Black and Whites
Servings: 56
Ingredients:
Meringues:
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup superfine sugar
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
Chocolate filling:
1/2 cup almonds, toasted
4 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
3 tablespoons unsalted butter,
1 1/2 egg yolks
Directions:
Beat the egg whites until frothy, add the cream of tartar, and beat at medium speed while gradually adding 1/2 tablespoon of the superfine sugar. When soft peaks form when the beater is raised, add 1 tablespoon of the superfine sugar and increase the speed to high. When stiff peaks form, gradually beat in the remaining superfine sugar and beat until very stiff and glossy. Beat in the almond extract. Sift the powered sugar over the meringue and fold it in, preferably using a large wire whisk.
Place the meringue in a pastry bag with a number 6 (1/2 inch diameter) piping tube and close securely. Pipe 1 inch mounds of the meringue about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets. Allow the mounds to stand for 10 minutes.
Using your index finger dipped in powdered sugar, or a tiny spoon, make a depression about 1/2 inch wide in the center of each mound. Allow them to dry for 1 hour or until set (when your fingertip touches the surface, the meringue stays intact).
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
Bake for about 1 hour or until completely set. The centers can be slightly sticky, as they will harden on cooling. Transfer the puffs to wire racks to cool completely.
Toast the almonds at 325 degrees for 5-10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Chop them medium coarsely and place in a small cup.
Chocolate Fudge Topping: You can start this when there is about 30 minutes left to the baking time of the cookies. It takes awhile to cool enough to come to the right consistency.
Break the chocolate into squares and place them, together with the butter, in the top of a double boiler set over very hot water (not more that 160 degrees F). The water must not simmer or touch the bottom of the double-boiler insert. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is entirely melted. Return the pan to low heat if the water cools, but be careful that it does not get too hot.
Beat the egg yolk slightly and whisk it into the hot melted chocolate. Continue whisking the mixture, over the hot water, for 1 minute. Remove the upper container from the double boiler, dry any moisture on its bottom and scrape the mixture into a bowl. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. This takes 30 to 45 minutes. (You can put it in the refrigerator to speed cooling, but check every 5 minutes to make sure it doesn't harden too much.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a number 12 (5/16 inch diameter) plain round decorating tube, with the fudge topping and pipe it into the depressions in the meringue. (Note: Do not use plastic baggies. They may break.)
Dip the top of the cookie in the almonds so they adhere to the chocolate.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature at low humidity.
Notes: I have increased the chocolate filling recipe by 1 1/2 to allow for a generous amt. of filling for all the cookies.
Chocolate Macaroon Cookies
Servings: 36
Ingredients:
4 ounces baking chocolate, sweet
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
7 ounces coconut flakes
Directions:
Melt chocolate and cool.
Beat egg whites at room temperature at high speed of electric mixer for one minute. Gradually add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves (2-4 minutes). Add melted chocolate and vanilla. Beat well. Stir in coconut.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets, lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Transfer cookies, on the paper, onto a wire rack to cool. When cool, carefully remove cookies from paper.
Yield 3 doz
Southern Living Annual Recipes, 1988
Notes: Very Good
Chocolate Macaroons with Chocolate Filling
Servings: 40
Ingredients:
Chocolate Filling:
6 tablespoons whole milk
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Macaroons :
1/2 pound confectioners' sugar (2 cups), sifted after measuring
1 cup whole blanched almonds, 4 1/2 oz.
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 large egg whites
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions:
For chocolate filling: Bring milk and butter to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Transfer to small bowl. Cool. Cover and refrigerate until thick and cold, about 30 minutes.
For macaroons: Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter corners of 2 large baking sheets and line with parchment paper. Blend 1 cup of powdered sugar, cocoa, and almonds in processor 5 or 6 times to combine, then process for 1 minute or until very powdery.
Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until frothy. Add the salt and beat until firm peaks form. Add the remaining cup of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, taking about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Then beat until stiff and shiny.
Fold nut mixture into egg whites in 4 additions, making thick batter.
Spoon batter into pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain round tip. Pipe batter onto each prepared sheet in one- inch dots, spacing mounds 1-inch apart (cookies will spread slightly). Smooth tops with barely moistened fingertips. Air dry for 20 to 30 minutes.
Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, for 10 minutes or just until set. Remove from oven. Lift up one side of parchment paper with both hands and allow air to flow under parchment. This will release cookies. Slide parchment with cookies onto work surface; cool cookies. Repeat with remaining batter, cooling sheets completely and lining with clean parchment for each batch.
