Macaron Sandwiches With Coconut Lime Cheesecake Filling Food

COCONUT MACAROON SANDWICHES WITH LIME CURD

Steps:

• Make Macaroons:
• Heat oven to 325°F with racks in upper and lower third. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Stir together coconut, sugar, flour, and salt until combined well, then add egg whites and almond extract and stir until combined well.
• Pack dough in a teaspoon measure, preferably with offset spatula, scraping it level, then use spatula to remove dough from teaspoon in a single mound. Arrange mounds, rounded side up, 1 inch apart, on baking sheets.
• Bake until just springy to the touch and bottoms are pale golden, 8 to 12 minutes, switching position of sheets halfway through baking.
• Remove cookies from oven and sprinkle while still hot with edible glitter, if using. Cool cookies on baking sheet 1 minute, and transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Make Lime Curd:
• Whisk together lime zest and juice, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan until cornstarch is dissolved, then whisk in butter. Bring to a simmer over moderately high heat, whisking constantly, then reduce heat and continue to simmer briskly, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Remove pan from heat.
• Lightly beat yolks in a small bowl, then slowly add 1/4 cup lime mixture, whisking. Add yolk mixture to remaining lemon mixture, whisking, then cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until curd is thick enough to hold marks of whisk, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, then cover surface with wax paper and chill until cold, about 1 hour.
• Assemble Cookies:
• Transfer lime curd to plastic bag and press out excess air. Snip a 1/8-inch opening in bottom corner of bag, then twist bag firmly just above curd.
• Put 1 cookie, flat side up, on work surface and pipe about 1/2 teaspoon lime curd onto cookie, then top with another cookie, flat side down, to form a sandwich. Make more sandwiches in same manner.

BASIC FRENCH MACARONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in lower third. Place almonds in a food processor; process until as fine as possible, about 1 minute. Add confectioners' sugar; process until combined, about 1 minute.
• Pass almond mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Transfer solids in sieve to food processor; grind and sift again, pressing down on clumps. Repeat until less than 2 tablespoons of solids remains in sieve.
• Whisk egg whites and granulated sugar by hand to combine. Beat on medium speed (4 on a KitchenAid) 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high (6) and beat 2 minutes. Then beat on high (8) 2 minutes more.
• The beaten egg whites will hold stiff, glossy peaks when you lift the whisk out of the bowl. Add flavoring and food coloring, if desired, and beat on highest speed 30 seconds.
• Add dry ingredients all at once. Fold with a spatula from bottom of bowl upward, then press flat side of spatula firmly through middle of mixture. Repeat just until batter flows like lava, 35 to 40 complete strokes.
• Rest a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch round tip (Ateco #804) inside a glass. Transfer batter to bag; secure top. Dab some batter remaining in bowl onto corners of 2 heavy baking sheets; line with parchment.
• With piping tip 1/2 inch above sheet, pipe batter into a 3/4-inch round, then swirl tip off to one side. Repeat, spacing rounds 1 inch apart. Tap sheets firmly against counter 2 or 3 times to release air bubbles.
• Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until risen and just set, 13 minutes. Let cool. Pipe or spread filling on flat sides of half of cookies; top with remaining half. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate.

COCONUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Wrap outside of 9 inch diameter springform pan with
• 2 3/4-inch high sides with foil. Mix graham cracker crumbs, 1 1/2 cups coconut, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and butter in small bowl. Press mixture onto bottom and up sides of pan.
• Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add cream of coconut, cream, 1 cup coconut, vanilla extract and lemon juice and beat until well blended. Pour filling into crust. Bake until puffed and set in center, about 1 hour 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Sprinkle remaining coconut around edge of cake.

HABANERO LIME CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Position top rack in the center of the oven. Place a baking pan on the rack below this. Boil water.
• Make crust: Mix the crumbs and salt together in a small bowl, then add butter and stir to mix. Set aside 1/4cup for topping. Press the rest into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
• Turn on kitchen or stove exhaust fan. Skewer and roast the habaneros over an open flame (gas burner is fine) and set them to steam under a towel. When they are cool enough to handle, put on plastic gloves if desired. Peel and deseed habaneros, then pound in a mortar with the 2 tablespoons of sugar until a coarse paste results.
• Cream the cream cheese, then add remaining sugar and salt. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time until incorporated. Add the cream and blend. Beat the zest and lime juice into this mixture. Add the habanero paste last and beat until well mixed. Pour into the crust, then gently tap the pan to level the filling. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs on top.
• Pour boiling water into the pan on the oven?s lower rack. Place the cheesecake on the rack above it. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until the cheesecake pulls away from the edge of the pan. Remove from the oven and allow to set for 20 minutes. Wrap and keep in the refrigerator overnight, or if rushed, place in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours.
• Garnish, if desired, with slices of lime and place a whole habanero in the center.