Zumbarons

You are probably wondering what are Zumbarons. Well, Zumbarons are macarons made by Adriano Zumbo, the pastry chef I have mentioned before in my basic macaron recipe. The flavors of these macarons are magical and inspiring. I have always wanted to try these macarons but since I live in Slovenia, which is really far away from Australia, where Adriano's' bakeries are situated, I know that I may never get the chance. So I have decided to make them. Luckily Adriano wrote a book where you can find 40 recipes of Zumbarons and some other pastries.

As soon as the book was delivered to me I started making them. The combination of flavors is really unexpected and delicious. Making them was not that complicated and the recipes are clearly described so that they are easy to follow even for a self taught baker like me. I did not go to any baking or dessert making class, I just started baking one day and fell in love with it. So if I can make them anyone can make them, you just need to try, believe in yourself and have fun.

I have tried most of the recipes in the book and I'm going to share with you my favorites:

• Toasted marshmallow zumbarons

I absolutely adore marshmallows so this zumbaron is my favorite. The filling is made from toasted marshmallows and vanilla pastry creme (creme patissiere). The mixture is so good I could eat it with the spoon. For the shells I have used the basic macaron recipe with a few drops of the pink food coloring.

•  Fig, burned honey and red wine zumbarons

The flavor of the wine and the figs really reminds me of the winter holidays. the flavor reminds me of the mulled wine we drink at home in the winter. Making the burnt honey is so fun and mixing in with chocolate is absolutely heavenly. These zumbarons are perfect for Christmas gifts or any gift really.  For the shells I have used the basic macaron recipe with a few drops of the violet food coloring.

• Salted butter popcorn zumbarons 

I would have never thought of popcorn as one of the ingredients for the macarons but it is amazing. The sweet, salty and buttery combination is delicious. It just shows that taking risks and thinking outside the box pays off.  The shells are made with the basic macaron recipe, when baked the shells are lightly brushed with butter and coated with the crushed popcorn.

• Candy cane zumbarons

These zumbarons are really fun to make. Crushing the candy canes by hand is not as easy as it sounds, but you can use the food processor, which will make the crushing easier. The flavor of the candy cane really stands out and the white chocolate makes the filling rich and smooth. The shells are made with the basic macaron recipe with a few drops of pink food coloring. When the macarons are assembled the sides, where the filling sticks out, are coated with the leftover crushed candy cane.

• Caramel au beurre sale (Salty caramel) zumbarons

These macarons are filled with salty caramel butter-cream. Making of the caramel can be sometimes difficult but it is worth the effort. The most important thing is to take the caramel to dark amber color which gives the filling a slight bitterness and not only sweetness, so don't be afraid to really push the caramel to the almost burning stage. The shells are made with the basic macaron recipe with a few drops of yellow food coloring.

The most important thing when baking in my opinion is preparation. Before you start baking clean your kitchen, work space and equipment, so that when you start with the cooking or baking you will have sufficient space and a clean environment. Try to measure everything in advance so that when the cooking starts you have everything ready. Doing this will make you less stressed and you will really enjoy the whole process more.