Merry Me!

I've been looking forward to this day since Dec. 26th, 2010! Haven't you?

I hope you guys have been as good as me this year.
Ok, so I—lightly—pushed a 'holiday shopper' out of my way the other day. But, let's face it, the guy was asking for it . . . the way he kept ringing that stupid bell, over and over, sent me right over the edge.

In any case, I couldn't let this season's curtain fall without sending best wishes to all of you, for a very happy Christmas!

Btw, for me, it's not quite Christmas without the spicy smells of gingerbread tickling my nose. And this year's gingerbread sculpture depicts my feelings toward a sweet and peaceful holiday.

The gingerbread recipe is here, as well as the foil trick for added dimension.


Merry Christmas, to all my friends and family! And may your season sparkle with joy, love and peace. And, please, have a cookie.

Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies

National Chocolate Chip Cookie Week is upon us. And according to Mr. Man Pants, this ought be a weekly series, rather than a yearly event.
If your views are consonant with his, then you might as well take advantage of the celebration, for May is National Salad Month.
...who called me a Killjoy?

You know, if I weren't afraid of Mrs. Fields declaring me an endangered species, I would probably confess to you that I've never been a huge fan of CC cookies—no matter how awesome—so instead, I'll keep my mouth shut.

Cow extract and chocolate chip cookies go well together, so serve it with a tall glass.

Speaking of milk, did you know it takes 345 squirts from Bessie's udder to make one gallon of milk? I'd be curious to meet the Adonis who gets paid to run these studies.


In any event, here is my family's favorite CC cookie recipe. This is a rich, chewy, full of chocolate chunks cookie, with a generous pinch of Oh.My.God.


Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 4 dozen cookies.

2½ cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks, or chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line sheet pans with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
On low speed, add the flour mixture, and mix just until blended. Stir in walnuts and chocolate chunks. Drop by tablespoons (I use a small ice cream scoop) onto sheet pans, 2 inches apart. Bake  for 12-15 minutes. Adapted from At Blanchard's Table.

Note: Bake the cookies right after mixing. Do not refrigerate the dough, or cookies will come out poofy and cake-like. And if you're the type who likes that sort of thing, I don't wanna know about it.


Happy CCC Week!

Panna Cotta with Orange Sauce, and Biscotti

Ever since I got back from Polar Bear Dipping in Northern Michigan, I’ve let my mind wander. Lured away from a winter wonderland to the spellbinding embrace of a warm, tropical breeze.
And you know, sometimes, dreaming is all I have, to keep from freezing my assets off.

As compensation, I treated myself to an ethereally light dessert, Panna Cotta.

You might argue there's no such thing as “light” Panna Cotta, so it is possible I made that up. There's also a slight possibility that the heavy cream in this dessert made my heart stop, but only for about 30 seconds.
Fortunately, the joy derived from this silky-textured Italian indulgence, defibrillated my heart back to a normal rhythm.

So, fie on the near-death experience!
However, if/when I keel over, I pray Heaven features Panna Cotta on their dessert menu.

It is my hope that Panna Cotta will also set your heart aflutter.

I often top this custard with seasonal fresh fruits or fruit sauces. Here, I've paired it with an orange sauce. But I will admit, my preference is still this Raspberry Sauce.


Btw, the orange sauce was given a boost of flavor with a tiny pinch of Orange Powder (recipe below). The powder was also used to decorate the plain white plate.

The supporting role to this simple dessert is played by a cookie, known as Biscotti (Italian for twice-cooked). It is buttery, crunchy, and it's a perfect contrast to the creamy Panna Cotta.

I added candied orange peel to the biscotti. And I thought the fennel seeds complemented the (slightly) bitter edge of the candied peel.
But if candied citrus peel makes you wince, leave it out. Try dried cherries, or dried apricots, and omit the fennel seeds.

