Recipes

[nomless]

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@1920712 wrote:

@house_cat  Here's a recipe that my family enjoys. It's made with Angel Food cake mix and couldn't be easier:

1 Package  (16 ounces) angel food cake mix

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract

3 cups (5 ounces) sweetened flaked coconut

Put rack in center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.

Put cake mix, water, and almond extract in a large mixing bowl.

Beat on low speed until smooth, 30 seconds. Then scrape bowl.

Increase speed of mixer to medium, beat 1 minute longer.

Fold in the coconut.

Drop by teaspoons onto baking sheet two inches apart on the

      baking sheet parchment paper.

Bake about 10-12 minutes until they are set and just

      beginning to brown.

Remove from oven and slide the parchment paper with the

      macaroons on top of a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.

Remove the parchment paper and re-use it for the remainder

      of the batch. The macaroons could easily be colored.

You may want to do a trial batch to see if it's what you're looking for.

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Be aware this is a macaroon recipe, not a macaron  recipe.  Just trying to avoid confusion.

[house_cat]

@nomless 

Yes!  I did pick up on that! Thank you!

[drizzellla]

I  have never attempted to make macaroons. But I made an observation. Not every bakery attempts to make macaroons. Whenever I want macaroons, I go to George's Macaroons in Ocean City, NJ.

Maybe try a dry run or two before you decide.

[lovesrecess]

Macaroons are a one bowl cookie and easy to make...the macaroons...a meringue sandwich cookie, can be tinted pastel colors...labor intensive. Buy them. Have seen pretty boxes of them at Costco and I think Trader Joe’s bit it was around Easter...don’t know if they have them year-round. For macaroons, I use the Eagle Brand milk recipe and tweak it to make it my own. I am asked to make them often for showers and parties. Always in demand.

[loriqvc]

@house_cat - As it turns out, I did add several notes about macaron making the last time I attempted the process:

•Make sure your almond flour is very finely ground and has no lumps.
•Parchment paper works better than a silicone mat.
•After you pipe the discs, wait an hour for the batter to dry and set.
•Only bake one pan of cookies at a time.
•Leave macarons on parchment paper (on wire rack) until COMPLETELY cool.
•After filling, allow macarons to sit overnight in the refrigerator for optimal flavor.

I hope your macarons turn out beautifully! Share a picture if you make some... 

[house_cat]

@loriqvc 

Thank you. Those notes are sure to prove very helpful.

[Bridgegal]

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@nomless wrote:

@house_cat , do you mean coconunt macaroons (thread title says macaroons) or macarons (the meringue sandwich cookie)? Since you mentioned petit fours, I'm wondering if you meant macarons, not macaroons.

Macaroons should be easy to make, macarons somewhat more difficult.

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     Exacty.  Two different cookies.   My understanding is French Macarons are quite 'fiddly' to make; American macaroons, not so.

[dooBdoo]

              @house_cat,  I want to thank you for this thread for a slightly peripheral reason.    There’s a yummy dessert from my neck of the woods called “Macaroon Pie,” and I always wondered why it had this name...  for most of us who hear the name, it conjures up thoughts of coconut sweets, but this pie isn’t related to those.  

              It’s a mixture of dates, sugar, and other ingredients gently folded into beaten egg whites and when baked is, in part, a crunchy merangue texture.    Now I’m wondering if the name was changed in error, somewhere in time, from macaron to macaroon.    I’d never heard of macarons before reading your thread, and reading this the light bulb illuminated in my dense and foggy brain!    Thank you!

 

[ahoymate]

The french macarons are all about technique in making. I'd do several practice runs. They aren't easy to get right.

[Yahooey]

@house_cat 

I have made them once - using the recipe below but I was set on getting it right and made 3 batches - one after another. I didn't get the foot or ruffle but it sure tasted good. I had an outline so all my circles were the same size. Use gel coloring than the regular liquid. Measurement by weight is key as opposed to cups - it is fiddly. Good luck

125 grams almond flour

225 grams 10x sugar (confection)

3 large egg whites

25 grams of superfine sugar

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

water soluble color

Jam, flavored butter cream, curd or ganache

1 - Using a food processor, grind the almond flour and powdered sugar until fine

(approx 45 seconds). Sift this mixture, using a tami, then set aside.

2 - French Meringue: whip the egg whites and cream of tartar. When it is foamy, start adding the superfine sugar slowly. Whip the meringue to very stiff peaks. The cream of tartar will allow you to whip it longer without getting grainy or over whipped. If you are using color, add now and whip a few more seconds.

3 - With a spatula, fold the sifted almond mixture into the meringue. Continue folding until the mixture looks well combined, supple, and not too stiff.

4 - Pipe small 1" mounds of batter onto a silpat using a #3 plain tip.

5 - Allow the piped macarons to sit at room temperature for 20 to 60 minutes until they have formed a skin on their surface. Test this skin by gently touching the surface of the cookie. It should feel dry and show no mark from your touch.

6 - Bake at 275 degrees for a total of 20-25 minutes, or until they just begin to brown on the edges.