James Dickens, my nephew, was born on the 18th of July, 2010 at 4:00 am. There are really no words to describe how gorgeous this little baby is and how happy we all are to welcome him into the family.
James Dickens
Here’s another shot of the little angel…
James Dickens
Inspired by the macaron tower from Masterchef, I’ve made a baby blue and green macaron tower to celebrate my nephew’s birth. The recipe for the macarons can be found here. To assemble the tower, simply use toothpicks on a styrofoam cone to hold the macarons in place.
Macaron Tower with Pistachio Buttercream
Pistachio Buttercream
Ingredients
- 150 grams caster sugar
- 65 ml water
- 2 large egg yolks
- 125 grams butter, cubed and softened at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons pistachio paste, found in healthfood stores or substitute 2 tablespoons ground raw pistachios
- Place the sugar in a saucepan, add the water and make sure that all the sugar is dampened. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil (do not stir). Place a sugar thermometer in the boiling syrup. Bring the temperature to 118c or a firm ball stage.
- While the sugar is cooking, place the yolks in a bowl of a stand mixer. With a whisk attachment beat at medium speed and then increase to high until pale and foamy.
- Stop cooking the syrup once it reaches 118c. Let the bubbling subside for 30 seconds and pour the syrup in a thin and steady stream over the egg yolks while the mixer is running at high speed. When all the syrup has been absorbed, continue to beat until the mixture has cooled to room temperature.
- At a medium-low speed, add the softened butter, a few cubes at a time, waiting for each addition to be incorporated before adding the next. After all the butter has been added, increase the mixed speed to medium, and continue whipping until the buttercream is thick and smooth, about 5 minutes.
- Add the pistachio paste/raw pistachios and mix on high for another 2 minutes until fully incorporated.
- Allow to cool a little before using with the macaron shells.
Macaron Tower
Macaron Tower
Trissalicious 
The macaron tower is amazing. I’ve not done a tower before, but I’ve got to try it. I like the color combination that you use. It’s so soft and soothing which matches a welcoming of a baby nephew.
[…] know, it’s crazy, especially with the number of times I’ve made them on my blog. Even at Pierre Herme or Laduree, my husband […]
OK, Trisha!
When are you visiting Edmonton??? This is a beautiful tribute to your perfect and adorable nephew. Birth is such a miracle. And your macarons!!! I need a lesson from you! Yes, I have to practice what I have been taught already from Lenotre when I get home (in a wireless cafe in Bosnia right now uploading photos for another post) – but, you are the master. I bow to you!
Whoo-hoo!
🙂
Valerie
Congratulations on your new nephew, he looks adorable!! and the macaron tower is outstanding, the pictures make me want to go cook one now!!
Congratulations to your sister and the whole family. Your nephew is so beautiful and cute! And wow, the macaron tower is absolutely fab! I love it.
Nawww. Congratulations for the new arrival. Just think of all the delicious treats you can spoil him with! And that macaron tower is stunning and perfect. *sigh* Darn macarons.
Congratulations! You’re an auntie to a beautiful boy! The macaron tower is a wonderful way to celebrate. I know James is going to be a well loved baby.
Lovely colours and mac towers. Your nephew is such a cutie. Love the name James too.
Congratulations Trissa! How wonderful to welcome a new munchkin in the family. James is beautiful and your macaron tower belongs in Food and Wine!
Lucky James to have such a talented aunt to spoil him rotten 🙂
Ciao,Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
Trissa! Wonderful news ! Your nephew, James is a most beautiful boy … enjoy being an auntie!
NOW … I have a question on your buttercream recipe. I am looking for a chocolate buttercream recipe like this buttercream ( a real buttercream a la boiled sugar) and have had no luck. Can you point me in a direction? Thanks!
congratulations! and I adore the baby pastel colours… so sweet!
gorgeous baby and gorgeous macaron tower! love the colours!
I love this, Trissa! It belongs in a martha stewart magazine or something! 🙂
Congratulations on your new blessing Trissa, your nephew is so cute.. 🙂
I wish I could make macarons like that, (I haven’t tried making it again after the DB challenge)..you make the best macarons in my book 🙂
Aww congrats on your new family member! He is SO adorable!! Your macaron tower is so impressive! I bet the family loved it. 🙂
Baby James is beautiful–congrats Aunt Trissa! I remember becoming an aunt for the first time, it was truly a blessing.
Your macaron tower is impressive, too. Macarons are a huge to-do for me but I haven’t had the courage. I’m sure the gorgeous colors are right on par with the flavor.
Welcome to the world, James!
He’s adorable. I love babies.
What a marvelous job you did on the macaron tower, Trissa! Very impressive.
your macaron tower is so beautiful and looks so yummy! well done and congratulations on the new bub of the family
You’re such an inspiration with your baking escapades, Trissa. Gorgeous macarons and an even more beautiful baby boy. Congrats to your family!
Your tower is absolutely gorgeous but pales in comparison to your little nephew 🙂
Adorable baby! And super cute macaroons. I love the colors. Yum!
Baby James is absolutely adorable! And thanks for sharing the pistachio butter cream recipe. I am now really tempted to revisit my macarons – I haven’t made them for more than a year!
adorable!! almost as cute as the baby! haha Good job!
