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You Asked For It: For macaroons that melt in your mouth
By ANNE LONG Almond macaroons are classic cookies that start with almond paste. Add egg whites, flour and two sugars. Bake at a low temperature. Then enjoy. Janet Knowles writes that the recipe comes from her favorite cookbook, Southern Cooking, which was the first published cookbook from Southern Living magazine. Janet adds that the book is "ancient, battered and ugly," but she wouldn't trade it for anything, because "it doesn't have a bad recipe in it." It sounds as though it would be a good cookbook to look for at garage sales and flea markets. Janet also shares her recipe for coconut macaroons, this recipe from Betty Crocker's Cookie Book. Egg whites are used for these cookies also, along with almond extract and flaked coconut. Nancy Eggert asked for the recipe for large apples prepared with a layer of caramel, a layer of chocolate, then a coating of toasted almonds. The apples were mentioned on Rosie O'Donnell's television show. Karen Jones moved to the Suncoast from Concord, Calif., where the Unbelievable Apple is featured at Grand Avenue Chocolates. Karen supplies the Web site (www.grandavenuechocolates.com), where you can either order the apple or check what it looks like and make it yourself. Jacqui Connelly found the recipe on the Internet and passes it on. Making it is rather involved, but it is a spectacular creation. * * * For: Irene Balise of New Port Richey. From: Janet Knowles of Oldsmar. Recipe: Almond Macaroons, from Southern Living's Southern Cooking. Almond Macaroons
Work the almond paste with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add the slightly beaten egg whites and blend thoroughly. Sift the flour and sugars together; then add to the egg mixture. Cover cookie sheets with parchment paper. Drop cookie dough by spoonfuls or through a cookie press. Bake at 300 degrees about 30 minutes. Remove from paper with spatula while still warm. Cool on a wire rack. * * * Recipe: Macaroons, Betty Crocker's Cookie Book. Coconut Macaroons
Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in bowl with electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until stiff and glossy. Fold in almond extract and coconut. Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheets that have been covered with aluminum foil or parchment. Place one cherry piece on top of each cookie. Bake at 300 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool on a wire rack. * * * For: Nancy Eggert of Dunedin. From: Jacqui Connelly of New Port Richey. Recipe: Rachel's Chocolate Covered Caramel Apples from the Rosie O'Donnell Show, via the Internet. Rachel's Chocolate Covered Caramel Apples
To toast almonds, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour raw almonds onto dry cookie sheet, distributing them evenly. Toast in oven for 15 minutes, turning them at 5-minute intervals. The skins will be golden brown and beginning to crack open. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. When cool, pour 1/2-cup increments into food processor assembled with chopping blade. Pulse food processor in 2-second intervals, only enough to break the almonds into chunks. Pour each batch onto 9- by 13-inch cake pan until all almonds are chopped. Make a 3-inch-wide well in the center of the almonds and set aside. Wash and dry apples and set aside. Line clean flat baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare caramel: Remove cellophane wrappers from caramels and place caramels in 11/2-quart glass bowl. Pour corn syrup and vanilla over caramels and place bowl in microwave. On full power, microwave caramels for 4 to 5 minutes stirring at 1-minutes intervals. Note: Even though it will appear as if the caramels are just being moved around in the bowl for the first 2 minutes, it is important to do so to distribute the heat evenly. Continue stirring until the corn syrup and vanilla are incorporated into the caramel and mixture is smooth. To dip apples, place one apple in center of hot caramel. Using sturdy serving spoon, draw caramel up sides of apple, being careful to leave apple top exposed. Lifting the apple from bowl with spoon, press index finger on exposed apple top to guide apple onto lined baking sheet. Continue with remaining apples, spacing them 2 inches apart from each other on baking sheet. Let caramel cool completely before dipping into chocolate. When the caramel is ready, the apples will immediately release from paper if given a quick tug. If caramel adheres to the paper after a tug, let it cool further, until the apples immediately release. To temper chocolate: Open two 12-ounce bags of chocolate chips. Reserve 2/3 cup and set aside. Pour remaining chocolate chips into 11/2-quart glass bowl. Set microwave at 50 percent power and microwave chocolate chips for 4 minutes, stirring at 1-minute intervals. Allow temperature to reach 101 degrees to 106 degrees. Pour reserved chocolate chips in melted chocolate and stir until all chips are melted completely and temperature is 89 degrees to 90 degrees. Assemble apples: Pour tempered chocolate into center of 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Place one carameled apple in center of melted chocolate. Using a clean, dry spatula, draw chocolate up sides of apple, covering caramel. Slide slotted pancake turner underneath the apple and lift to edge of pan. Gently tap the bottom of turner to allow excess chocolate to drain into pan. Transfer chocolate-covered apple to well in almonds and gently press almonds with your hands into chocolate. Continue with remaining apples. Place pan of chocolate-covered caramel apples in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, until chocolate has set. Recipe requestsDorothy Lubbes of Clearwater has made dilly casserole bread for years but not successfully since moving to Florida. She purchased a bread machine and finds that works well with most breads, but the dill bread does not compare to the original. Dorothy would appreciate helpful hints from readers telling her how to get the bread to rise properly. When she lived in Missouri, Katherine Wilkson of St. Petersburg made a perfect pie crust with 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 5 tablespoons water, 2 cups flour and salt. Katherine has adjusted the amounts of water and oil but has never been able to get it to work here. Katherine needs your assistance with this no-fail recipe that has become always-fail. - You Asked for It is a reader mail column. If you have a cooking question or the answer to someone else's question, write to: You Asked for It, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. Be sure to include your full name, city and phone number. Letters without this information will be discarded. Requests cannot be answered by phone or mail.
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From the Times Taste section From the features wire |
