Ganache Filled Coconut Macaroons Food

TOASTED COCONUT GILDED MACARONS

Steps:

• For the macaron shells: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Using a 1 3/4-inch round cutter as a guide, draw 15 evenly spaced circles on each of two sheets of parchment paper (for a total of 30 circles). Flip the parchment over and line 2 baking sheets with the parchment paper.
• Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, almond flour and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
• Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is opaque and foamy, about 30 seconds. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the egg whites are white in color and hold the lines of the whisk, about 1 minute. Continue to beat while slowly adding the granulated sugar, then the vanilla, until the peaks are stiff and the whites are shiny, about 1 minute more. (Do not overbeat.) Transfer the meringue to a large bowl.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry mixture into the meringue, using 60 to 75 strokes (the batter should fold back on itself). Just before you are finished folding, add some red gel food coloring to the batter and continue to fold until the color is even and the desired consistency is reached. Spoon half the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip. Pipe the batter onto the parchment using the circles as a guide, refilling the bag as necessary. Tap the baking sheet hard on a table to flatten the batter out, then let sit at room temperature until the tops are no longer sticky when you lightly touch them, at least 20 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter on the second lined baking sheet.
• Bake the cookies 1 sheet at a time, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through baking, until they have formed a 'foot' along the base and the tops are smooth and dry looking, about 14 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets. (Leave the oven on.)
• For the filling: Place the coconut on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 2 minutes. Stir the coconut, then bake for an additional 2 minutes. Stir again and bake for another 2 minutes. Continue in the same manner, keeping an eye on it because it can go from toasted to burned very quickly, until the coconut is toasted to a medium-brown color, about 6 minutes more. Let cool completely.
• Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan a few times, until bubbles start to form around the edge of the pan but the cream is not yet boiling, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate in a bowl. Let sit for 30 seconds, then slowly whisk the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Fold in the toasted coconut. Let the ganache cool to room temperature.
• Place the ganache in a disposable pastry bag. Snip about 1/3-inch from the tip and pipe about 1 tablespoon onto the flat side of a macaron shell. Place a second shell on top, pressing very gently to sandwich the filling. Repeat with the remaining macaron shells and filling.
• To decorate: Place a gold leaf sheet face-down on a macaron shell, handling the gold leaf very gently, and rub gently with your finger or a brush so that the gold leaf separates from its baking paper and adheres to the macaron shell. Repeat with the remaining macarons.

GANACHE FILLED COCONUT MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 if using a convection oven preheat to 300. Line baking pans with parchment paper.
• In large bowl combine coconut, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and salt. Toss to evenly coat coconut with the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Set aside.
• In mixer bowl combine room temperature egg whites and sugar. Using preferably a stand mixer, beat on high speed till stiff peaks form.
• Now gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture. DO NOT OVER MIX
• Preferably using a cookie scoop, drop scoop fulls onto parchment lined baking sheets. With your thumb make indentations into the center of each bound.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Allow macaroons to cool before removing from parchment. I just slide the parchment off the baking sheet if I need to use the sheet again.
• Ganache- combine sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips into a small sauce pan, Cook and stir over medium low heat just till all the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and add vanilla and mix in well. Top each fully cooled macaroon with a spoon full of ganache. If they don't just all get gobbled up store in air tight container.
• Optional method of making Ganache, Place chocolate chips in a glass or metal bowl, set aside. In small sauce pan bring cream to a boil. Pour over chocolate chips, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Whisk till smooth and add vanilla. This is only stable at room temp for a max of 48 hours, so you only want to use this method if your macaroons are going to be eaten in that time. Macaroons do not do well in refrigeration. But I wanted you to have the recipe for typical ganache.

FIRST-PLACE COCONUT MACAROONS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the coconut, sugar, flour and salt. Add egg whites and vanilla; mix well., Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE-FILLED MACAROONS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325ºF.
• Combine coconut, sugar and salt in large bowl. Add egg whites and extract; mix well.
• Drop coconut mixture into 32 mounds on parchment-covered baking sheet, using about 1 Tbsp. coconut mixture for each mound. Press indentation into center of each.
• Bake 20 min. or until edges are golden brown. Cool completely on baking sheet. Meanwhile, microwave chocolate and COOL WHIP in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring every 30 sec. Cool.
• Spoon melted chocolate into resealable plastic bag; snip small piece off one bottom corner of bag. Use to fill centers of macaroons; top with nuts.

COCONUT MACAROONS

Steps:

• Whisk together the egg whites and caster sugar in a large bowl for 2-3 mins until light and frothy, and the sugar has dissolved. Add the coconut, a pinch of salt and the vanilla, then stir until combined. Leave to stand for 10 mins.
• Heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3½. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Scoop teaspoonfuls of the mixture and roll into compact balls, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 mins until golden.
• Leave on the baking sheet to cool completely. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water, or in short 20-second bursts in the microwave. Tip the melted chocolate into a small bowl, then dip the bottom of each cooled macaroon into the chocolate and wipe off any excess. Arrange on a sheet of baking parchment, chocolate-side up, then put in the fridge for 20 mins, or until set. You can use any remaining melted chocolate to pipe in zigzags over the top, if you like, then leave to set.