Buttermilk Panna Cotta

1½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin powder
2 tablespoons cold water
1½ cups heavy cream
½ cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1½ teaspoons vanilla paste, or pure vanilla extract

Lightly grease six 4-ounce ramekins with a neutral oil.
In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over the cold water, and allow to soften 8 to 10 minutes.
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring heavy cream and sugar to a boil. Stir until sugar dissolves. Stir in softened gelatin, until dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla paste until combined. Pour mixture into prepared ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 4 hours, or overnight. Panna Cotta will keep 3 to 4 days, in the refrigerator.


Orange Sauce

2 large eggs
¾ cup sugar
1 cup orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed

Whisk the eggs and one-third of the sugar to a ribbon consistency. In a saucepan, boil the orange juice with the remaining sugar, until sugar dissolves. Pour the orange juice mixture onto the eggs, whisking continuously. Strain sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl. Let sauce cool, whisking occasionally. Once the sauce has cooled, transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate. Finest Desserts by Michel Roux.


Orange and Fennel Biscotti

½ pound (2 sticks unsalted butter)
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla paste, or vanilla extract
1/3 cup candied orange peel, cut into ¼" dice
2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1½ cups finely ground almonds
½ cup sliced almonds
2 teaspoons fennel seeds

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar, until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla paste. Mix until combined. Beat in the candied orange peel.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, ground almonds, and fennel seeds together. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, in three batches, and mix well. Scrape the sides of the bowl, and stir in the sliced almonds.

Scrape the dough onto a floured surface. Divide dough in half, and roll each into 12-inch cylinders. Cover dough loosely, and chill, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place logs, about 3-inches apart, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Lower oven temperature to 325°F.
Once the cookie logs are cool enough to handle, cut them into ¾-inch diagonal slices, with a serrated knife.
Arrange biscotti, close together, on the prepared pan, and bake again, 15 to 20 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Makes about 3 dozen.


Some of you might know of my love affair with all citrus fruits. I even use the peel of some to make powders, which I add to both, sweet and savory dishes. And best of all, this flavor-packing powder is free.


Orange Powder

Pare the peel from 10 oranges—preferably thin-skinned oranges—if not, scrape any attached pith with the edge of a spoon. Blanch peel for 1 minute in boiling water. Refresh in cold water, drain, and pat dry.

Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and a little confectioner's sugar. Dry in the oven, on its lowest possible setting for 2 to 3 hours, or until very crisp.

Grind peel to a powder in a spice grinder, or food processor. Strain through a sieve, and store in an airtight container until needed. Adapted from Your Place or Mine? by Jean-Christophe Novelli.

P.S. If you're not planning on using the Orange Powder within a couple of weeks, store it in the freezer to keep it from lumping up.





Well, next time you come by, I'll be in Italy, the land of love, for Valentine's Day.
Of course, I'm kidding. I don't plan on traveling to Italy, until they, at least, fix the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I mean, seriously.
In any case, I will be sharing a woomantic V-day idea with you.


Guys, I was just wondering (and please, let's keep this just between us), if Italy truly is the land of love, then why is the Leaning Tower of Pisa...leaning?

Christmas Cookies

Hey friends, I'm putting a lid on the chatter, this time (well, amazing things always happen through the miracle of Christmas) to wish your inner child a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

Gingerbread Poinsettia was made using this recipe, and the petals were cut out with the teardrop-shaped cookie cutter. And glued together with royal icing. The holly leaves and doves were cut out from a favorite sugar cookie recipe (found in the latter link above), and thinly glazed.

The doves are hanging from a dogwood branch. Puddin' the cat made this shot almost impossible. Good thing that persistent little kitty has nine lives.

May your hearts be wreathed with the spirit of the season!

Mucho Gazpacho

As a kid, there were two things I hated, tomatoes, and my fifth-grade Math teacher (whose name escapes me. Although I'd be inclined to call her an ill bred, blustering old windbag . . . if I knew what that meant).

Anyway, I have since recovered. And today...I love tomatoes.