Assembly and serving: Arrange 1 macaroon, flat side up, on work surface. Drop about 1/2 teaspoon filling onto cookie. Top with second macaroon, flat side down. Press lightly to adhere, making sandwich. Repeat with remaining macaroons and filling. Arrange macaroons on platter.
Store in an airtight container, layered between strips of wax paper, for up to 5 days. These cookies may be frozen.
NOTE: Try using double cookie sheets. Maybe bake at 300 degrees. - To prevent cracking
Notes: Excellent
Flourless Chocolate Cookies
Servings: 0
Ingredients:
1/2 lb Semi-sweet chocolate
3 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup Sugar, plus more for rolling
3/4 cup ground almonds
Powdered sugar for dusting
Directions:
Melt chocolate and butter in a double broiler or microwave.
Beat eggs with an electric mixer slowly adding sugar until ribbons form.
Fold in the chocolate/butter mixture. Gently mix in ground almonds.
Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Try about 4 hours. Dough was very hard overnight.)
Heat oven to 325.
Form dough into 1 inch balls, roll in granulated sugar.
Bake cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet 9-12 minutes, until centers are no longer wet.
Cool slightly and dust with powdered sugar.
Notes: Excellent - nice moist texture witha little bit of crunch from the sugar coating.
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
Servings: 36
Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter, (chunky for crunchier cookies - smooth for slightly softer)
1 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, egg, baking soda, and vanilla. Add peanut butter and chocolater chips, and mix until well incorporated.
Drop tablespoon-size balls onto a greased baking sheet. Press them down with a fork so they bear the universal lines for "peanut butter cookie." Or just press them down with your hands. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool for a few minutes on a rack before indulging.
Notes: Very good - and no dairy/no gluten! If not eaten on same day, store in freezer. They dry out.
Gluten Free Bittersweet Decadence Cookies
Servings: 0
Ingredients:
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup pecans
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
3 sheets parchment paper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together, set aside. Place 8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate chips and butter in a med. microwavable bowl and heat for 1 minute. Stir the chocolate butter mixture and microwave again for 30 seconds. Continue to microwave and stir until the chips have melted and your mixture is smooth, set aside.
In a heatproof bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and vanilla thoroughly and set the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water using it like a double broiler. Continue to whisk everything until the mixture is lukewarm. Combine the egg mixture and the chocolate mixture (should be lukewarm as well) stirring until they are well combined. Add the flour mixture, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and pecans to the chocolate mixture.. Your batter will look like thick cake batter. Do not fear, after they bake they will look like and taste like cookies!
Scoop tablespoons of dough (it will look very wet and sloppy) onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper 2 inches apart from each other. Bake for 10 minutes until the surface of the cookies look dry and set. With the cookies still on the parchment paper, slide them onto racks to cool. Gently peel the parchment paper back after cookies have cooled for at least 30 minutes.
Notes: Excellent!
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Crisps
Servings: 80 cookies
Ingredients:
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup miniature chocolate chips, (or substitute chopped chocolate chips bittersweet chocolate)
Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
2. Put 2 cups of oatmeal in the food processor and process until finely ground and floury.
3. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until soft and smooth. Mix in the brown sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well blended. In another bowl, stir together both the ground and whole oatmeal, the baking soda, and the salt. With the mixer running at low speed, add the dry ingredient to the batter and mix until just blended. Add the chocolate chips and mix just until blended.
4. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the pan, leaving 2 to 3 inches between them, as they will spread. Bake for 22 to 27 minutes, until firm and lightly brown all over. Do not underbake, or they won't be crispy. Let cool on pan a few minutes and then remove to cooling rack
Notes: Very good!
Paradise Macaroons
Servings: 65
Ingredients:
14 oz. sweetened shredded coconut,
2 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 Pinch kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large egg whites at room temperature
5 ounces granulated sugar
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 ounce vegetable shortening
4 ounces chopped almonds, toasted
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Pulse the coconut in the food processor to chop up the long pieces a little. 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 (use smaller scoop) onto a parchment-lined half sheet pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes (if using smaller scoop, check at 18 min.) or until golden brown. Immediately transfer the parchment with the macaroons to a cooling rack. Cool completely before topping.
Melt chocolate with shortening in a small mixing bowl. Dip the tops of the cooled cookies in the chocolate mixture, sprinkle with the chopped nuts and place on parchment paper to set, about 30 minutes.
approximately 3 1/2 dozen - If using the smaller scoop, yield is 65.
