Chocolate Dipped Macaroons

We were invited to a Christmas party in Balboa to see the boat parade and the hosts requested a dozen cookies from each guest. I was indecisive about what kind to bring, but I remembered I had coconut in my pantry and hadn't made macaroons (not macarons) in a long time. A fave at our house, I decided to try this Martha Stewart recipe from an old cookbook.

These little cookies call for unsweetened coconut, but I use sweetened. Less sugar and fewer egg whites and you come out with comparable results. These cookies come together in a few minutes and are a hit (as you can see  from my picture, I didn't shape them into pyramids. Still yum)!

Coconut Pyramids
adapted from Martha Stewart

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
• 3 large egg whites
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vegetable shortening

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, using your hands, mix together sugar, coconut, egg whites, and salt. Add butter and extracts, and combine well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. Moisten palms of hands with cold water. Roll 1 tablespoon of the coconut mixture in palms, squeezing tightly together 2 or 3 times to form a compact ball.
3. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart, and bake until edges are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Leave on baking sheet on a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Place chocolate and shortening in a small heat-proof bowl, and set over a pan of simmering water; stir occasionally until melted. Dip bottom 1/4" of each cookie in the melted chocolate. Set each dipped macaroon on cooled baking sheet to allow chocolate to harden.

Warren Brown's Chocolate Butter Cake with Coconut Buttercream

When we first moved to California five years ago, my job didn't start for a few months so I found myself with a lot of free time on my hands. My husband worked far away and we had no kids. So what to do... watch Food Network? One of my favorite shows was Sugar Rush with Warren Brown. So I was excited when his book Cake Love came out a couple years ago. He owns a bakery by the same name in Washington D.C. and the book is full of great recipes that are a must for cake lovers. I first made his Mr. Banana Legs recipe a couple years ago, to rave reviews.  I tried the Chocolate Butter Cake recipe a few weeks ago, and paired it with the coconut buttercream as suggested in the book.  If you don't love coconut, you at least have to try the Chocolate Butter Cake-it's so moist and chocolatety, one of my favorites!

 

Chocolate Butter Cake

 adapted from Cake Love by Warren Brown

Yield: two 9-inch round cakes or 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

Dry

• unbleached all-purpose flour, 7 ounces (1¼ cups + 2 tablespoons)
• unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 ounces (½ cup)
• baking powder, 1½ teaspoons, or 1 teaspoon at high altitude
• salt, 1 teaspoon

Liquid

• half and half, 1 cup
• vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon

Creaming

• unsalted butter, at room temperature, 6 ounces (1½ sticks)
• extra-fine granulated sugar, 14 ounces (1¾ cup)
• eggs (large), 4

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (conventional) or 335°F (convection). Set the rack in the middle of the oven. For cupcakes, set racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions.

2. Set out the ingredients and equipment:

Sift the flour directly into a bowl on a scale for accurate measuring.

Measure the other dry ingredients into a separate mixing bowl, add the flour, and whisk for 10 seconds to blend. Set aside.

Measure the liquid ingredients into a separate bowl and set aside.

Measure the butter and sugar into separate bowls and set aside.

Crack the eggs into a separate bowl and set aside.

3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on the lowest speed for 3 to 5 minutes.

4. With the mixer still on the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl.

5. Add the dry ingredient mixture alternately with the liquid mixture in 3 to 5 additions each, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Move swiftly through this step to avoid overworking the batter. Don’t wait for the dry or liquid mixtures to be fully incorporated before adding the next. This step should take a total of about 60 seconds.

6. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl all the way down. Don’t miss the clumps of ingredients hiding on the bottom of the bowl. Mix on medium speed for 15 to 20 seconds to develop the batter’s structure.

7. Prepare the pans. For 9-inch-round cakes, line the bottom of each pan with parchment; do not spray the sides. For cupcakes, lightly spray the pan with a nonstick spray to help release any overflowing crowns. Line the pan with paper liners.

8. For 9-inch-round cakes, deposit the batter in three separate areas of each pan and smooth out with the rubber spatula or an offset metal spatula, making sure the pans are two-thirds full. For cupcakes, use a 2-ounce, trigger-release, ice-cream scoop to deposit batter into the lined pans so they’re two-thirds full.

9. 9-inch rounds - at Sea Level, bake 28 minutes; at High Altitude, bake 35 minutes. Cupcakes - at Sea Level, bake 22 minutes; at High Altitude, bake 20 minutes.

