Who could resist this month’s MacTweet challenge? To support this month’s Breast Cancer Awareness in the USA, MacTweets proposed a in the pink theme for macarons. If you haven’t already seen Jamie and Deeba’s site, MacTweets, and you’re making macarons like crazy, then I strongly urge you to join in the fun each month. It’s totally inspiring. It also gives you an excuse to make macarons or a particular flavour, should you so happen to be lost for choice. Believe me, as a macaron addict, you can become overwhelmed with choices at times!
Pinktoberish for your macarons, girls?
When this image of Doris Day flashed up on MacTweets, I had a rush of nostalgia. It’s one of the rare occasions I was allowed to stay up late to watch films such as Pillow Talk when I was still proudly displaying milk teeth. Doris just made everything dazzingly right.
At the local rose boutique in St Germain-en-Laye
What’s not right, however, is that in this day and age, we still need to raise awareness about breast cancer. It continues to kill and a cure needs to be found. God knows how many of our lives have been affected by cancer. More thorns arrived in our lives at home last month, when news of an old friend was taken away by this creepy disease, leaving her two children behind. She was only 46. Last year it was my aunt who not only left us, but Suffered. You couldn’t even wish that on your worst enemy.
Fortunately, I know of friends who have had some form of breast cancer, but they have ended up happy stories simply since it was caught early via regular check-ups.
Back to the pink. I nearly always have a stock of rose macarons in my freezer macaron bank, as plain rose (or pétales de rose as Ladurée calls it 
) is one of our favourites. But for Mactweets, as before, I wanted to come up with something new – or at least presented differently.
Then in the foreign food section at our supermarket last week, Basset’s Liquorice Allsorts literally jumped out at me. When I grabbed a bag crammed in the edge of the shelf, the whole box of about 50 packets landed at my feet.
This had to be a sign: of course, they have tons of pink colours in their liquorice treats! I added another of the children’s favourites – Haribo’s liquorice bootlace coils. Put the two together and you’re in aniseed playground.
Using the recipe in the book for liquorice macarons (p74), I changed the colour of the shells for some pink fun – topping it off with a bit of liquorice in the middle of the filling (ok, I added one whopping great big reglisse wheel in that big mac for the photo!) Add a touch more ganache on top of the dry liquorice, so that it penetrates completely into both of the shells for the perfect chew.
liquorice-allsorts-pink-macarons
Antoine adores the rose macarons – also with some different flavour combinations (rose-matcha, rose-chocolate, rose-raspberry, rose-geranium) but when he ate these pink liquorice ones next day, I was made to promise that I’d make liquorice macarons more often…Ooh. I can sense we’re going to have more egg yolk recipes up on the site!
It's all about being on the right side of the seesaw
So, remember to get annual check-ups and keep abreast of your body. Take regular exercise; being active is one of the best things you can do to stay healthy and keep cancer at bay.
Pinkiliquorice macarons
There are a number of other factors to stay healthy, as outlined clearly by the American Cancer Society – such as eat a varied diet and vary the colours, too. That doesn’t mean vary the colour of your sweets or candies. Green veg just weren’t too ideal for macarons – although after taking these shots, it did get me thinking…
Remember, macarons are not only gluten free but they are less than 100 calories each for this size.
Thanks to Jamie and Deeba for hosting the Mactweets Mac Attack Challenge this month and for such an important cause. Sorry I didn’t add the special ribbon – truth be told, I couldn’t find any! For information about breast cancer early detection, see the Breast Cancer Awareness Month Website.
May the rest of your October be totally pinkilicious and ladies, don’t forget to get your regular check-up. It’s all too easy to think of your children first and not yourself.
SO THINK PINK!
"Mad about Macarons! Make Macarons like the French"
Oh Jill, love your macarons because I’m addicted to haribo’s. What a great idea and a wonderful inspiration. Your photos are awesome too, so mouth watering!
