Monday, December 1, 2008

Paradise Macaroons


I love Macaroons... of which these are the ultimate... and I love Alton Brown, who's recipe this is... what a winning combination!

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Ingredients
2 (7 to 8-ounce) packages sweetened shredded coconut
2 ounces sweetened condensed milk
Pinch kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large egg whites at room temperature
5 ounces granulated sugar
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 ounce vegetable shortening
2 ounces finely chopped dry-roasted macadamia nuts
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the coconut with the sweetened condensed milk, salt and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to whip the whites until medium peaks form, 6 to 7 minutes.

Gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture. Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds onto a parchment-lined half sheet pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately transfer the parchment with the macaroons to a cooling rack. Cool completely before topping.

Fill a 4-quart pot with enough water to come 2 inches up the side, set over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Combine the chocolate chips and shortening in a small metal or glass mixing bowl and set over the simmering pot. Stir occasionally until melted, then remove from the heat.

Dip the cooled cookies in the chocolate mixture, sprinkle with the chopped macadamia nuts and place on parchment paper to set, about 30 minutes.
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Watch Alton make them, HERE

6 comments:

Haf Dozen Reasons....... said...

Thanks for the delicious cookies with the cookie swap! I just realized you have a cookie blog. Dangerous place as I love me a good cookie and it looks as there are a bunch here!

How sad to lose all your recipes! Amongst much much else. I cant even imagine what that must be like.

Anita said...

Thanks!
Yours were really yummy, too!
That cookie swap was a lot of work, but oh, it was so worth it when the cookies started coming in!lol.. I think cookies and cupcakes are probably my favorite desert... haha
There aren't a whole lot of things that we lost that I really miss - usually "stuff" is just "stuff" - but I miss my recipes... and our photos, we lost all our photos of our kids... and the 120 year old bedroom set my Grandmother had given me... *sigh*
Anyway, we were safe, and that was the main thing... :)

Diane said...

Anita these look delicious. And we love to watch Alton Brown =)
xoxox

Anita said...

:)
I'm such a foody... my two biggest television crushes are chefs, lol... Alton and Anthony Boudain, lol

Oh, well there is Mark Harmon... and he could cook at my house anytime, lol...

Glenda said...

I was wondering if you took the pictures of the cookies? They look like professional pictures. I have recipes on my blog that need pictures, but I haven't got that far yet. Anyway I am going to try these recipes - they look absolutely delicious. I love foodnetwork, too. Although I don't really watch Alton too much - mostly Rachael Ray, Tyler Florence, Bobbie Flay. Another question - how do you get the music on some of your blogs? Thanks.

Anita said...

hi :)
I actually have done some photography work with food, but most all of these are with the recipes :)

I get my music by building playlists at http://playlist.com - you can set up an account there for free, and they have just about any song you could want!