Round Up MAC ATTACK #22 KICK IT UP!

While we were riding high on the theme for MacTweets we didn't realize that the month had sneaked by us. What? It's already the 6th? A 1000 apologies dear fellow macpassionate bakers. While Jamie was busy delivering foodie bytes at Foodista’s International Food Blogger Conference in New Orleans {exciting and not to be missed}, Deeba was back stuck in India trying to help her teen focus on examinations. Grade 10 is serious stuff ... and in the midst of this, we surfed the tide with these stunning 'adult' macs!

Difficult to wait for the tipple, so without further delay, here we go! The round up of a very creative episode of MacTweets where candy might be considered be dandy but 'liqueur' was quicker! It's time to KICK IT UP!!

Michèle @ Mini Cuisine with Macarons au Grand Marnier

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Piña Colada Macarons

&

Frozen Margerita Macarons

Anne @ The Year of Cupcakes with Chocolate-Kona Coffee Macarons with Baileys Buttercream

 

Kim @ The Macaron Fetish with Raspberry Vodka Jelly Dark Chocolate Ganache Macarons

 Roller Scraper @ My Pink Kitchen with Cookie Cocktail Macarons

 

Linda @ Bubble & Sweet with Blue Bird Cocktail Macarons

 

Angela @ Ai LoveBaking with Chambord-Limoncello Macarons

 

Deeba @ Passionate About Baking with Vanilla Macarons with Quark Kirsch & Tart Cherry

Lora @ Diary of a Mad HausFrau with Lavender Macarons with Orchid Buttercream

Hi Cookery with Rum Macarons

Shaz @ Test With Skewer with Cosmo Inspired Macarons

Jehanne @ The Cooking Doctor with Tropical Paradise Macarons with White Grape Mascarpone Compote

Sharky Oven Gloves with White Russian Macarons

CK @ My Little Kitchen & Me with Rum Raisin Macarons

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MAC ATTACK #22 - KICK IT UP!

Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker!
- Ogden Nash

August has been slow going so far - see how lazy we’ve been, how long it is taking us to post the next challenge? We decided that we needed a spot of excitement, something to shake it all up. Our brains muddled from too much summer, the unbearable heat or the incessant rain, the days spent dragging ourselves around through the inclement weather and searching out a little respite. Who needs or desires to bake? Kids home on holiday, spouse and dog yapping around our feet for attention, teens slouching around the house and complaining. We are fed up with the rain or overcome with struggling to deal with the scorching heat. Aw no, we deserve something special, a little adult pleasure, something, baby, to kick it up!

And kick it up we will! This month we indulge in a little grown-up gratification, a dash of luxury, a hint of mischief. Candy is dandy, macarons are marvelous, but liquor is…. this month’s Mac Attack theme! Whatever your tipple, vodka, rum, Limoncello, Amaretto or, heavens, even Champagne, create something intoxicating, heady with flavor and create a macaron kissed by your favorite liquor. So go ahead, whether sweet and sassy, spicy or tangy, whether a touch of sophistication or a punch of naughtiness, give your August macarons a buzz!

And if you prefer a non-alcoholic version, go ahead and replace the liquor with an extract of your choice: bitter almond, vanilla, lemon, café whatever you please but do try and keep it close to the theme.

Then we will raise our glasses in a toast to ourselves and indulge in a macaron all grown up.


Now, just follow the rules:

1. Once you have posted your Mac Attack macarons on your blog, make sure that you mention the Mactweets Mac Attack challenge in your post and link back to the Mactweets blog. Please make sure that your Mac Attack #22 macarons are inspired by the theme!

2. Please link back to this challenge on your post.

3. Feel free to promote the Mactweets blog by proudly displaying the Mactweets badge in your Mac Attack post as well as in your sidebar! It isn't mandatory but is a nice way to get the word out!

4. Have your Kick-It-Up Liquor Macs posted on your own blog by August 31, 2011. And being just a little bit late never hurt anybody...

5. Once your post is up, simply leave the link to the post as a comment to this Mac Attack Challenge post!

The round up will be posted on or about September 5, 2011!

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Round Up MAC ATTACK #21 ICE CREAM DREAMS

WE DO INDEED ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM!

Whatever the season, whatever the weather, come sunshine, rain or snow, winter or summer, nothing quite tickles the tastebuds and the fancy like ice cream and macarons. One so rich and refreshing, reminding us of home and the best moments of our childhood, the other so grown up and elegant, delightfully light and ethereal. The combination can only be heavenly!

