the shells! 

Itadakimasu! 

With love,
Phay Shing