Holiday Tray Coconut Macaroons and Almond Islands
Holiday Tray Coconut Macaroons and Almond Islands
These naturally gluten free cookies are wonderful to have on hand for unexpected visitors and the addition of a chocolate drizzle or dipping their bottoms into tempered chocolate makes them perfect for gift giving.
You may omit the egg whites, almond extract and almonds if there are any allergy issues. Although the egg whites are optional, they do make for a lighter cookie- however, I’ve never had any complaints when I’ve left them out.
Ingredients
392g/5 ½ cups (14 oz bag) sweetened coconut flakes
¼ teaspoon salt
336g/ 2 cups (2 x 6oz bags) mini chocolate chips
392g (14 oz can) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites (optional, but highly recommended)
Almond Islands Alternative add:
1 teaspoon almond extract
24 whole almonds
For Chocolate Drizzle or Dipping:
· 100-200g good quality 70% Dark Chocolate (Callebaut/ Aldi’s own brand/ Lindt)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees/ 325F for Fan/Convection. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Chef’s tip: If you have a convection oven, dip your finger in a little oil and dab under each corner of the parchment sheets to stop the corners from blowing over your cookies.
2. In a large bowl stir together the coconut and salt. Add in the chocolate chips and stir to distribute evenly.
3. Mix in the vanilla, almond extract (if using), and sweetened condensed milk.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites by hand or electric mixer until light and frothy.
5. Fold egg whites into coconut mixture.
6. Using two teaspoons (for a more rustic look) or a small cookie scoop, scoop the cookies out onto the parchment paper lined sheets. Space cookies about 2” apart to allow for spreading.
7. If making Almond Islands, gently press one whole almond into the top of each cookie.
8. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cookies just begin to turn golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before using a spatula to remove cookies from baking parchment. They will be soft and break if you try to remove them too soon.
9. Allow cookies to cool completely on a cooling rack before dipping or drizzling with chocolate.
10. Place the chocolate into a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second bursts until almost melted. Remove chocolate from microwave and continue to stir until all the chocolate has melted.* (See Chocolate Notes below for tempering instructions.)
11. To drizzle: place cookies close together but not touching (about ½” apart) on a clean parchment lined baking sheet. Pour chocolate in a piping bag or a ziplock bag and cut a small tip in the corner. Gently squeeze the bag while moving your hand in a zig zag motion over the cookies. Allow the chocolate to set completely before moving.
12. To dip: place the cookies in the freezer while you prepare the chocolate. Once tempered (see notes below) place the chocolate in a shallow bowl and dip the bottom of each cookie just until the chocolate starts to come up the sides to form a small rim. Gently rotate your hand in a circular motion over the bowl and use the edge of the bowl to gently remove excess chocolate so you don’t end up with a large puddle underneath the cookie.
13. Place dipped cookies onto clean parchment sheet. Allow chocolate to set at room temperature before moving cookies.
Storage: No need to refrigerate as these cookies will keep at room temperature for 2-3 weeks if stored in an airtight container. Once the chocolate has set, the cookies can also be frozen for up to a month stored in a freezer bag or airtight container. Be sure to separate layers with parchment paper.
*Chocolate Notes: If you have a probe or instant read thermometer, check the chocolate is at 32C/89F as this is the perfect working temperature for drizzling/dipping as it ensures your chocolate will set streak free. If your chocolate is too hot, it will not set properly and may have streaks (bloom.)
If you do not have a thermometer, stir until the chocolate starts to thicken and cool and you can do a Temper Test: dip the corner of a small piece of parchment paper into the chocolate and shake off excess; set on a flat surface and check in a couple of minutes to see if it has dried to a matt finish and you can run your finger over it without smudging or sticking. If it smudges, the chocolate is probably still too warm, stir the chocolate a bit more and then repeat the temper test.
For more information on working with chocolate, join our local Chocolatier Mary Storey for one of her FABulous Chocolate Classes at Florida Academy of Baking. www.fabbaker.com