This month of July has found some of us knee deep in winter, some of us battling heatwaves and hellish temperatures while still some of us have spent the season huddled inside, safe from the pouring rain. Yet we all turn to the same kind of comfort: ice cream and macarons. July's Mactheme was Ice Cream Dreams: we asked our fabulous MacPassionate Bakers to create a dessert with both homemade (if possible) ice cream and macarons. And what a round up! We are proud to present with you this delicious array - for your enjoyment and inspiration!

Once again, a heartfelt thank you to all our Mactweet Bakers for joining us in our MacKitchen and titillating our tastebuds and exciting our imaginations with your impressive confections. Enjoy!

Art of Being Perfect with Salted Caramel Ice Cream Macarons

Michelle @ Mini Cuisine with Vanilla Ice Cream MacSandwiches

& Macaron 'Tiger Tail'

Tammy @ Tammy Roses with Hokey Pokey Ice Cream Macarons

Lora @ Diary of a Mad Hausfrau with Banana McSplits

Dianne @ Food of Love with Rainbow Macarons with Double Dutch Ice Cream

Macaron Mania with Ice Cream & Brownie Macarons

Jehanne @ The Cooking Doctor with Butterscotch & Praline Macaron Gelato

Kim @ Macaron Fetish with Rainbow Macarons

Amrita @ The Sweet Art with Cherry Ice Cream with Chocolate Macarons

Cathy @ Wives with Knives with Hazelnut Chocolate Macarons

Hi Cookery with Neopolitan Ice Cream Macarons

KG @ The Kitchen Guardian with Camomile Macarons with Raspberry Froyo

Anna @ The Year of Cupcakes with Horchata Ice Cream and Cinnamon Macarons

Sharky Oven Gloves with Lemon Granita with a Chocolate Macaron Crumble

Barbara @ Barbara Bakes with Chocolate Strawberry Ice Cream Macwiches

Jamie @ Life's a Feast with Mocha Macaron Brownie Chunk Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches

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MAC ATTACK #21 ICE CREAM DREAMS

I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM, WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM…

Ice cream is exquisite. What a pity it isn't illegal.

- Voltaire

Summertime, and the living is easy. The hot weather settles in heavy on top of us and all we want to do is find shade and cool respite. Baking? The last thing on our minds; the heat emanating from oven or stove is wearying and even the craving of chocolate, peaches, raspberries or melons isn’t enough to drag us into the sultry kitchen.

Yet…yet… ice cream and sorbet scream summer in a way that nothing else can! Chilly and refreshing, soothing the temper and cooling the body, ice cream and sorbet are the one happiness of summer. One lick of a cone, one icy spoonful and memories wash over us of beach holidays and camping trips and the stickiness of vanilla or chocolate dripping off chins and running down arms; the streets of Rome and the magic of our first Italian gelato; excitedly, impatiently waiting our turn to work the stiff hand crank on the old ice cream machine at camp long ago. Who doesn’t have at least one memory redolent with the sweet goodness of ice cream or the elegance of sorbet? Dreams of ice cream have the power to pull us into the kitchen even at the height of summer and incite us to cook.

Summer is upon us and what better accompaniment to a macaron than ice cream or sorbet? Your challenge this month is concoct a dessert - a simple ice cream sandwich or a more complicated confection – combining your own ice cream or sorbet with your home-baked macarons! Try to make your own ice cream or sorbet, if you can, and pair it with whatever flavor macaron you decide to create. Then use your imaginations to prepare something luscious for summer. And if you are in the deep, dark, cold recesses of winter on your side of the planet? Well, nothing is more delicious than macarons and ice cream for snack or dessert. Are we right?

A simple post, a simple challenge, and you are on your way. Create a favorite family treat or an elegant dessert, fruit, chocolate, vanilla, spiked, spiced or herbed, whatever your desire, whatever your whim, but make sure you make your own macarons and serve it up with ice cream or sorbet! And then we’ll all scream for….ice cream!

Now, just follow the rules:

1. Once you have posted your Mac Attack macarons on your blog, make sure that you mention the Mactweets Mac Attack challenge in your post and link back to the Mactweets blog. Please make sure that your Mac Attack #21 macarons are inspired by the theme!

2. Please link back to this challenge on your post.

3. Feel free to promote the Mactweets blog by proudly displaying the Mactweets badge in your Mac Attack post as well as in your sidebar! It isn't mandatory but is a nice way to get the word out!

4. Have your Fruity Macs posted on your own blog by July 31, 2011. And being just a little bit late never hurt anybody...

5. Once your post is up, simply leave the link to the post as a comment to this Mac Attack Challenge post!

The round up will be posted on or about August 5, 2011!

Follow us and all the Mac Attack Buzz on Twitter

@lifesafeast and @vindee