Bless Her Heart

Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate Ganache

Coconut Macaroons are so incredibly easy, I'm starting to wonder why we don't make them more.  The recipe in A Homemade Life elevates them by adding a simple chocolate ganache.  I swear I don't get anything for plugging this book, but The Girl and I are reading it together and so far every recipe we've made has been simply delicious.  We used this recipe as an opportunity for The Girl to work on separating eggs.  Since we doubled the recipe, she was a pro by the end.

Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate Ganache

Recipe from A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg of Orangette

Posted with Permission

Ingredients:

3 cups (lightly packed) sweetened shredded coconut
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup egg whites (about 5 or 6 large)
1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream

Place the coconut, sugar and egg whites in a large, heavy saucepan, and stir to combine well. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring regularly, about 10-15 minutes. The mixture will look very creamy as it heats and then it will slowly get a bit drier, with individual flakes of coconut becoming discernible. Stop cooking when it no longer looks creamy but is still quite sticky and moist, not dry. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Scrape the mixture into a pie plate or small baking sheet, spread it our a bit to allow it to cool quickly, and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat. 

Using your hands or a small, spring-loaded ice cream scoop, scoop and firmly pack the coconut mixture into small domes. Space them evenly on the baking sheet.

Bake the macaroons until evenly golden, about 30 minutes.  Cool completely on the pan on a wire rack. Then remove the macaroons from the baking sheet, and set them on the rack. Set cookies on rack over a rimmed baking sheet.

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it is very hot and steamy (not boiling), remove from the heat, and pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute then stir until the mixture is smooth. Spoon the warm ganache generously over the macaroons, shaking them gently if needed to coax the ganache down their sides.

Refrigerate the macaroons until the ganache sets, at least 2 hours. Transfer the macaroons to an airtight container, and refrigerate or freeze.

Note: Macaroons will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Frozen, they will keep for a month or two.

Yield: 12 macaroons

 

In the kitchen, while they slept...

If we have one morning that is lazy around here, it's Sunday.  Often, The Man won't leave for work until eleven or so, which is a huge luxury for us.  This morning, I found my way to the kitchen as the rest of the family slept.  I had the time to try the Buckwheat Pancake recipe from A Homemade Life.  Although they're not exactly pretty, they are really, really yummy. I love the pace in the kitchen while everyone sleeps.  Knowing that no one is exactly waiting for breakfast allows a calm, quiet rhythm in the kitchen that fulfills me and reminds me how much I love to cook for my family.

Wordless Wednesday: The look...

Music for your Monday: Steve Earle

Predictably, I'm moved by the song "Every Part of Me" found at about the 5:10 minute mark:

 

Blackberry Lemon Crumble

We're smack dab in the middle of the spring/summer fruit season around these parts, which means it's time for easy fruit-based desserts like crumbles, crisps, buckles, and cobblers.  These are the kind of desserts that are so delicious that it seems like you must have spent forever on them, and yet they're so simple that the majority of the time spent on them is the time it takes to bake in the oven.  I love a Crumble when the berries have warmed to the point of bursting and topped with a sweet, buttery, crumbly crust and loosely whipped cream. This recipe makes a large crumble and is great for family gatherings and potlucks. If I'm being honest though, we usually just keep nibbling away at it until it's gone. A scoop of it over yogurt would make a special breakfast treat after the kids are off to school...not that I know about that or anything....

Blackberry Lemon Crumble

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a 3 quart baking dish with canola oil or melted butter and set aside.

Berry filling:

6 cups fresh blackberries, rinsed and dried

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp lemon zest

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

Crumble Topping:

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup of sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp. powdered ginger (optional)

1 cup of butter, cubed and chilled

Gently mix together the blackberries, lemon juice, lemon zest and sugar. Sprinkle the cornstarch in at the end and mix to incorporate.

In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, flour, sugar, salt and ginger powder (if desired).  Cut the butter into your flour mixture until it has a kind of chunky, sand texture. Try not to overwork it as you don't want the butter to begin to melt.

Spread the berry mixture in the bottom of the pre-greased baking dish.  Sprinkle the crumble topping along the top of the berries, making a nice even crust.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the berry juice is bubbling and the crumble topping has a nice golden color.

Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.