12.11.2009

Midnight Macaroons

I'm on a posting spree today! I guess it's because I'm trying to procrastinate studying for as much time tonight as I can. I have 2 finals on Monday (Organic Chemistry and Physics), and another one on Wednesday (Abnormal Psychology), and trust me, I'd rather be blogging and twittering (here's my Twitter) than studying right about now. It's a Friday night! I shouldn't be worrying about studying. This recipe comes from Great Cookies: Secrets To Sensational Sweets. "Lots of coconut, blended with cocoa powder and espresso, are the flavors of this deep chocolate, chewy macaroon. A whole toasted almond sets off the center along with a webbing of melted chocolate."

Midnight Macaroons
*makes 4 dozen 2-inch cookies*

Ingredients:
1 cup blanched slivered almonds
2/3 cup plus 2 tsp superfine sugar, divided
3 cups sweetened, flaked coconut
1/4 cup strained, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, spooned in and leveled
2 tbsp cornstarch
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups strained confectioner's sugar, spooned in and leveled
2 tsp instant espresso powder, dissolved in 1 tsp boiling water
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled to tepid
48 toasted whole blanched almonds
2 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
1/2 tsp vegetable oil

Directions:
1) Position the shelves in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Heat the oven to 300F. Dab the corners of the cookie sheets with butter and line with baking parchment. Butter the baking parchment. Set aside.
2) Place the almonds and 2 teaspoons of the superfine sugar in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse 5 to 6 times, then process until fine crumbs form, about 15 seconds. Empty into a bowl. Then place the remaining superfine sugar, coconut, cocoa powder, and cornstarch in the processor bowl, pulse three times to blend, then process 12 to 15 seconds, or until the coconut is finely chopped but still retains some texture. Empty into a second bowl.
3) In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Add the salt and beat until soft peaks barely begin to form. Add the confectioner's sugar, then scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Stir together the espresso liquid and the vanilla and add to the egg white mixture, then beat for 1 minute longer.
4) Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the tepid chocolate. Remove the bowl from the machine, and using a large spatula, fold in the ground almonds. Then fold in the coconut mixture in two additions, folding just until blended.
5) Drop the batter by teaspoonfuls onto the cookie sheets, making 1 1/2-inch mounds and spacing them about 2 inches apart. Alternatively, working with half of the batter at a time, spoon it onto a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap the batter in the plastic and insert it into a large pastry bag. You do not need a pastry tube. Pipe 1 1/2-inch mounds onto the cookie sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
6) Press a whole almond in the center of each macaroon. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are just set. Do not overbake. To ensure even baking, rotate the sheets from top to bottom and front to back toward the end of baking time.
7) Place the chocolate in a small bowl and set it over simmering water. When the chocolate has melted, stir in the vegetable oil.
8) While the cookies are still warm, dip a fork in the chocolate and wave the tines back and forth over the cookies to create stripes. When the cookies are cool, transfer to cooling racks.

3 comments:

  1. Good luck on your finals! I also blog whenever I don't want to study. Cookies look amazing! Love the chocolate drizzle.

    ReplyDelete
  2. oh these look so good. I love chocolate and coconut yummy good luck for the exams

    ReplyDelete
  3. Paris Pastry: Thanks! The chocolate drizzle was really fun to do =P

    natalie: Thanks so much! The chocolate and coconut really did blend well together!

    ReplyDelete