Unicorn and Mermaid Pusheen Cookies n Cream Macarons

This is another way overdue post. I made these unicorn and mermaid Pusheens together with the choux pastry version way back in way January this year!

Trying to create a cloudy beach scene here😆

I made these macarons using the swiss meringue method and decorated the macaron shells using edible marker and a mixture of edible marker and vodka wash (for the details on the unicorn horn).

Top view look at decorated macaron shells

Checkout the awesome feet on the shells!

I filled the macarons with cookies n cream swiss meringue buttercream as requested.

with love,

Phay Shing

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Mermaid Pusheen Vanilla Choux Pastries (New technique!)

 I made these Mermaid Pusheen choux pastries in early January this year but only got around to posting it now. Better late than never!

These creampuffs with crunchy cookie dough (or craquelin) are filled with vanilla diplomat cream.

Choux pastries need not come in round choux buns, long Eclairs or donut shaped like Paris Brest. They can come in any shape you want! Besides demonstrating how to make non-regular shaped choux pastries, I am going to show you that it is possible to add on details using choux pastry batter on a baked choux pastry case instead of using chocolate, fondant or royal icing in a double-baking technique.

You may refer to this post for my default craquelin and choux pastry batter recipe. Note that baking temperature and time may vary according to your oven.

Begin by preparing the craquelin. You may refer to this post to see how I create customized shaped cookie dough cutouts without a customized cookie cutter.

Freeze this tray of craquelin cutouts until frozen hard, at least an hour or overnight.

Prepare choux pastry batter as per normal and pipe the mermaid Pusheen shape on perforated mat with a template underneath.

Place the craquelin on top of the piped batter. Note that the craquelin is about 5-10mm larger than the piper batter.

Bake as you normally would. Let the baked pastries cool for about 20-30min before piping on the pink frills on the pastries with choux batter. Pipe the pink tail and grey front paws separately on the perforated mat as well. Pipe only a thin layer of pink batter for the frills and dab down any peaks with a damp finger. Thick batter piped will not stick well to the contours of the pastry after baking.

Bake in preheated oven at 130-150C for 30min or until thoroughly dry. This baking temperature should be high enough to thoroughly bake the batter but not so high that it browns the pastries further. 

I have mentioned before that long baking times for choux isn't a concern for me as the filling has such high water content that it softens the cases within half an hour of filling it. If you prefer it really crisp, double-baking is perfect for you!

Add on the facial features, stripes and scales on the tail with royal icing . I used a gold star sprinkle for decoration as well. The pink tail and front paws were glued on using royal icing.

Recipe for vanilla diplomat cream can be found in this post .

Here's a short video of cutting a choux pastry, revealing the cross section!

Pardon the poor lighting as it was rainy, and the slightly messy cut as the crumbs trailed down the cream😅. I took this video and cover photo on a different day from the day I finished assembling the pastries (which had better lighting).

I made some mermaid Pusheen and unicorn Pusheen macarons along with these choux pastries as well! Stay tuned for another Pusheen themed post!

Get a copy of my Deco Choux Pastries book if you would like to have a comprehensive guide to making decorative choux pastries! I am also most active on Instagram so do check out my account at phay_shing if you would like to have a look at what I am up to in a more timely manner😊.

with love,

Phay Shing

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Hello Kitty x Pusheen Chiffon Cake

 

Have you heard of the cutest collab EVER between Hello Kitty and Pusheen #HelloKittyxPusheen ?😍

Love this sooo much and thank you @Pusheen and @Hellokitty for sharing this creation too!! 💖💖

My chiffon cake creation inspired this dream with double dose of cuteness! ❤❤🥰

With lots of love,

Susanne

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Boosheen Chiffon Cake

Found Boosheen from Pusheen so cute that I just had to make it! 

As you know, I love Pusheen very much, and was so thankful to have the opportunity to collaborate with Pusheen on a Pusheen cookbook! I have made many Pusheen cakes over the years out of my love for the cute cat!

Have this cute cake makes you smile too! Have a boo-eautiful week ahead! <3 

With love,

Susanne

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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

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Pusheen Foodie Chiffon Cake Pops

Which is your favourite food? Cookie, burger or donut?
Small Pusheen chiffon pops inspired by my favourite cat!

Very happy that my Pusheen cookbook with Pusheen, is now launched in the US (at Target, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book depository, and all major bookstores)! And also in stock in SG at Popular, Kinokuniya, Times now! It was really an honour to work beside Claire Belton, the creator of Pusheen, who is really talented and sweet.

