Toasted Coconut And Dark Chocolate Meringues Food

TOASTY COCONUT MACAROONS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the coconut out in a single layer on a half sheet pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the coconut is golden. Set on a cooling rack to cool.
• Whip the eggs whites and sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer on high for 8 to 10 minutes until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla and salt. The egg whites and sugar can also be whipped in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold in the toasted coconut.
• Drop by the tablespoon onto a parchment paper-lined half sheet pan, leaving 1 to 2 inches around each cookie. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

COCONUT-CHOCOLATE MARJOLAINE

Steps:

• For ganache:
• Place chocolate in medium metal bowl. Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate; whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Whisk in rum. Cover and chill at least 6 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)
• For coconut meringue layer:
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Line 17x11-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix coconut, 1/3 cup sugar, flour, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar; beat until stiff but not dry. Fold coconut mixture into meringue just until incorporated. Spread meringue evenly over parchment on prepared sheet, covering completely. Bake until light golden and just springy to touch, about 20 minutes (meringue will be soft). Cool completely on baking sheet. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover tightly with foil; store at room temperature.)
• For glaze:
• Place chocolate in medium metal bowl. Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate; whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Whisk in rum. Let glaze stand at room temperature until thickened and spreadable, about 1 hour.
• Place sheet of waxed paper on work surface. Cut around edges of meringue to loosen. Invert meringue onto waxed paper. Peel off parchment. Cut meringue crosswise in half, then cut lengthwise in thirds, forming six 8 1/2x3 2/3-inch rectangles. Cut piece of cardboard into 8 1/2x3 2/3-inch rectangle; cover cardboard with foil. Place 1 meringue rectangle on cardboard.
• Using electric mixer, beat ganache just until lighter-colored and firm enough to spread. Using offset spatula, spread 3 generous tablespoons ganache evenly over meringue. Top with second meringue rectangle; press to adhere. Spread 3 tablespoons ganache over. Repeat procedure with 3 more meringue rectangles and remaining ganache. Top with remaining meringue rectangle. Chill cake until ganache is firm, about 1 hour.
• Place cake on rack set over rimmed baking sheet. Spread top and sides of cake with some of glaze. Chill 30 minutes.
• Place bowl with remaining glaze in skillet of barely simmering water and rewarm just until instant-read thermometer inserted into glaze registers 90°F. Pour glaze over top of cake, allowing glaze to drip down sides, spreading evenly over sides. Using spatula, scoop up excess glaze on sheet; spread over sides of cake to cover. Press toasted coconut onto glaze over bottom 1 inch of cake. Transfer cake to platter. Chill until glaze is set, at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Let cake stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)
• Using serrated knife, cut cake crosswise into 8 slices. Transfer to plates.

TOASTED COCONUT AND DARK CHOCOLATE MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread coconut evenly on baking sheet; bake until toasted and evenly golden, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool.
• Reduce oven temperature to 275°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar; beat until peaks are thick and fluffy. Fold in coconut and chocolate.
• Drop generous rounded teaspoonfuls batter onto prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake until crisp on outside but still soft inside, about 27 minutes. Cool. (Can be made up to 3 days ahead; store in airtight container.)
• Available at some supermarkets and at natural foods stores.

FIG AND CHOCOLATE MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to (150°C/130°C fan-forced) Or 300°F Line 3 oven trays with baking paper.
• Put egg whites and the few drops of vinegar in a clean bowl. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Gently fold through figs, chocolate and hazelnuts.
• Drop tablespoons of mixture onto trays, about 3cm apart. Bake for about 40 minutes or until dry to touch. Turn off oven. Leave in the oven with the door slightly ajar for about an hour. This lets the centres dry out a bit more.
• NOTE1: To toast hazelnuts - Preheat oven to (180C) 350°F In a cookie sheet, toast hazelnuts in one layer in middle of oven 5 to 10 minutes, or until lightly colored and skins start to crack open. Wrap nuts in a clean dish towel and let steam 1 minute. Rub nuts in towel to remove loose skins (don't worry about skins that don't come off) and cool completely.
• NOTE 2: The meringues are a bit crumbly, so next time I am going to bake them in pretty mini muffin papers, just on a cookie sheet. They taste fantastic, but look a bit bland. So I am going to put a bit of melted chocolate on the top and then top with a toasted hazelnut.