Oh! Baby James is SO cute! And the macaron tower looks perfect 🙂
The tower of macarons is lovely but nothing is more beautiful that a newborn! Welcome, Baby James – you are in for some spectacular treats with your Auntie Trissa. 8-D
Hey girl! This looks so beautiful!!! And the macaron tower is gorgeous as well! Great job!
He’s really gorgeous. Congrats to all your family. Love the mac tower too 🙂
Awwww, I’ve gone all clucky now. Congrats Trissa and welcome to the world baby James. And well done on the macaron tower, Zumbo would be so proud 🙂
congratulations! what an elegant and tasty welcome-to-the-world present. 🙂
Congrats! And what a perfect way to welcome him with a macaroon tower! Amazing..
Trissa, this is gorgeous – your eye for detail is impeccable 🙂
Congratulations to the new addition to your family, you new nephew looks so cute. The macaron tower looks wonderful, I love the colours, just so pretty, and your macarons look perfect!
LOVE the colour !! Macaron tower has been on the to-do list since MAsterschef.. It looks so pretty 😉
I’m so happy for the Dickens’!! Congrats to all. You have to teach me how to make your Macarons! You’re a genius! Miss you!
squee your nephew is adorable! and i love the colours on your macaron tower!
How beautiful..both the baby and your macaron tower!!
Congratulations to your family on the new addition – he’s adorable! And a macaron tower is the perfect way to celebrate 🙂
That is so beautiful! and James is so cute!
The macaron tower is just stunning Trissa. I love it. I want to make one for a friends Hens Night. Congratulations on being an Aunty again. James is so cute.
How precious! Starting him out on the macaron craze a little early, hm? 😉
THe tower is beautiful! I love the colours!
Congrats! He is beautiful. I love the macarons. I’m still working on mine 😀
Oh Trissa……….what gorgeous colours and what a way to celebrate being an aunt!!!!!!!! Congratulations and simply stunning!
You did the best job ever, Trissa!!
Your nephew looks so cute & beautiful,…oooooh,…aaaaah!
Your nephew is so lucky to be born in a great family of true foodies!
Congrats on the birth of your new nephew. I just got my first nephew last month :). I have yet to see him (I’ll be meeting him in a couple of months). That 2nd pic is especially lovely. He really does look angelic.
Your macs look fab. I’ve given up on making macs out of sheer frustration. Mine always have a big air hole under the shell. If you got any pointers for me on how to avoid that, I’d love to know :).
Hope you are having a great weekend.
*kisses* HH
CONRATULATIONSSSSS to your sis and your family on the new arrival!! :))))) Am sure James is going to be inducted into the sweet side of things very naturally soon! :))) gorgeous macs!!
Your nephew is so tiny and precious…congratulations!
Welcome to the world James Dickens, here’s hoping for a happy, healthy & long life.
Shame you can’t eat the macaroons your Aunt made, you’ll have to ask her to do it all again when your a bit older LOL.
I was going to ask how they stayed together until I read the full blog post. Absolutely brilliant & they look wonderful, well done you.
Congratulations Trissa!
Sweet little baby… have a happy, healthy life!!
Magda
Congrats on your beautiful new nephew! And fantastic job on the macaron tower – I love the colour!
Wow very good looking Macaron tower. Usually we see macarons with really vibrant colours but I think these look just as good in soft colours. I like how you were generous with the butter cream.
Ngawww…..the baby and the macaron tower are both so cute! Now I want to make a macaron tower too!
Your nephew is beautiful. I was thrilled to pieces when I became a first time aunti in ’08, and I am in love with my nephew 🙂 That said, that is one gorgeous tower of macarons. Wish I had thought of that when Zach was born! Love the baby blue!
Send my congratulations to your sister. James already looks like a catch! Big congratulations again.
That macaron is the best thing I’ve seen since wagyu steak.
Congratulations Trissa! Your nephew is gorgeous and your macaron tower is so inspiring, I love it!
Congratulations!
James sleeps like an angel….sweet! I bet he woke up and found all the macarons were just gone.
The macaron tower looks very beautiful! Well-done!
OMG. Baby James is just so precious. Awwww … and what a sweet aunt you are. That macaron tower is amazing, Trissa! The colours are beautiful!
That is gorgeous Trissa.
Congrats on the baby James!! And Tris, you rock! Mac tower! Wow!
Congrats to the whole family! What a great way to celebrate Baby James’ arrival with a tower of macarons, yum!
Congratulations to the arrival your new born nephew! The macarons tower is perfect for this occasion 🙂
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So beautiful! Both the baby and the macaron tower 🙂 And congratulations on becoming an aunty!
Congrats!
Your nephew looks like a little angel who brings joy and happiness to the family for sure.
You’ve taken gorgeous and impressive shots of both little angel and Macarons, Trissa. Love them very much.
So cute. Gorgeous!!!! Thanks!!!
first-off, baby james is such a bundle of joy… i want to hug him and sing a lullaby, just so divine!
second, the macaron tower is so beautiful. .. looking so dainty.. so apt for a baby announcement!
Cheers!
Malou
Congratulations on the arrival of your new nephew…he’s such a cutie! And you know what else is cute? That macaron tower! Love the colours Trissa…your recipe for these is the best!