Notes: Excellent - a great addition to Christrmas cookie tray
Servings: 56
Ingredients:
Meringues:
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup superfine sugar
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
Chocolate filling:
1/2 cup almonds, toasted
4 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
3 tablespoons unsalted butter,
1 1/2 egg yolks
Directions:
Beat the egg whites until frothy, add the cream of tartar, and beat at medium speed while gradually adding 1/2 tablespoon of the superfine sugar. When soft peaks form when the beater is raised, add 1 tablespoon of the superfine sugar and increase the speed to high. When stiff peaks form, gradually beat in the remaining superfine sugar and beat until very stiff and glossy. Beat in the almond extract. Sift the powered sugar over the meringue and fold it in, preferably using a large wire whisk.
Place the meringue in a pastry bag with a number 6 (1/2 inch diameter) piping tube and close securely. Pipe 1 inch mounds of the meringue about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets. Allow the mounds to stand for 10 minutes.
Using your index finger dipped in powdered sugar, or a tiny spoon, make a depression about 1/2 inch wide in the center of each mound. Allow them to dry for 1 hour or until set (when your fingertip touches the surface, the meringue stays intact).
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
Bake for about 1 hour or until completely set. The centers can be slightly sticky, as they will harden on cooling. Transfer the puffs to wire racks to cool completely.
Toast the almonds at 325 degrees for 5-10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Chop them medium coarsely and place in a small cup.
Chocolate Fudge Topping: You can start this when there is about 30 minutes left to the baking time of the cookies. It takes awhile to cool enough to come to the right consistency.
Break the chocolate into squares and place them, together with the butter, in the top of a double boiler set over very hot water (not more that 160 degrees F). The water must not simmer or touch the bottom of the double-boiler insert. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is entirely melted. Return the pan to low heat if the water cools, but be careful that it does not get too hot.
Beat the egg yolk slightly and whisk it into the hot melted chocolate. Continue whisking the mixture, over the hot water, for 1 minute. Remove the upper container from the double boiler, dry any moisture on its bottom and scrape the mixture into a bowl. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. This takes 30 to 45 minutes. (You can put it in the refrigerator to speed cooling, but check every 5 minutes to make sure it doesn't harden too much.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a number 12 (5/16 inch diameter) plain round decorating tube, with the fudge topping and pipe it into the depressions in the meringue. (Note: Do not use plastic baggies. They may break.)
Dip the top of the cookie in the almonds so they adhere to the chocolate.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature at low humidity.
Notes: I have increased the chocolate filling recipe by 1 1/2 to allow for a generous amt. of filling for all the cookies.
Chocolate Macaroon Cookies
Servings: 36
Ingredients:
4 ounces baking chocolate, sweet
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
7 ounces coconut flakes
Directions:
Melt chocolate and cool.
Beat egg whites at room temperature at high speed of electric mixer for one minute. Gradually add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves (2-4 minutes). Add melted chocolate and vanilla. Beat well. Stir in coconut.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets, lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Transfer cookies, on the paper, onto a wire rack to cool. When cool, carefully remove cookies from paper.
Yield 3 doz
Southern Living Annual Recipes, 1988
Notes: Very Good
Chocolate Macaroons with Chocolate Filling
Servings: 40
Ingredients:
Chocolate Filling:
6 tablespoons whole milk
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Macaroons :
1/2 pound confectioners' sugar (2 cups), sifted after measuring
1 cup whole blanched almonds, 4 1/2 oz.
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 large egg whites
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions:
For chocolate filling: Bring milk and butter to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Transfer to small bowl. Cool. Cover and refrigerate until thick and cold, about 30 minutes.
For macaroons: Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter corners of 2 large baking sheets and line with parchment paper. Blend 1 cup of powdered sugar, cocoa, and almonds in processor 5 or 6 times to combine, then process for 1 minute or until very powdery.
Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until frothy. Add the salt and beat until firm peaks form. Add the remaining cup of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, taking about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Then beat until stiff and shiny.
Fold nut mixture into egg whites in 4 additions, making thick batter.
Spoon batter into pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain round tip. Pipe batter onto each prepared sheet in one- inch dots, spacing mounds 1-inch apart (cookies will spread slightly). Smooth tops with barely moistened fingertips. Air dry for 20 to 30 minutes.
Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, for 10 minutes or just until set. Remove from oven. Lift up one side of parchment paper with both hands and allow air to flow under parchment. This will release cookies. Slide parchment with cookies onto work surface; cool cookies. Repeat with remaining batter, cooling sheets completely and lining with clean parchment for each batch.
