{"id":32302,"date":"2013-05-28T16:42:46","date_gmt":"2013-05-28T16:42:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/?p=32302"},"modified":"2017-04-18T07:54:27","modified_gmt":"2017-04-18T12:54:27","slug":"macaroons-made-easy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/food\/recipes\/macaroons-made-easy\/","title":{"rendered":"Macaroons Made Easy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Macaroons\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Please note: Eileen Goltz is a freelance kosher food writer.\u00a0<\/strong>The Orthodox Union makes no endorsements or representations regarding kashrut certification of various products\/vendors referred to in her articles, blog or web site.<\/em><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s talk macaroons. This almond paste base cookie has become all the rage of late in the pastry conversation. Lately they have been seen in magazines, upscale bakeries and as a sweet treat at the end of an elegant meal they are actually a very simple cookie that is NOT just for Passover.<\/p>\n

A true macaroon is small cookie classically made of almond paste or ground almonds (or both) mixed with sugar and egg whites said to have originated in Italy (although the French try to claim it as there invention as well). Almond macaroons can be chewy, crunchy or a combined texture with the outside crisp and the inside chewy. Adding nuts and or chocolate and coconut to the recipe just makes them more delicious.<\/p>\n

The macaroon is a close cousin to the meringue but the meringues tends to be crisper and the macaroons chewier. If a macaroon is over baked, it tends to become dry and crumbly. Most modern day recipes for macaroons include almond paste to create body in the cookie as well as adding a more intense flavor than ground almonds. Macaroons made without paste tend to be light and airy with a delicate crust. French and Italian macaroons made with almond paste piped into a round shape with frosting holding two macaroons together<\/p>\n

There are two key tricks to making macaroons at home. The first is making the egg white foam with tons of volume and the second is to have the consistency of batter so that it doesn\u2019t run or spread too much. If the batter doesn\u2019t cooperate you can always just add more nuts or coconut.<\/p>\n

Getting macaroons to release from the cookie sheet can be a challenge. Most recipes call for baking on parchment and then peeling the cookies from it shortly after they are removed from the oven. This is good advice, use the parchment paper. \u00a0You could also use a well greased baking sheet but you\u2019ll have to use a thin metal spatula to remove them immediately upon taking the cookies out of the oven. Be warned, if the macaroons are under cooked the centers will be soft and gooey and tough to unstuck from the parchment paper.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t want to take the time to make individual macaroons try making a macaroon bar-type-cookie changing up the kind of nuts you use or adding coconut (note if the coconut is sweetened, you may want to cut back on the sugar in the recipe) If you feel like going crazy with the recipes add different extracts and chopped dried fruits.<\/p>\n

EZ Coconut Macaroons\u00a0(pareve)<\/span><\/h3>\n

Yields ap1prox. 2 dozen<\/p>\n

Ingredients<\/span>:<\/h4>\n