I've been guzzling this refreshing liquid salad by the gallon. It's helped get me through a very busy, very hot summer.
This soup has also given me enough fuel to keep up with Thumper, about 15 to 20 MPG.
Your mileage may vary.

I prefer this soup smooth, rather than chunky. Some chefs would probably toque-slap me for pureeing Gazpacho until homogeneous. They would insist I carefully cut several pounds of tomatoes, cucumbers and onions, by hand.
Ha Ha. Those wacky culinary experts.

Well, I denounce their rigid ways. And I suggest you do the same. Prepare this soup whichever way you like.

Gazpacho

2 pounds Roma tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 English cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 small red onion
1 small jalapeño, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 cups tomato juice
¼ cup Italian parsley
Juice of one lime
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Topping suggestions: crabmeat (my choice), shrimp, diced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, sliced avocados, and the list goes on.

Place all ingredients (except toppings) in a blender, or food processor, and purée until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, or pitcher, and refrigerate until very cold, 4 to 5 hours. Makes 6 to 8 servings.



By the way,   I didn't limit my Gazpacho consumption  to the traditional ingredients. I found this dessert-y Gazpacho in a book by a favorite cookbook author, which includes summer berries, as well as a variety of tropical fruits that would make Carmen Miranda chica-chica-boom-chica-boom-boom back to stardom.
Of course, she's no longer with us, but if she were...well, that'd be downright creepy.


Again, I puréed all the ingredients in this soup. Topping each serving with homemade strawberry, kiwi and mango sorbets.
If you want to try making Mango Sorbet here is a really good one from a few years back.
And while I'm not one to over-hype things, I will say that if you try this soup, all your dreams will come true ;-Þ

Exotic Fruit Gazpacho

1-1/2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled
1 pint fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 papaya finely diced
1 kiwifruit, peeled and diced

Garnish with:
Fruit sorbet and fresh mint leaves

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the water and sugar. Simmer until sugar dissolves. Reserve.

Set aside 1/2 pint of the smaller strawberries for garnish and combine the rest with the raspberries and lemon juice in a blender or food processor, fitted with the metal blade.
Purée them until smooth. Strain the mixture into a large (non-aluminum) bowl, and add the reserved sugar syrup and chopped mint. Mix well, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To serve, dice the reserved strawberries. Ladle soup into 6 shallow soup bowls, then arrange the fruits on top. Place a scoop of sorbet in the center of each bowl and garnish with fresh mint leaves. Serve immediately. Serves 6.
Adapted from: The California Cook, by Dianne Rossen Worthington.




With a nod to Spain and its wonderful cuisine, I'm also including my recipe for a buttery, crumbly cookie, similar to shortbread, called, Polvorones. I think these cookies complement the fruity Gazpacho very well.
And I should confess that, where I'm from, Polvorones are made with lard!
Sorry, I don't normally use that kind of language.
However, you'll be happy to know I broke with tradition by using a combination of butter and shortening.

Polvorones

½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup vegetable shortening
1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for dredging
2-¼ cups AP flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening and butter, the sugar and salt, about 3-5 minutes. Add flour, all at once, and gently blend, just until dough starts to cling together. Shape tablespoons of dough into balls. Roll in granulated sugar, and, with your thumb, make a slight indentation in the center. Place cookies on parchment lined baking sheets  1½-inches apart. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.  Polvorones should be pale in color
Makes  4½ to  5 dozen cookies.




In other news, Thumper started Middle School this year. No, I will not cry.
But here's a photo of my precious little playmate  which pretty much sums up my feelings at the moment...

Let me also take this opportunity to apologize to my foodie brigade, for having disappeared for four months. 
There were some health issues within our family, and amid the chaos, our beloved pet Louie passed away. This was two months ago, and I miss him.

This Boston Terrier, will forever remain the most amazing little friend I've ever had the pleasure of knowing, and sharing pizza with.