Assembly and serving: Arrange 1 macaroon, flat side up, on work surface. Drop about 1/2 teaspoon filling onto cookie. Top with second macaroon, flat side down. Press lightly to adhere, making sandwich. Repeat with remaining macaroons and filling. Arrange macaroons on platter.
Store in an airtight container, layered between strips of wax paper, for up to 5 days. These cookies may be frozen.
NOTE: Try using double cookie sheets. Maybe bake at 300 degrees. - To prevent cracking
Notes: Excellent
Flourless Chocolate Cookies
Servings: 0
Ingredients:
1/2 lb Semi-sweet chocolate
3 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup Sugar, plus more for rolling
3/4 cup ground almonds
Powdered sugar for dusting
Directions:
Melt chocolate and butter in a double broiler or microwave.
Beat eggs with an electric mixer slowly adding sugar until ribbons form.
Fold in the chocolate/butter mixture. Gently mix in ground almonds.
Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Try about 4 hours. Dough was very hard overnight.)
Heat oven to 325.
Form dough into 1 inch balls, roll in granulated sugar.
Bake cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet 9-12 minutes, until centers are no longer wet.
Cool slightly and dust with powdered sugar.
Notes: Excellent - nice moist texture witha little bit of crunch from the sugar coating.
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
Servings: 36
Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter, (chunky for crunchier cookies - smooth for slightly softer)
1 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, egg, baking soda, and vanilla. Add peanut butter and chocolater chips, and mix until well incorporated.
Drop tablespoon-size balls onto a greased baking sheet. Press them down with a fork so they bear the universal lines for "peanut butter cookie." Or just press them down with your hands. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool for a few minutes on a rack before indulging.
Notes: Very good - and no dairy/no gluten! If not eaten on same day, store in freezer. They dry out.
Gluten Free Bittersweet Decadence Cookies
Servings: 0
Ingredients:
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup pecans
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
3 sheets parchment paper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together, set aside. Place 8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate chips and butter in a med. microwavable bowl and heat for 1 minute. Stir the chocolate butter mixture and microwave again for 30 seconds. Continue to microwave and stir until the chips have melted and your mixture is smooth, set aside.
In a heatproof bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and vanilla thoroughly and set the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water using it like a double broiler. Continue to whisk everything until the mixture is lukewarm. Combine the egg mixture and the chocolate mixture (should be lukewarm as well) stirring until they are well combined. Add the flour mixture, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and pecans to the chocolate mixture.. Your batter will look like thick cake batter. Do not fear, after they bake they will look like and taste like cookies!
Scoop tablespoons of dough (it will look very wet and sloppy) onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper 2 inches apart from each other. Bake for 10 minutes until the surface of the cookies look dry and set. With the cookies still on the parchment paper, slide them onto racks to cool. Gently peel the parchment paper back after cookies have cooled for at least 30 minutes.
Notes: Excellent!
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Crisps
Servings: 80 cookies
Ingredients:
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup miniature chocolate chips, (or substitute chopped chocolate chips bittersweet chocolate)
Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
2. Put 2 cups of oatmeal in the food processor and process until finely ground and floury.
3. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until soft and smooth. Mix in the brown sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well blended. In another bowl, stir together both the ground and whole oatmeal, the baking soda, and the salt. With the mixer running at low speed, add the dry ingredient to the batter and mix until just blended. Add the chocolate chips and mix just until blended.
4. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the pan, leaving 2 to 3 inches between them, as they will spread. Bake for 22 to 27 minutes, until firm and lightly brown all over. Do not underbake, or they won't be crispy. Let cool on pan a few minutes and then remove to cooling rack
Notes: Very good!
Paradise Macaroons
Servings: 65
Ingredients:
14 oz. sweetened shredded coconut,
2 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 Pinch kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large egg whites at room temperature
5 ounces granulated sugar
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 ounce vegetable shortening
4 ounces chopped almonds, toasted
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Pulse the coconut in the food processor to chop up the long pieces a little. 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 (use smaller scoop) onto a parchment-lined half sheet pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes (if using smaller scoop, check at 18 min.) or until golden brown. Immediately transfer the parchment with the macaroons to a cooling rack. Cool completely before topping.
Melt chocolate with shortening in a small mixing bowl. Dip the tops of the cooled cookies in the chocolate mixture, sprinkle with the chopped nuts and place on parchment paper to set, about 30 minutes.
approximately 3 1/2 dozen - If using the smaller scoop, yield is 65.
Notes: Excellent - a great addition to Christrmas cookie tray