10. Once the top of the cake doesn’t jiggle in the center, test for doneness by inserting a bamboo skewer in the center of the cake. An even dark brown color should extend from the edge to the center, and the cake’s edges may pull away from the pan. When the skewer shows just a touch of crumbs or comes out clean, the cake is done. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a heat-resistant surface or wire rack.

11. For 9-inch-round cakes, cool to room temperature, 25 to 30 minutes, before removing from the pans. Use a small offset spatula to loosen each cake from the rim of the pan. Carefully invert each pan onto a flat surface and remove the layers. Remove the parchment from the bottom of each cake and wrap the cake tightly in plastic. Refrigerate the layers for up to 5 days before frosting. (See page 200 for more information on layering and assembling.)

12. For cupcakes, cool to room temperature, 25 to 30 minutes, before carefully lifting each cupcake from the pan. Proceed with frosting or store for later use.

Coconut Buttercream

adapted from Cake Love by Warren Brown

Yield: 4 to 5 cups (enough for two 9-inch-round, three-layer cakes or 24 cupcakes)

Ingredients

Milk Mixture

• whole milk, 2 cups
• unsweetened coconut flakes, 3 ounces (½ cup)
• extra-fine granulated sugar, 7 ounces (¾ cup + 2 tablespoons)

Yolk Mixture

• egg yolks (large), 6
• extra-fine granulated sugar, 2 ounces (¼ cup)
• potato starch, 3 tablespoons
• unsalted butter, at room temperature, 2 ounces (½ stick)

Flavorings and Butter

• brown sugar, 3 ounces (¼ cup), packed
• vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons
• unsalted butter, chilled, 1 pound (4 sticks)

Directions

1. Set out the ingredients and equipment:

Separate the yolks into a large bowl. Add the 2 ounces sugar and the potato starch and whisk to combine. Add the 2 ounces butter, but do not stir in. Place a damp kitchen towel under the bowl to prevent it from sliding.

Measure the milk mixture ingredients into a 2-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn off the heat and let the mixture steep for 10 minutes.

Measure the flavorings into three separate bowls and set aside.

2. Return the milk mixture to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmer, slowly pour it into the yolk mixture, whisking slowly in small circles at first and ending with broader strokes until fully combined. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan.

3. Return the saucepan to the stove and heat over medium heat, whisking constantly but not rapidly, for about 4 minutes (3 minutes at high altitude). The key is to keep the pastry cream moving so it won’t scorch on the bottom of the saucepan.

4. When you begin to see lava bubbles—large, slowly forming bubbles that burp steam—reduce the heat to the lowest setting and whisk briskly for 1 minute to pasteurize the pastry cream.

5. Pour the pastry cream into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the wire whip attachment. Add the brown sugar and vanilla extract. Whip the pastry cream on high speed until it’s cooled to room temperature, about 4 to 5 minutes.

6. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and add the pound of butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Whip on medium speed until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.

TWD- Coconut Tea Cake

Well, after trying to convert people to dulce de leche last week, this week's object is converting people to coconut. I'll admit, I hated coconut for a long time when I was younger. Then I had a coconut macaroon. Then Girl Scout Samoas. Then Almond Joy. I know the texture can be icky, but oh, the taste is so wonderful.

This week's pick, from Carmen Cooks is for Coconut Tea Cake. This cake is really moist, but pretty plain. No chocolate. No icing. No filling.

 

But Dorie suggests serving it toasted, which sounded pretty good to me. So I toasted slices in the oven and served it with vanilla ice cream. Yum.

 

Check out Carmen's blog for the recipe!

TWD- Toasted Coconut-Custard Pie

I loved toasted coconut. Girl Scout Samoas are about the greatest thing ever. My mom makes truffles covered in toasted coconut and I could eat a million of them. So I was excited to make this recipe. I don't have a tart pan so I made a 9" pie.

A word of caution: don't leave coconut unattended under the broiler. Fire in my mom's oven. My brave brother took the on fire coconut an threw it in the snow. Take two was toasted in a pan on the stove.

This is a great, quick recipe that yields a creamy, smooth custard filling. You could omit the coconut and use bananas for a great banana cream.

You can check out Beryl's blog for the recipe!

