Chocolate Dipped Cherry Macaroons Food

CHOCOLATE CHERRY FRENCH MACARONS

Steps:

• Line 3 baking sheets with baking mats or parchment paper.
• Make the cookie base: Using a fine mesh strainer, sift together the powdered sugar and almond flour. (This may take some time - I use a spatula to try to work out any large clumps or pieces. If there are bits of the almond flour that won't go through the strainer, you can put the mixture in a food processor and pulse a few times. Make sure to just pulse so you don't turn it into butter.)
• Add the 65g of egg whites and stir until the mixture is moistened.
• Make the Italian meringue: Place the 185g of sugar in a small saucepan. Add about 2 tablespoons of water and stir with your finger until the sugar is moistened. Wet your finger and wipe down the sides of the pan to remove any sugar on the sides of the pan.
• Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a boil.
• Meanwhile, place the egg whites in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and the cream of tartar. Turn the mixer on to medium-low.
• Once the sugar has dissolved in the saucepan, take a pastry brush dipped in water and wash down the sides of the pan. Once the mixture is at a roiling boil, turn the mixer up to medium high.
• Cook the mixture until it reaches 244ºF on a thermometer.
• When the egg whites have volume but are still soft, turn the mixture to low and slowly drizzle the sugar mixture into the egg whites, between the side of the bowl and the outer reach of the whisk. Turn the speed up to medium and continue to whip until the outside of the bowl has cooled off and the whites are firm and glossy but not dry, about 5 minutes.
• Add a small amount of the meringue to the cookie base and stir it in with a spatula. This will lighten up the mixture. Add in a few drops of red food coloring. Add the remaining meringue in 3 batches, folding them gently into the mixture. When the meringue is completely incorporated, continue to fold the mixture over until the mixture forms a ribbon that settles slowly into the mixture. If the ribbon rests on top of the mixture, stir another 4 or 5 times and test again. You don't want to stir it too much to liquify the mixture, or the cookies will not hold their shape.
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
• Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (I used Ateco #804). Pipe the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets in quarter sized rounds.
• Let the cookies stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. The cookies should be dry to the touch and will form a "shell" on the surface.
• Bake the pans for 8-10 minutes each, until they are risen and set, but not browned. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the pan.
• Beat the butter in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and the cocoa and continue to beat until smooth. Add in 1 tablespoon of milk and the cherry extract. Continue to beat until combined. Add an additional tablespoon of milk, if needed, to achieve a consistency that is easy for piping. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip.
• To assemble the macarons, turn half of the macaron shells upside down. Cut the maraschino cherries in half or into thirds, and place one piece in the middle of each of the cookies that are upside down. Pipe the buttercream around the cherry. Place another macaron shell on top, flat side down. Press down lightly.
• Store the cookies in a covered container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.

CHOCOLATE MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside. Break chocolate into small pieces, and then transfer to a medium heatproof bowl.
• Set bowl with chocolate over a pan of simmering water; stir until chocolate is melted. Let cool slightly.
• Pour melted chocolate into a large bowl; add cocoa, sugar, coconut, egg whites, vanilla, and salt. Mix with your hands until well combined.
• Dampen clean hands with cold water. Mound 1 1/2 tablespoons mixture into a loose haystack shape, and transfer to lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture, arranging macaroons 1 inch apart.
• Bake until just firm to the touch but still soft in the middle, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheet on a wire rack. Store in airtight containers at room temperature, up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED COCONUT MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine condensed milk, almond extract, vanilla extract, salt, and egg white in a bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Add about 2 1/3 cups shredded coconut. Mix with a spatula until mixture is sticky and holds together. Form into balls using a sorbet scoop.
• Roll balls in remaining coconut. Space macaroons evenly onto a silicone-lined baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, at least 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place 3/4 of the chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the rest of the chocolate until it melts.
• Dip the base of each cooled macaroon about 1/8 inch into the chocolate. Place cookies, chocolate-side down, on parchment paper. Let chocolate harden completely.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED COCONUT MACAROONS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all the ingredients except the chocolate together in a bowl. (The recipe can be made up to this point and kept refrigerated up to 3 days in advance.)
• Scoop the mixture with a small 1 to 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop onto parchment lined cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between the cookies. Bake until light golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely on the pans.
• Remove from the pan and dip the bottoms in melted chocolate, then place back on the sheet tray to set up.

CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, mix the first six ingredients. Stir in egg whites, corn syrup and vanilla until blended. , Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake until set and dry to the touch, 15-20 minutes. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., Dip bottom of each cookie in melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Freeze option: Freeze cookies, layered between waxed paper, in freezer containers. To use, thaw before serving.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY-COCONUT MACAROONS

Steps:

• Place chopped cherries in a strainer and press with the back of a spoon to extract as much juice as possible (if you are looking for something to do with the juice, it can be added to iced green tea to give it a delicious taste). Place cherries on a double thickness of paper towel; wring and squeeze paper towel to extract more juice. Spread cherries on another sheet of paper towel until ready to use.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees farenheit. Grease 3 to 4 large baking sheets. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and salt until light. Beating constantly at medium speed, add sugar 1/4 c at a time, beating well after each addition. Increase speed to high; continue beating until mixture is thick and pale and ribbons form in bowl when beaters are lifted, about 5 to 10 minutes. Fold in vanilla and flour, then coconut, chocolate chips and the chopped cherries. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons,1 1/2 inches apart, on prepared baking sheets. Press down slightly.
• Bake 15 to 19 minutes, or until golden brown on the tips. Cool on racks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage.

CHOCOLATE MACARONS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl, then stir in the ground almonds. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold them into the dry ingredients.
• Fill an icing bag fitted with a plain nozzle with the mixture (or put in a large food bag and snip off the corner). Pipe 24 small blobs, about 3cm across, onto the baking sheet, leaving a little space between each. Smooth the surface with a wet finger, then leave for 15 mins to dry out. Bake for 15-20 mins until macaroons feel firm to the touch and peel easily off the paper. Cool on the paper, then peel off and store in a tin for up to 1 week.
• To make the filling, put chocolate into a heatproof bowl and gently melt over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir in the warm milk until smooth. Leave to cool and thicken a little, then use to sandwich the macarons together