While these cake pops are not inside the cookbook, other pastel mini cake pops are (on the book cover), as well as donut Pusheens and even surprise Pusheens!

Here is another sneak peak!

Very grateful to God for providing. Have a blessed polling day and weekend!

With lots of love,

Susanne

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'Pusheen with Sumikko Gurashi on a Shopping Trip' Peppermint Dark and White Chocolate Macarons

I took some time to mull over this one and finally came up with this scenario involving specific Sumikko Gurashi members and another character in a scenario entirely from my imagination.

Tonkatsu, Shirokuma, Penguin and Neko on a grocery shopping trip with Pusheen! 

I used the Swiss meringue method to make the macaron shells. It was a challenge as usual, when the number of colours exceeds the number of fingers in one hand 🤣.

Piped batter

I used a mixtute of edible markers and royal icing to add in the details

As the shopping cart is a macaron structure, the filling needs to be fairly firm. I filled the macarons with peppermint white chocolate buttercream on the outside and peppermint dark chocolate ganache on the inside.

You may refer to this recipe for the dark chocolate ganache. Just add 3/4 to 1 tsp peppermint extract to it. The peppermint white chocolate buttercream is something new so I will include the recipe here. Feel free to scale it up for a bigger batch. I only needed a little for this project.

Peppermint white chocolate buttercream
Ingredients:
40g white chocolate, finely chopped or use chips*
20g unsalted butter*
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

* you may adjust the ratio of white chocolate:butter  to suit your climate and tastebuds

Steps:
1. Place all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on medium low power for 10 sec. Mix well by mashing the ingredients together against the bottom and sides of the bowl. Repeat heating and mixing until melted and well combined. Do not agitate the mixture by whipping it as it may split.

2. Leave to stand at room temperature until firm if you stay in a temperature climate. And then whip it up with a spatula until buttercream texture. If you stay in hot Singapore like me, chill the mixture in freezer for 2 min and mix well. Chill for 1 min and mix by whipping the mixture with spatula. Repeat chilling and whipping until texture is like buttercream. Alternatively, you may use an ice bath and electric mixer to chill and whip simultaneously.

After assembling the macarons, leave it to mature in the fridge for at least 24h before serving. As the fillings are firm, the macarons can keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge in airtight condition, for up to a few months in the freezer. Always let the airtight box of macarons warm up at room temperature for 15-20min before opening the box to prevent condensation from forming on the macaron surface.

They look like they are having fun! 

With love,
Phay Shing

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Giant Macaron and Ice Cream Sundae Pusheen Chiffon Cakes

Giant macaron and giant ice cream sundae! Which is your favourite? <3

Made these for my dear daughter's birthday! She has turned 6 and I truly thank God for her.

She is a cat lover, so every year it is either cat or princess for now =p. These were also in her favourite colours.

These cakes were inspired by Pusheen's surprise toys series. I love Pusheen so much!

I didn't manage to snap a crumb shot in time, so here is a half eaten cake off my daughter's plate =p.

I had a scare last year when she was hospitalized for some time, so her birthday is truly precious to us. May she become a girl after God's heart!

For Pusheen fans, I also have collaborated with Pusheen on a super cute cookbook that is coming out in June! Preorder link here!

Hope you like these cute creations, made with lots of love!

With lots of love,

Susanne

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Valentine's day Pusheen Chiffon Cake

Happy Valentine's Day!

Will you be my Valentine? <3

Chiffon cake inspired by Valentine's day Pusheen with a Giant heart candy! It was love at first sight when I first saw it!

Sending some love and hugs to everyone in the midst of this difficult time.. and truly we are very thankful for all the brave healthcare workers on the frontline. A big thank you..

With lots of love, XOXO,

Susanne

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Winter Pusheen Chiffon Cake

Left or right?

Pusheen and Cheek in winter is so cute! 💓💓

This is inspired by their Surprise plush - Winter Wonderland!

Another exciting Pusheen news, "Let's Bake! A Pusheen Cookbook", a collaboration between the creator of Pusheen, Claire Belton and myself is coming in June! It's filled with sweet treats of all kinds, for all levels of bakers! You can preorder a copy of the book here.

Also praying for the Wuhan virus situation.. everyone please stay healthy!

With lots of love,

Susanne

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Pusheen in Fall Chiffon Cake

Another Pusheen creation which I made exactly a year earlier! =) Now that it is fall, I remembered this cake. My Pusheen wearing a scarf, holding a toadstool. Those who know me know that Pusheen has a very very special place in my heart! I have had many Pusheen bakes, just search the tag =).

Hope you like this too!

