Cookies & Bars – Aubrey About Town http://aubreyabouttown.com The going-ons of SF party host & chef, bon vivant, homme du monde, & man-about-town Fri, 07 May 2021 22:33:58 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 https://i0.wp.com/aubreyabouttown.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/cropped-43DD7C41-CD23-44CF-9EC7-C1D81E967BB4.png?fit=32%2C32 Cookies & Bars – Aubrey About Town http://aubreyabouttown.com 32 32 58900657 Passover – Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/passover-chocolate-dipped-coconut-macaroons/ http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/passover-chocolate-dipped-coconut-macaroons/#respond Wed, 31 Mar 2021 13:18:01 +0000 http://aubreyabouttown.com/?post_type=recipe&p=3764 A classic and delicious sweet ending to your Passover meal.

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons for Passover
Passover - Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons
Double or triple this recipe for a very welcoming Passover hostess gift, or to give as parting gifts.
Servings20 macaroons
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time18 mins
Passive Time1 hour
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a large bowls toss thoroughly to combine, shredded coconut, potato starch (or cornstarch, if using), baker’s sugar, and kosher salt. Set aside.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together egg whites, vanilla extract, and coconut extract until foamy (about 20 seconds).
  3. Stir in egg whites mixture into coconut mixture until thoroughly combine.
  4. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour, allowing coconut to soften. Give it a good stir every 20 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line one 1/2-sheet pan with parchment paper.
  6. Give the macaroon batter another stir.
  7. Using a medium size (1-1/2 ounce) scoop, scoop macaroon batter onto the parchment-lined sheet pan one apart.
  8. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 18 minutes, or until the tops and bottom are golden brown.
  9. Let cool on sheet pan 5 minutes, then transfer the coconut macaroons to a cooling rack to cool completely (about 40 minutes).
  10. Line a sheet pan with parchment, set aside.
  11. In a microwave-safe bowl, in increments of 20 seconds, microwave (on HIGH) to melt chocolate chips (about 1-1/2 to 2 minutes total), stirring in between. When most of the chops have melted, and only some lumps remain, stop using the microwave, and stir to finish melting.
  12. Holding the top of the cooled coconut macaroon, gently dip the bottom into melted chocolate, pressing to coat up the side 1/4 inch. Gently wipe of an excess chocolate with a rubber spatula. Set dipped macaroon onto the parchment-lined sheet pan.
  13. Repeat with all macaroons. Microwave chocolate for 20 seconds, if it starts to thicken.
  14. Transfer any remaining melted chocolate to a disposable pastry bag or zipper bag. With a pair of scissors, cut the tip just enough to allow chocolate to easily pipe a thin line.
  15. In a back and fourth zigzag motion, using slight pressure, pipe a drizzle over tops of the coconut macaroons with melted chocolate.
  16. Allow chocolate to set at room temperature for 3 hours, or set in refrigerator 10 minutes.
  17. Store in an airtight container. Keeps for a week.
  18. Makes 20 2-1/2 inch coconut macaroons.
Recipe Notes

*Cornstarch During Passover

The Rabbinical Assembly, the governing body for the Conservative movement of Judaism, declared in 2016 that kitniyot, which encompasses legumes (such as peanuts, beans and peas), rice, and corn, are kosher for Passover. 

]]> http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/passover-chocolate-dipped-coconut-macaroons/feed/ 0 3764 The Ultimate Everything Chocolate-Chip Cookie http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/the-ultimate-everything-chocolate-chip-cookie/ http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/the-ultimate-everything-chocolate-chip-cookie/#respond Thu, 17 Dec 2020 02:08:32 +0000 http://aubreyabouttown.com/?post_type=recipe&p=3260 These may be the last chocolate chip cookie recipe you’ll ever need. Buttery, intensely chocolatey, with nutty crunch, and a sweet & tart chew, and a creamy finish, all encased in a cookie with the perfect balance of crisp and chewy. Gifting these are always a welcomed treat. If tropical flavors are your jam, check out the ‘Tropical-Chip’ version in the Recipe Notes.

The Ultimate Everything Chocolate-Chip Cookie
These are the cookies Santa wants for Christmas!
Servings62 cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
Prepare the Cookie Dough
  1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and kosher salt - whisk until well combined. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, toss to combine: semisweet & white chocolate chips, butterscotch morsels, the chopped pecans & walnut nut meats, dried cranberries, and flaked coconut. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream together softened butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Beat on MED speed 2-1/2 minutes, or until light & fluffy.
  4. Add vanilla extract, and add eggs one at a time, beat until incorporated (about 1 minute).
  5. Using a 1/2-cup measuring cup as a scoop, with the mixer on LOW, add flour mixture 1 scoop at a time, blending after each addition, scrapping the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to fully incorporate.
  6. Remove bowl from mixer stand, scrape off the paddle with rubber spatula.
  7. With a strong rubber spatula or wooden spoon, to the cookie dough, fold in the tossed chocolate chip & nut mixture. Mix well to fully incorporate.
  8. Transfer prepared cookie dough to a smaller bowl, press a sheet of plastic wrap on to the surface of the cookie dough to insure its air tight.
  9. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
Bake the Cookies
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
  3. Using a 2-ounce (1/4 cup) quick-release ice cream scoop, (for small tea/party sized cookies, see ‘Notes’ below.), scoop cookie dough on to parchment-lined 12” x 15-1/2” sheet pan 2 inches apart. Each sheet should hold 6 cookies (3 cookies lengthwise, 2 across).
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes, remove sheet pans from oven and allow to cool on sheet pan 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
  5. Repeat Steps 2, 3, & 4, keeping the cookie dough refrigerated in between scooping, and allowing sheet pans to cool completely before scooping out dough on to sheet pans (about 8 mins, or the time it takes to bake a batch - using two or three pans, you may queue them so there will always be a cooled pan available).
  6. Allow chocolate chips to completely cool and harden before packing and storing. To gift cookies, stack cooled cookies in a gift tins or cellophane bags tied closed with a ribbon. Or store in a cookie jar, or an airtight container. Makes 42 cookies.
Recipe Notes

These petite two-bite versions are excellent for tea, parties, small goodie bags, or for when you need to share with a group.

2oz and 1oz cookie scoops

2-ounce ice cream scoop and 1-ounce cookie scoop yields a 3”x1” inch cookie, and a 2-1/2”x1/2” inch cookie (respectively).

To Prepare Tea Sized Cookies
Prepare the Cookie Dough.

Follow the ‘Bake the Cookies’ Steps 1 & 2.

Step 3:  Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop (see size difference in the photo), scoop cookie dough on to parchment-lined 12” x 15-1/2” sheet pan 2 inches apart.

Each sheet pan holds 12 cookies (4 cookies lengthwise, 3 across).

Step 4:  Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, remove sheet pans from oven and allow to cool on sheet pan 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Continue with Steps 5 & 6.

Makes 124 2-1/2” x 1/2” cookies.

 

Variation: Tropical-Chip Cookie

Follow the recipe for ‘The Ultimate Everything Chocolate-Chip Cookies, but replace all of the chips, fruit, and nuts for the following cookie dough mix-ins. 
4 cups white chocolate chips, 3 cups diced candied dried pineapple chunks, 3 cups chopped macadamia nuts, 2 cups butterscotch morsels, 1-1/2 cups sweetened flaked (not shredded) coconut, 1-1/2 cups dried cranberries or diced dried mango, and add 1 tsp rum flavoring extract when adding the vanilla (in addition to the vanilla extract in the recipe).

 

 

]]> http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/the-ultimate-everything-chocolate-chip-cookie/feed/ 0 3260