Recipe: Macaroon Kiss Cookies

Macaroon Kiss cookies

This is a long time favorite cookie here in America! Who doesn't love the wonderful synergistic combination of coconut and chocolate?

Ever since Hawaii became an American state this country has had a love affair with their food products like coconut. Europeans especially love the Hawaii hazelnut and use it extensively in their chocolates.



Ingredients:


1/3 cup butter, softened

3oz cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons almond extract

2 teaspoons orange juice

1 1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

5 cups flaked coconut

Chocolate kisses


Directions: Preheat oven to 350° F.

Cream together butter, cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy.

Add egg yolk, almond extract and orange juice; beat well.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt, gradually add to creamed mixture.

Stir in 3 cups coconut. Cover tightly and chill 1 hour.

Shape dough into 1" balls, roll in remaining coconut. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Remove from oven; immediately top with a chocolate kiss. Let cool on a wire rack.

Note: For other recipes visit my other fun blog:
Comfort Food From Louisiana

Recipe: Bittersweet Chocolate Tarts

Here's an awesome easy chocolate tart for the true chocolate lover!


Bittersweet Chocolate Tarts

From: Pastry Chef Shirl Gard,
The Old Inn On The Green and Gedney Farm - New Marlborough, Massachusetts

Yield: 8 tarts

Special Equipment: eight 3 1/2” fluted tart pans




Ingredients for Chocolate Tart dough:


1 ¾ cups all purpose flour, sifted

½ cup cake flour, sifted

3 Tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted

¼ cup toasted, skinned hazelnuts

3 Tablespoons sugar

9 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

5 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 large egg


Ingredients for Dark Chocolate Filling:


1 pound bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 ½ cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks only

6 Tablespoons superfine sugar


Directions to make dough: In bowl, whisk together flours and cocoa powder until well blended; set aside.

In bowl of food processor, combine hazelnuts and sugar and process until nuts are finely ground.

In electric mixer, using paddle attachment, mix butter with confectioners’ sugar at medium speed until blended, about 1 minute. Add ground hazelnut mixture and mix until blended. Add egg and mix until combined. Add flour mixture at low speed, mixing just until mixture starts to come together as dough. Scrape dough out onto work surface and shape into disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.


Roll and bake tart shells: On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough out to a thickness of about 1/8-inch. Using a small plate or cutter as a guide, cut out eight 5” circles from dough. Ease dough circles into eight 3 1/2” tart pans, pressing dough against bottom and sides. Roll pin over top of tart pan to remove excess dough. Place dough-lined pans in freezer for at least 20 minutes before baking.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325° F. Arrange tart pans on baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, until no longer shiny. Transfer pans to wire rack and cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 225° F.


Directions to make the Filling: Place chopped chocolate in medium bowl and set aside.

In small saucepan, combine cream and milk and place over medium heat until simmering. Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate and let stand 30 seconds to melt chocolate. Swirl gently with a rubber spatula until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth and shiny. Cool for 10 minutes.


In small bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks and sugar. Whisk into cooled chocolate mixture. Pass through fine-mesh sieve into large glass measure with pouring spout. Place tart pans on baking sheet and pour chocolate filling into shells, filling them to within 1/8-inch from top.

Bake tarts for about 30 minutes, until shiny and almost completely set. Filling should not be puffed around edges. Cool slightly and serve warm or cool completely and serve at room temperature.


Pastry Chef Shirl Gard
The Old Inn On The Green and Gedney Farm
Route 57
New Marlborough, Massachusetts 01230
1 – 800 – 286 - 3139

Note: For other recipes visit my other fun blog:
Comfort Food From Louisiana