I absolutely love all of your mac tweet Macarons, they are always fabulous, these are no exception, brilliant. X
Completely agree it’s mad that in this day and age we still need to raise awareness…I guess noone thinks it will happen to them until it does. This post is great, and love the way you’ve made a liquorice inspired macaron – yum!
I adore Bassett’s sweets and this has to be the best way to experience them. Your macarons are pinkalicious perfect!
Jill, you are wonderful the way you manage to raise this very serious health issue in such a memorable way. Well done!
So beautiful (and yummy, with just the right hint of common sense)!
Gorgeous Jill! Absolutely divine! And what a beautiful tribute and needed reminder during this month! Thank you!
Jill..first of all…I am glad I am not the only one who remembers pillow talk! Your macarons are so pretty in pink! And the variety of pink licorice candy makes them so fun. A great batch of cookies for a great cause!
Jill – these are TOTALLY up my alley, OBVIOUSLY!!! Getting my pink macs on this weekend – I hope they turn out as gorgous as yours!
All I can say is drooling! I can’t wait to try my hands at macarons. Thanks for sharing!
What a wonderful tribute to such a worthy cause. Thanks for sharing.
Those macarons are adorable! I love pink….
Such a wonderful message for the month of breast cancer awareness. And of course, you made the perfect pink macarons for the occasion. I love your “sign” that these candies were the right flavoring…too funny! Hope you’re having a great week, Jill!!!
Jill, This is a marvelous post all pretty in pink! The Doris Day picture brought back a flood of memories for me too. And you’re right, she seemed to make everything dazzingly right. I so admire your macaron perfection and these gorgeous examples are an honorable nod to breast cancer awareness. A close family member has just completed post reconstructive chemo.
Now I’m thinking of seetling down for “Pillow Talk” and a plate of macarons.
hmmmm…am tickled pink; so count me in too ;P
thanks for that bit on breast cancer awareness…yes staying fit and regular exercise is so rejuvenating…
am endlessly amazed by your creativity…
Jill, you did a wonderful job for a good cause! I love the rosy pink macarons – so cute! It’s funny how you took Basset’s liquorice allsorts as a ‘fate’. Things happen for a reason!
Enjoyed this post. Love the photos.
What a lovely post! A great recipe for this months awareness of breast cancer. They look wonderful! Thank you for sharing such a great post about something so close to lot of peoples hearts
Liquorice Allsorts are my faves, love the look of these macarons, so pretty. Love Doris too!
those are so lovely, Jill. My mother has been a licorice all sorts fan since the dawn of time, I bet she would love to have a macaron with those flavours!
These are so cute and such a fitting theme for this month! Great way to show support!
Those are the absolute prettiest macarons I have ever seen. The shade of pink is heavenly. Love licorice too.
LL
Enjoyed this post! A little nostalgia and an awesome way to participate in breast cancer awareness month. Your macarons are stunning as always-love the flavors mix you used. Yum!
Jill – what a great post. I had such a range of emotions reading this: giggling over Doris Day (I *love* the movie Pillow Talk); I am so sorry for your friend and aunt who lost their lives to this vicious disease; the licorice made me think of my grandmother who loved it – and who we all adored; and lastly – damn those look good!
It so important to keep spreading the awareness – I wrote about my friend Liz this month, too – and I’m happy to say she’s winning her battle.
All the best,
Jessica
Very nice idea. I live those licorice candies !
What a wonderful way to raise awareness for Breast Cancer with your pink and licorice macs. They remind me of Good n’Plenty, if you have ever seen them. They are Pink and white coated candies, with licorice inside.
Hi Jill! What beautiful little pink macaroons! They are perfect for Breast Cancer Awareness month! I love that you have given these licorice flavor, they sound delicious! Hope you have a wonderful week
!
Oh my, pink Licorice macs. What will you think of next. How absolutely brilliant! I was obsessed with Doris Day movies as a child. That picture on MacTweets also made me smile.
What a great idea – and what gorgeous macarons! I love Basset’s liquorice allsorts (they are definitely the best brand) and pairing them with these seems like a wonderful match. The fact that it’s for a good cause is even better.