With lots of love,
Susanne

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Unicorn Pusheen Lychee Macarons and Brown Sugar Cookies

Not only did I make unicorn Pusheen choux pastry. I made them as macarons and brown sugar cookies too!

You may find the brown sugar cookie and royal icing recipe from this post.

Just to share some photos of the process...

Cutting out cookie dough. I make my own templates using flexible clear plastic. 

Using edible marker to mark out the lines

Adding on royal icing features. I waited until the royal icing is fully dry before adding in the fine facial features using black edible marker and painting the center of the mouths with pink gel colouring dissolved in a little vodka.

I baked the macaron shells concurrently with my Totoro and friends macaron tree project as they share similar colours. I used a Swiss meringue method recipe for the macarons.

Piping the macaron shells

Freshly baked shells

Decorated macaron shells

I filled the macarons with lychee whipped white chocolate ganache and chopped lychee. You may refer to the filling recipe and instructions from this post.

That's all for my short series of unicorn Pusheen bakes!

With love,
Phay Shing

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Unicorn Pusheen Lychee Choux Pastry

I finally made Choux pastry again and this time, it's Pusheen as a unicorn wannabe!

The horn is made out of choux pastry too!

I must admit that I was quite apprehensive about getting the pastry to retain it's shape well enough while not browning too much during baking. I am glad I managed both! The key to this is good temperature control and a perforated mat. Do note that each oven is different so use the baking temperature and time as a gauge only.

I have written a detailed recipe for Choux au Craquelin so you may refer to this post. The only difference is I used charcoal powder to colour the cookie dough and pastry batter. I added a little white gel food colouring for the cookie dough and to colour the batter for the horn.

Just to share some pictures of the process ...

Piping pastry batter for the horns

Piping batter for the main body and topping it off with cookie dough. I make my own templates. Baking the main pastry case on perforated mat helps the pastry to retain it's shape better

Freshly baked case with choux pastry horn!

I added on the fine features using royal icing and the tail using candy melts. I coloured the candy melts before shaping it. As Singapore is rather warm, I had to work in an air-conditioned room when shaping the candy melts. I reshaped the pastry case base so that Pusheen is able to "stand up" instead of lie flat. I made a video tutorial for making such cases for the penguin Choux entry in my Deco Choux Pastries book. Store baked and assembled choux pastry cases in airtight condition at cool room temperature.

My friend requested for lychee filling so I made lychee pastry cream with chunks of chopped lychee, and lightened with some whipped cream. I have made lychee pastry cream before but without whipping cream added so I will type out the updated recipe here.

Recipe for lychee pastry cream with added whipping cream
Ingredients:
2 egg yolks
20g cornflour, sifted
25g castor sugar
A pinch of salt
1.5 tsp freeze dried lychee powder*
200g fresh milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
12g unsalted butter, slightly softened
150g chopped canned lychee, woody part removed
100g whipping cream (I used non-dairy for better stability)

* If you are unable to get this, you may replace 50-80g of milk with strained lychee puree.

Steps:
1. Place milk, vanilla extract, lychee powder (or lychee puree) in small saucepan and heat on medium-low heat until bubbles just start to appear around the edges.

2. In the mean time, whisk together cornflour, sugar and salt in a heavy mixing bowl. Add egg yolks and whisk until a smooth paste forms.

3. Once the milk is sufficiently heated up, remove from heat and pour in the slow thin stream into egg yolk mixture while whisking continuously. Pour the egg mixture back into saucepan.

4. Cook the custard by whisking continuously and heating over medium-low heat. Once the mixture appears to thicken, remove from heat and continue whisking vigorously until smooth. Return back to heat and continue whisking and cooking until your preferred consistency, removing from heat to whisk whenever necessary. Do not use high heat or you may end up with scrambled eggs.

5. Remove from heat and mix in unsalted butter until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean bowl if there are any lumps formed. Press a cling wrap onto the surface and refrigerate until cool, at least half an hour. You may prepare this a day in advance.

6. Remove pastry cream from fridge and beat it briefly with spatula to loosen it up. Fold in chopped lychee a tablespoon at a time.

7. Whip up the cold whipping cream until firm peaks form. Fold into pastry cream in a few additions until smooth.

Folding whipping cream into pastry cream

Store covered in the fridge for up to a few days.

Remember to fill your pastry just before consuming in order to enjoy the crisp pastry case with cold and refreshing lychee pastry cream! I always don't recommend filling the cases way in advance as it will turn the cases soggy.

Please click on this link for more unicorn Pusheen bakes in other forms!

With love,
Phay Shing

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