He was so intelligent, I know he could've balanced our checkbook if we let him. But, he was head over heels in love with a Boxer next door, so he couldn't be fully trusted with our finances.

But I know my furry baby is happily gallivanting somewhere up in Heaven with Socks, our tuxedo cat.
Needless to say, these were some of the reasons I hadn't felt motivated to blog, but that's slowly changing. Besides, I've missed you all, and couldn't stand being away much longer.


Here's an older " picture of  our gentle coach, "training" Thumper for the 2007 skateboard championship.

Who's a good boy!?!

I Heart Oatmeal

T
he experts agree. A bowl of cooked oatmeal is a healthy, fiber-rich and cholesterol-lowering way to start your day.
The experts have also concluded that dark chocolate (as opposed to that icky, solid white substance that tries to pass itself off as chocolate) is loaded with powerful antioxidants.
It is instrumental in decreasing bad LDL cholesterol. And flavonol-rich dark chocolate promotes healthy blood flow, similar in effect to a low dose aspirin.

Got a headache? Have a chocolate chip cookie.
Got high cholesterol? Have an oatmeal, chocolate chip cookie.

And now—by the power infested in me—by the commonwealth of (Hershey) Pennsylvania, I give you my family's favorite recipe for chewy, oatmeal chocolate chunk cookies.



These may never win a beauty contest, but neither has Keith Richards, and look how popular he is. Buh-dum-chhh!
Forgive me Keith. Call me.

Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2¼ cups AP flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup molasses
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1½ cups semisweet chocolate chunks
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line sheet pans with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda.
Using a mixer, cream the butter and both sugars, until light and fluffy. Add in the egg, vanilla extract and the molasses. Beat until blended.
With mixer on low, add the flour mixture, and beat just until blended. Stir in the oats, chocolate chunks, and walnuts, if using, until evenly distributed.
Drop the dough by tablespoons onto prepared sheet pans, about 2" apart. Bake about 10 to 12 minutes. Yield: 5 dozen cookies.




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


And because I got your back, here is another wonderful cookie recipe for you. This one comes from my friend Sharon, whose blog is like taking a trip to the beautiful Canary Islands, but cheaper than airline tickets and hotels.

Only changes I made to Sharon's recipe were to substitute butter for the margarine, because butter is what I always have on hand. And using chopped walnuts, instead of raisins, because my ball and chain dislikes them.



Willow's Glazed Apple Cookies

Cookies:

½ cup soft margarine
¾ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
2 cups AP flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
2 peeled and grated, medium size, Granny Smith apples
1 cup chopped raisins
¼ cup milk

Glaze:
1½ cups icing sugar
1 tablespoon soft butter
dash of vanilla
pinch of salt
dash of cinnamon
2 - 3 tablespoons of heavy cream

Stir well to make a very soft but not runny icing.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cream margarine with sugar . Add egg and spices. Beat until well blended.
Add apples and milk.
Sift together the dry ingredients adding raisins and nuts, if using.
Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and stir well until blended.
Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets, 2” apart.
Bake 13 - 14 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack and cool approximately 10 minutes. Glaze while cookies are still warm.




Enjoy my friends. And I'll see you in health.

My Spring Symphony. Composed, not in C-minor, but "C" as in cookie...and that's good enough for me.

Obladi, Oblada, life goes on bra
La la how the life goes on…

Like this song? It pops into my head whenever the stress of everyday life starts to mount. But it’s been in my head for several weeks now, so I’m passing it on to you. The song, not the stress. Catch!

I wonder what it is about this Beatles song, that lifts my spirits the instant it reaches my eardrums. Which song would you say has a positive effect on your emotional well-being?

Yes, music tends to have an effect on our emotions, and so will this delicious Spring bouquet.



A bouquet of perfectly-delicious sugar cookies, and each one created using only one cookie cutter, the teardrop shaped cutter. If you already own this one, then you know how versatile it is.




