Mounds Macaroons Food

OLD-FASHIONED MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the almond paste and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the almond paste is softened and the sugar well-incorporated, about 5 minutes.
• Add the egg whites a little bit at a time, incorporating fully after each addition. Egg whites are difficult to pour in small amounts, so hold a rubber spatula against the rim of the bowl, and use it to "cut" the egg whites as they are poured. If you add the egg whites all at once, the mixture will be lumpy, because the difference in consistency between the egg whites and the almond paste mixture is too great. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. You may or may not need all of the egg whites depending on the moistness and age of the almond paste. Stop mixing when the mixture reaches a consistency soft enough to pipe (similar to toothpaste).
• Place the batter in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe 1-inch mounds onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. It will be easier if you hold the pastry bag at a slight angle and allow the tip to touch the parchment as you start to pipe. Once you have formed the mound, stop squeezing and lift the tip straight up, leaving a small tail on the top of each mound. Space the macaroons about 1-inch apart to allow for spreading and pipe carefully. The macaroons will look nicest when sandwiched together if they are all the same size.
• Immediately before placing them in the oven, liberally sprinkle granulated sugar over the macaroons. This will give them a nice crust that will keep the inside moist and chewy. Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. The top of each macaroon should be very finely cracked, a characteristic for which they are known. If over-baked, the macaroons will be dry and crunchy.
• Remove the sheet pan from the oven and immediately pour the water onto the sheet pan under the parchment paper. Be careful! If you get any water on the macaroons, they will be soggy. You will need to tilt the baking sheet to spread the water evenly. Let it sit for 2 minutes. The water will loosen the macaroons from the paper. Remove the macaroons from the paper two at a time and stick them together, matching the flat sides. Do not put them back on the hot, wet baking sheet or they will become soggy.
• The macaroons can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or well wrapped in the freezer for up to one week. Unwrap them before bringing back to room temperature, or the condensation will make them soggy.

MOUNDS RICH, MOIST AND CHEWY MACAROON COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar til well blended.
• Add egg yolk, o.j., and almond extract.
• In small bowl, whisk/mix flour, baking powder and salt.
• Gradually add to butter mixture, mixing well after each addition.
• Stir in well, 3 cups coconut.
• Cover and chill 1 hour or til firm enough to handle and roll into balls.
• Heat oven to 350.
• Shape dough into 1 inch balls, roll into last cup of coconut. You can lightly press it on a little.
• Place onto ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 12-15 minutes (MINE TOOK 15! *the original recipe said 10-12 and that wasn't EVEN long enough, they sank after I took them out and had to re-bake them!)or until lightly browned. I suggest at LEAST 13 minutes, but again, mine took 15.
• Leave them on the cookie sheet 1 minute, then carefully and gently remove to wire racks to cool.
• *You can gently press a maraschino cherry half in the center of each cookie on top, if desired, before baking.
• Makes 3-3 1/2 dozen.

MOUNDS MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, cream cheese and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, almond extract and orange peel. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined. Stir in 2 1/2 cups coconut. Add Mounds pieces and stir until combined.
• Spread 1 1/4 cups coconut on plate. Using 2 tablespoons dough for each cookie, roll dough into 1 1/2 inch rounds. Roll each round in coconut. Arrange rounds 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake until cookies are puffed and coconut is lightly golden, about 35 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to racks; cool completely.
• Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Dip fork into melted chocolate and drizzle lines of chocolate across tops of cookies. Refrigerate cookies until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate in airtight containers. Serve cold or at room temperature. Cookies can be prepared 3 days ahead.

PARADISE MACAROONS

Steps:

• 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.