By now perhaps you're starting to realize that I get passionately obsessed about things. Yes, certainly things happening in my kitchen. That's a given. However , what you may not know is that I'm also obsessed with my garden. And, just like in the kitchen, I'm a completely (well, almost completely) self-taught gardener. I must acknowledge, however, that my mother took great pains in teaching me how to properly prune roses, always on President's day.
This week I've been spending lots of time outside the window of my kitchen in my garden and am particularly pleased with my peonies which are just starting to bloom.
I did however, make time to make a special springtime treat. These chocolate macaroons come from a good old 1991 cookbook called "Rosie's Bakery All-Butter Fresh Cream Sugar-Packed No-Holds-Barred Baking Book" by Judy Rosenberg. As you can doubtless guess from the title of the book, there's not much lacking in this recipe.
These macaroons are great for Passover, but I like them any old time just because they're good.
Chocolate Macaroons
makes 2 dozen cookies
8 ounces Baker's semi-sweet chocolate
4 ounces Baker's unsweetened chocolate
4 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups shredded sweetened coconut
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Melt both chocolates in the top of a double boiler placed over simmering water, then cool the chocolate to tepid.
Beat the egg whites in a medium-sized mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until frothy, about 30 seconds.
Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is the consistency of marshmallow fluff, about 30 seconds more. Blend in the vanilla, fold in the melted chocolate, then the coconut.
Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of the dough about 1 1/2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheet.
Bake the cookies until al light crust forms on the outside, about 13 minutes. Cook on the cookie sheet or remove the cookies to a cooling rack.
I imagine that having seen these photographs, you're probably right there with me in hoping that very shortly I'll getpassionately obsessed with photography. I figure there's nowhere to go from here but up.