For the Spring symphony, I was initially inspired by my bipolar Dogwood tree in the front yard. A tree which will bloom profusely, whenever it feels like it.
But, it's a show worth waiting for.



Violets, being one of my favorite flowers, were also an inspiration here. But, they needed faces, and since I always listen to my inner voices, I went ahead and made them using marzipan and a face mold (the mold makes this a very quick project). Painted the faces and attached them to the cookies with royal icing.




And, since daisies always add a touch of fun to any spring bouquet, they were also included.




If you’re as bored as I am with the formulaic, flat sugar cookie, I’m going to show you a way to add depth and interest to your edible bouquet. Pay attention, this is a very complicated procedure.

1. Go in your kitchen and grab a sheet of aluminum foil, one and a half times the length of your cookie sheet.
2. Grease foil lightly, then crumple it up with your hands. And place it on your cookie sheet.
3. Smooth it out very, very lightly, leaving enough mountains and valleys for your flowers and leaves to be propped on. Bake.
4. Allow cookies to cool completely before removing from amorphous foil bed.




Because these cookies are three-dimensional, icing them the conventional way (outlining with a pastry bag and flooding), would be a nightmare. Instead, get a good artist’s brush and paint the icing on. No outlining, and no mess.
While I usually ice my cookies with a confectioner’s sugar glaze, for these cookies, I prefer the body and coverage that royal icing offers. But if you use a glaze, you might need several coats of “paint” to cover the cookies completely. And you'd also need to allow the first coat to set before re-applying.

Some of the butterflies were baked flat, iced, and airbrushed over a stencil. Other butterflies were baked on a folded piece of aluminum foil (as pictured) to keep the wings elevated and to provide some stability while they baked.



Again, try not to move cookies baked in this way, until they are completely cooled to avoid any casualties.

Sugar Cookies

2¼ cups AP flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream together the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the egg, lemon zest, and vanilla extract and beat until blended. In another bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients (flour and salt). On low speed, gradually add them to the butter mixture, until incorporated. Press the dough into a flat disc, wrap well, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Roll out to 1/8" thick on a lightly-floured surface. Cut out and bake in a 350°F oven, for 8-12 minutes. For even baking, rotate the cookie sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking.
Source: Rose's Christmas Cookies by RL Beranbaum.


Guys, I woefully regret being MIA for 5 weeks. Please Forgive.

Best Wishes to my peeps for a wonderful Spring!




Oh, sweet mother! I just had (what appeared to be) a huge spider land on my wrist. It turns out Thumper was just playing a trick on me. I'll be fine, as soon as I scrape my butt off the ceiling.

Well, back to my theme music...

Obladi, Oblada life goes on bra...

Yuletide Greetings!

Are you guys ready to welcome jolly old Saint Nick with open arms for breaking into your house, raiding your cookie jar, and delivering every present on your list?

Yeah, me too. My heart is thumpin' with anticip . . . ation!

I've been baking goodies all month long, in the hopes that my relentless kissing-up will get me back on Santa's Short, but Nice List , and I've got a few more days to go.

Jeepers. I'm almost willing to bet my little scheme will guarantee a nice present under the tree with my name on it. However, if said plan fails, we're all going out the old fashioned way, guns a blazin'!

Of course, I'm kidding. You don't really think I'd heckle the dude in the red suit, and certainly not three short days before Christmas. Besides, I know I can count on my friends' awesome power of intercession, to bail me out. Be you the friends who will vouch for me? Well, be ya?


In the meantime, I'm hoping this will help clear my name...



Everything you see pictured above is gingerbread. I know it's late to post the instructions for this colossal cookie, but it's actually pretty basic, achieved with mostly straight cuts for the rustic sign, ribbons and bow.
The pine boughs and pine cones were rolled into 2½" long sticks, and the pine cones were rolled into slightly-elongated oval shapes. They were all baked, and cooled completely before piping the needles and petals with royal icing, using #4 tip for needles, and #102 for petals.

