The weather in Seattle for the last week or so has been positively summer-like. We have had maybe 8 days of sunshine and dry dare-I-say, heat. There was even a 90F degree day where I thought the thermometer in my car must be broken. Sun in the spring means the color green is everywhere! When you live in gray for the better part of the year, sun and green are not overlooked or taken for granted. It is one of the aspects of living in Seattle that I love - life and nature are appreciated, in the moment.
Berry season is in the beginning stages here but every store seems to be ready for the onslaught. It is how I know we are really approaching the Pacific Northwest no one talks about. The one where it doesn't rain. Where the early mornings and late evenings still require a jacket but the days are filled with warm sunshine that lasts well after 9:00 pm. And every store has stacks and stacks of berries. Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, but closest to my heart are raspberries. They are just so versatile. They are equally good on a tart as they are in a vinaigrette. (OK that may be an exaggeration.) They are amazing cooked, perfect for jam, gorgeous right out of the container, or in this case: paired with coconut and chocolate.
I saw this recipe on Marthastewart.com and was sold. It is very easy and doesn't take long to make with a really elegant result. The hardest part was that the cookies need to bake for 25 minutes and they smelled heavenly! There is something about toasting coconut that is intoxicating!
The freshness of the raspberries not only brings out even more fruitiness of the coconut but also adds moisture and creates a softer texture that I didn't know was missing from a coconut macaroon.
They would be excellent still if you wanted to serve them without the chocolate. (Alternative universe) The chocolate definitely makes them bonbon-esque. If you prefer milk or white chocolate to dark they both would make a nice variation. My biggest caution is to watch them carefully in the last few minutes of baking. There is a fine line between toasted and burnt when coconut is concerned. Simply lovely little cookies.
INGREDIENTS
· 2
cups dried sweetened flaked coconut
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
·
1 large egg white
·
Pinch of coarse salt
·
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
·
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
·
2 teaspoons coconut oil
·
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350
degrees. Combine coconut, granulated sugar, egg white, and salt in a
food processor and pulse until combined, scraping down sides of bowl, if
necessary. Add raspberries and pulse until just incorporated. (Do not
overprocess.)
2. Scoop mounds of coconut mixture 1 inch apart onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, using a 1/2-ounce (1 1/4-inch) ice cream scoop or a tablespoon to form small mounds.
2. Scoop mounds of coconut mixture 1 inch apart onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, using a 1/2-ounce (1 1/4-inch) ice cream scoop or a tablespoon to form small mounds.
3.
Bake until macaroons are lightly golden, 28
to 30 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Transfer macaroons to
a wire rack and let cool.
4.
Place chocolate in a bowl set over
a saucepan of simmering water and stir until melted. Add coconut
oil, stirring until combined, then remove from heat.
5.
Dip bottoms of macaroons in chocolate or
completely cover with chocolate, transferring as dipped to a wax-paper-lined
rimmed baking sheet. Garnish as desired while still warm, then refrigerate
until firm, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day. Serve chilled.
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