Crunchy Buttermilk Coconut Chicken Fingers

This quick and easy recipe from Cooking Light was a hit especially with my husband. Our one year old liked them, but our 3 year old didn't like the texture of the coconut. They're flavorful and crispy and come together in about 20 minutes! The curry flavor is pronounced, so you can even cut back a little on it to increase the subtlety.
Crunchy Buttermilk Coconut Chicken Fingers
Cooking Light, April 2008
Serves 4
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups fat-free buttermilk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1 large egg white
3/4 cup crushed cornflakes
3/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
Cut the chicken into 1/2-in strips. Combine chicken and buttermilk in a shallow dish. Cover and chill 1 hour. Drain chicken, discarding liquid. Combine chicken and flour in a medium bowl, tossing to coat.
Preheat over to 475 degrees F. Place baking sheet in oven.
Combine egg and egg white in a small bowl. Combine crushed cornflakes and next 5 ingredients in a shallow dish.
Working with one chicken strip at a time, dip into egg mixture, dredge in cornflake mixture. Repeat with remaining chicken. Arrange chicken in a single layer on preheated baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake for 6 minutes or until done. Serve immediately.

Cake Slice Bakers- Southern Coconut Cake (not pretty, but pretty tasty!)

This month's Cake Slice Baker's cake is Southern Coconut Cake- a white cake lightly flavored with coconut milk, frosted with a cream cheese, italian-merengue buttercream type frosting. I'm out of town and my mom doesn't have the best cake pans, so my cake layers did not come out of the pans very easily. They also had pretty crispy edges.

My frosting was also a little runny. I popped it in the freezer for a while to firm it up so I could at least frost the cake. The frosting is pretty amazing- creamy and cream cheesey- there's nothing better than cream cheese frosting! I also didn't garnish the cake with as much coconut as the recipe says as I wasn't sure if the people/kids who would be eating this cake would want that much coconut on it.

Southern Coconut Cake
Makes an 8-inch triple layer cake
For the cake:
5 large egg whites
½ cup of milk
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
3 cups of cake flour (I used 3 cups AP flour, minus 6 T)
2 and 1/3 cup sugar
4 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
½ teaspoon of salt
2 sticks of unsalted butter (8oz.) at warm room temperature
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Butter the bottoms of three 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a parchment circle and butter the circle.
Put the egg whites in a bowl and whisk slightly. Add the ½ cup of milk and the vanilla and whisk to mix thoroughly; set aside.
In a large mixer bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, beat dry ingredients well in order to break up any lumps. Add the butter and coconut milk on low speed and beat just to combine. Raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy about 2 minutes.
Add the egg white mixture in 2 or 3 additions, scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Divide the batter among the pans.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a cake taster inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes. Then turn the cakes out and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
To assemble the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on an 8-inch cake round. Cover this layer with 1 cup of the buttercream frosting. Spread it evenly all the way to edge of the cake. Then sprinkle ½ cup of shredded coconut on top. Add the second layer and repeat the process. Top with the final layer of cake and frost the top and sides of the cake.
Place the remaining 1 ½ cups shredded coconut on a large baking tray. Pick up the cake and hold it on the palm of one hand over the tray. Using the other hand scoop up the coconut and press it to the sides of the cake. Continue with this process until the sides of the cake are covered. Set the cake on a serving plate and sprinkle any remaining coconut on top of cake. Chill cake for at least one hour to allow frosting to firm up a bit.
Cream cheese buttercream frosting
12 ounces of cream cheese slightly chilled
1 stick of unsalted butter plus 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter (7 ounces) at room temperature
1 cup of confectioners sugar, sifted after measuring
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 cup of granulated sugar
¼ cup of water
3 egg whites
Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a mixer and beat on medium speed until slightly fluffy and smooth. Add the butter 1-2 tablespoons at a time, mixing until smooth. Add the confectioner’s sugar and vanilla and mix until fluffy. Set aside at room temperature while buttercream is made.
Combine the granulated sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Continue to cook without stirring until the syrup reaches the softball stage 228 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
Meanwhile, place the egg whites in mixer bowl and have the mixer ready to go. When the syrup is ready, turn the mixer on med-low and begin mixing the egg whites. Slowly add the hot syrup to the whites taking care not to pour onto the beaters, it may splash. When all the syrup is incorporated, raise the speed on the mixer to med-high and beat the egg whites until mixture has cooled and stiff meringue forms.
With the mixer on low, begin adding the cream cheese mixture by the spoonful. When all is incorporated, raise the speed to medium and whip until frosting is smooth and fluffy.
Cake Garnish:
2 ½ cups of sweetened flaked coconut for garnishing cake