I used white royal icing for all the "greenery" and once they were completely set, they were airbrushed in the appropriate colors. You could also paint them, following the instructions here.
Once fully dried, the pine cones were lightly dusted with gold petal dust to give them some depth.

The bow consisted of two pieces, each about 4½" long. Each piece was wrapped around (greased and floured) cannoli tubes, and baked. Allowed to cool at least 15 minutes before sliding off the molds.

Here's the recipe for the gingerbread I use. This is an old recipe, which is pretty tasty and also pretty strong, and it's the only one I use for gingerbread houses and even the choo-choo train on the right. I've also used it for making Christmas tree decorations. You hear that Santa baby? I be good.



Gingerbread


1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 cup molasses
1 teaspoon salt
4½ cups AP flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon baking soda


Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, molasses and salt, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Set mixture aside to cool.
Sift dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in cooled molasses mixture and blend well. Dough will be stiff. Knead lightly until it just comes together.
Press dough into a thick flat disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll  out dough onto a lightly-floured surface to a ¼" thickness. Bake gingerbread on parchment paper lined cookie sheet for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies for several minutes, or until they're firm enough to lift. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.


Peace and Joy to you, my friends.

Coconut Macaroons. Oh, Mother of Science, what'll they think of next?

Okay, so how many of you knew coconut was so incredibly healthy? Let's see a show of hands. One . . . two?
Apparently this tropical wonder is highly valued for its amazing healing powers. Why, coconut water alone (which I drink like a lonely sailor on leave), provides our bodies with antioxidants, and it's loaded with vitamins and minerals. And, studies have confirmed coconut's use in treating some of the following conditions: Nausea, Ulcers, Baldness (would I make this up? ;-), jaundice, sore throat, skin infections, and the list goes on.
Which brings me to the health benefits of these Coconut Macaroons. Are there any?

Well, no.

But, if you're a coconut head like me, and happen to be in the mood for a real treat, then these, lighter-than-air macaroons will (temporarily) fix whatever ails you. These macaroons are not like the ones most of us grew up with. Remember those? Made with sweetened condensed milk and sweetened shredded coconut. Truth is, I still like those cloyingly-sweet delicacies. But these, I shamelessly confess, are quite a bit better.

The following technique combines unsweetened coconut folded into an Italian meringue, resulting in the lightest little puffs of coconut, which will instantly dissolve in your mouth, causing your eyes to roll into the back of your head.

You may be tempted to enhance the meringue by adding flavorings, and extracts, but resist the temptation. These innocent looking clouds pack a wallop of coconut flavor with very few ingredients.



Coconut Macaroons

1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
3 large egg whites at room temperature
3 cups (8 ounces) finely grated, unsweetened (desiccated) coconut

Special equipment: a standing electric mixer, a candy thermometer

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cook sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, until it reaches soft-ball stage (or registers 238°F on a candy thermometer). While syrup boils, beat whites in standing mixer on low speed until stiff peaks form.

Gradually pour hot syrup in a thin stream down the side of the bowl into the whites, beating constantly on high speed (be careful not to let syrup touch beaters when pouring, or it will spatter and harden). Continue beating until meringue is room temperature. It will resemble a very thick, marshmallow creme. Stir in coconut. The following may be too intense for some viewers ;-)

But, seriously, don't you just want to dive right in and roll in it? Yeah, me neither.



Put mixture in a large pastry bag, with a large, round pastry tip * (I used a 1A tip). And pipe mixture onto prepared baking sheets.



Bake macaroons 1 sheet at a time, in middle of oven for 12 minutes, or until just firm enough to be removed from the baking sheet without losing their shape. But try not to let them take on color.
Carefully transfer to a rack to cool. Macaroons are fragile when they emerge from the oven, but will set as they cool.
Recipe adapted from a 2000 issue of Bon Appetít. This is why I won't part with some of those old magazines, and don't even think you can make me.

