Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons

I'm reading "The Sweet Life in Paris" by David Lebovitz, and have become a tad obsessed. His tales of bribing convincing less-than-helpful French visa clerks with his decadent, homemade desserts has filled my dreams with visions of dark chocolate and Parisian société.

One of the recipes that has popped up in my near-stalking of his works is chocolate-dipped macaroons.  Not to be confused with macarons: the delicate, filling-enhanced merengues made legend by Paris' Ladurée.  No, these are the rustic cousins that require much less precision to make, and definitely less aloof attitude to enjoy.

And enjoy we have.

Funny thing...I recall distinctly disliking shredded coconut as a child.  I think my parents didn't care for it, and that opinion was somehow passed along to me.  Fast forward thirty years to a small get-together at some friends' where I enjoyed one of the giddiest, most-blissful little bouts of "the munchies," and what was served - none other than coconut macaroons!

Nothing tasted better.

Please tell me you know what I mean. :D

So, yeah.  Since then, coconut and I have had a renewed relationship.

Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons

recipe adapted from David Lebovitz

Makes about two dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 4 large egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 2 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, salt, honey, coconut and flour
2. Transfer to a large skillet, and heat over low-to-moderate heat on the stovetop, stirring constantly, scraping the bottom as you stir.
3. When the mixture just begins to scorch at the bottom, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.  Transfer to a bowl, and allow to cool to room temperature. *David notes this mixture can be left in the refrigerator for up to one week, or frozen up to two months.
4. When ready to bake, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat, and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Form the dough into 1 1/2 inch mounds, spacing them evenly on the baking sheet. (I used a small ice cream scoop - mine were a little larger, but it was OK)
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until deep golden brown.  Cool completely.

For the chocolate bottoms

1. Melt the chocolate in a clean, dry bowl - either by double boiler on the stove, or in the micro.  Place a baker's cooling rack over a cookie sheet.  Dip the bottoms of each cookie in the chocolate and set the cookies on the cooling rack.  When finished dipping all the cookies, place them in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes to set the chocolate.

♥ Linzer Cookies ♥

About once every five years, I decide to make Linzer Cookies for Valentine's Day.  In theory (and in recipe) they are relatively simple, but after I make them, I always feel like I was somehow duped by the short ingredient list.  Maybe it's just that I'm not a big cookie cutter kind of gal.  For the few times I put the effort into these delicate darlings, though, it is SO worth it!

I feel like I should be sitting down to High Tea with the Queen...  

Linzer Cookies   

adapted from HERE

Ingredients

2 ½ cups All Purpose flour

2/3 cup of finely ground almonds

¼ tsp cinnamon

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

Raspberry Preserves or Jam (I use Seeded, but you can use Seedless if you prefer)

Directions

• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, almonds, and cinnamon. Set aside.

• In a large bowl, or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.

• Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing well.

• Divide the dough into two parts and roll into a ball and the press into two discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours up to overnight. The dough should be firm enough to roll out.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• On a floured surface, roll out one disc until it’s about 1/8” thick. Keep the other disc in the refrigerator until ready to use.

• Cut the dough with a cookie cutter dipped in flour.  Cut enough dough to have tops and bottoms.

• Transfer the cut outs to a baking tray lined with either parchment paper or a Silpat mat.

• Repeat with the remaining dough and the second disc.

• Bake for 10-12 minutes until a light golden brown. Cool on the baking tray for five minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely.

• When ready to fill, invert the bottom cookie (so you have a nice bottom) and spread with about ½-1 tsp of jam.  Dust a top cookie with Confectioner’s sugar then gently place on top of the jam making a sandwich cookie.

   Arrange and take photos, because they're almost too pretty to eat!

Upping the ante: Peppermint Fudge Cupcakes

  

There's a reason I don't keep cake mixes around our casa...

In less than an hour on Christmas Day, I had these baked, frosted, decorated, and shoved in my face.  And, because I didn't want to interrupt anyone's revelry with my offers of cupcake donation, the gluttony continued until I finally decided to test a "do-cupcakes-freeze-well?" theory.

No scoffing allowed at the boxed pedigree of my treats. ;) Trust me when I say these two magical friends make all the difference...

 
















Here's How it Goes:

Pick a deep chocolate-flavored cake mix - I think mine was "Chocolate Fudge," and prepare it for cupcake baking.

*If these had been for an adult crowd, I would've added a teaspoon or two of espresso powder to the mix to make them mocha-licious.

While the cupcakes are in the oven, prepare the Fluffy Icing according to the directions.  While it is mixing, add in a touch of peppermint extract.  I preferred a subtle minty-ness, and used 1/4 tsp, but you could add more.  Careful, though, a little goes a long way.

The kiddos helped crush peppermint candy for decorating - honestly, my favorite touch.

That's it!  Peppermint-Fudge Cupcakes.  Consider it my belated holiday gift to you!