*Note: If you don't have a pastry tip, don't fret. You could also drop these from a rounded tablespoon, and -with slightly damp fingers- shape them into cones or pyramids. Or, make mini pavlovas, and top them off with any fresh fruit in season, or sorbets. I topped mine with Papaya/Mango Sorbet . . . but, Coconut Ice Cream would be fantastic. OMG. WHY do I always have these AH-HAH moments after the fact?

Tinkering with Tuile, and my stint on American Idol.

It seemed like a dream. There I stood , sweaty palms, knees barely supporting my trembling body, and heart about to jump out of my chest, when I heard my name being called.

“Marysol, will you come with me please?”

I took a deep breath and with all the courage I could muster, I proceeded to walk down a long, narrow corridor, escorted by a polite and rather antsy-pantsy gentleman, tightly holding a clipboard with both hands positioned at three and nine.

He led me right into a large, dark and deathly quiet stage. If not for my uncontrollably knocking knees, I would’ve ran home screaming like the mama‘s girl that I am.
“Snap out of it” I thought. “I didn’t camp out overnight in a smelly sleeping bag for a chance at fame and fortune just to throw it all away for fear of being booed off stage by Simon Cowell.

He’s only one of three judges; just a guy with an attitude and a bad haircut. ‘Surely I can handle him.” I said, trying to convince myself.

Finally, there I was, on stage, facing three very unimpressed, uninterested judges. Incidentally, The song I was about to perform, Paul McCartney's "My Love.”

I took a deep breath while repeating to myself: I can get through this. Gulp. I sang my song, eagerly racing for the finish line…

Only my love holds the other key to me
Oh....my love oh...my love
Only my love does it good to me-eeee...

Simon: “ Marysol!”

Me: "Listen here Cowell, would it kill you to let me finish the last two words to this song?!"
I didn’t actually say that. But I thought it.


…only my love, does it goooooood to-o-o-o-o-o-o-oooo meeeeeeee…

Simon: “You awake?”

Me: “Simon, you bastard!”
I didn’t actually say that. But I thought it.

Next thing I notice was my husband’s face hovering over me.

“Hon, wake up. It’s your turn to drive our son to school. “

So, herein lies my dream. Shattered into a million pieces, much like my first attempt at shaping Tuiles.

“Simon, you suck!”
I actually said that.


Speaking of Tuiles, here’s a versatile French cookie that is often used to garnish desserts, but can also be fashioned in all different shapes while it is warm. Here I’ll share a few ways to have fun with this classic cookie.



Tuile Cookies

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup confectioner’s sugar
½ tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Whites of 3 eggs
1 scant cup AP flour

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Whisk the flour, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a bowl. In another bowl, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla. Whisk in the egg whites. Then, fold in the flour mixture to create a smooth batter. Chill for at least 1 hour. Drop small spoonfuls of batter, about 4” apart onto a nonstick baking sheet, or a baking sheet sprayed with Baker’s Joy or the old, but very reliable cake decorator’s concoction, Pan Coating (equal parts flour, shortening and a few drops of a neutral oil, such as Canola, to make a spreadable mixture).


Bake for about 4 minutes or until the cookies start to take on color. Keep an eye on them as they’ll brown very quickly. Remove from the oven and quickly drape them over a rolling pin, a clean bottle. Or, if like me, you want just a slight curve, use a rolled up poster board (as pictured) covered in wax or parchment paper.



You could also gently press them inside a small round bowl and leave to cool completely.

If you want to make flower petals for a cake like the daisy cake, or butterfly wings (below), use tuile stencils or make your own out of thin cardboard, cutting out your design with an x-acto knife.



Use an offset spatula to thinly spread the tuile mixture over the stencil. Carefully lift off cardboard.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you could also add a chocolate edging to your cookies, before baking, by mixing some of the tuile mixture with a little (sifted) cocoa powder, and bake as above.