Pineapple-Coconut Macaroons

Pineapple Coconut Macaroons

 

So after making the Baked Alaska for my father's birthday last night,

I was somehow craving macaroons. This is the second time I have made this recipe... even in light of a new macaroon recipe to try I really like this one. So here they are. I managed to cook the pineapple  while prparing dinner all the same, so just know that this is not a high maintenance recipe.

I did decide to use fresh pineapple as they were so uncharacteristcally ripe, but truly it was a waste of my time and money. The canned was equal. So don't knock yourself out cutting, chopping and spending.

This first time I made them I imitated Lebovitz and made little cone shapes. This time I made them less pointy. I think round really appeals to me more, so next time will look more traditional.

The other point to note is that this time I used Bob's Red Mill unsweetened Coconut Chips, rather than shredded. I think it's a bit of a cosmetic/aesthetic preference, but I do quite like the larger chips for looks, the shredded seem a tad chewier.

 David Lebovitz Pineapple Coconut Macaroons Recipe

Meeting David Lebovitz!!

So, it's not like we got to shake hands or enjoy a little conversation but listening to him chat with Amanda Hesser for an hour was great. He is a fabulous story teller and very witty. Front row gave a great sense of almost being in the conversation... but I knew if I tried to participate I may get ejected!

The fun part was sitting in a room filled with folks of like interests. It took a mere moment to strike up a fun conversation with a woman behind me... you know, about baking, France, travel and food. 

During the talk he did allude to the Chez Panisse Almond Tart which I had baked a mere 2 days before which was a lot of fun. The lovely woman behind and next to me even got excited at that point as we had just been discussing it.

I did get my book signed and have a little photo snapped with him, so there's that.

Chez Panisse Almond Tart by David Lebovitz... or a French Pear Almond Tart

Now I have been wanting to make this for a very long time. But who has time to babysit the entire process?? I am hard pressed to find this time. OK, make this time. But I finally did. Did it turn out well? Yes it did. Did I like it? Yes I did. Do I feel compelled to make it again.... not sure. Now that I have done it once, I am sure I could whip it out fairly easily, but I just don't think it is my favorite. It hasn't bumped any top picks out of their place. I should add that the response to the tart by family members who were lucky to share it was overwhelmingly fabulous. "This is the best thing EVER!" was exclaimed by more than one... but it's not the first time this was said. I may have to try this out on a broader audience. Once it is cut, cooled, and ready to eat remember it is not fork food. This is a pick it up and bite it like a cookie thing. Not complaining.

Make sure to cut it while still a little warm.

Chez Panisse Almond Tart by David Lebovitz

It continues to cook after removed from the oven!!

What do I love more? A good Pear Almond Tart wins my heart any day!

And David Lebovitz says that I can use canned pears with the same results??? This is mindblowingly fabulous! I haven't tried the shortcut yet, but I think I just might. 

His recipe is also great but uses almond paste which I don't always have on hand. I have done both and they are comparable. So either way will work!

Spring and Holidays!

How to make this edible centerpiece?

Simple! Mix some potato sticks into melted chocolate of your choice and press into oiled muffin tins. These are minis. I put Jordan Almonds inside. You can put plain blanched regular or marcona almonds, jelly beans, Cadbury's eggs...

Nigella's Chocolate Orange Cake with Salted Caramel Ganache

This cake is the bomb. The Ganache is the bomb- I have used it a million times for everything including using it as my all time favorite macaron filling. The more you beat it the lighter it gets. I like it just lightly whipped. Or you can simply pour it over the cake.

Now, the cake. What I have found, and I will spare you all the details, is that you have to put precisely 375 grams of orange in. No more, no less. And use a level, not heaped, teaspoon of baking powder. You can actually measure the oranges before or after boiling. They will be the same despite looking bloated. Don't forget to remove the pits.

I have also used candied orange peel to decorate and frosted the sides as well. 

Did I forget to mention this fabulous cake is gluten free?

These are a classic. Rugelach. This is the nicest recipe display on the web, but please, omit the egg yolk! It doesn't belong in the dough. This dough is light, flaky and delectable. My preferred fillings are my favorite apricot or raspberry jam with chopped toasted walnuts. I add the chocolate mini chips for chocolate fiends, but they get in the way for my palate.

Almost Perfect Rugelach Recipe

 I will also add that a silicon baking sheet greatly improves removing the cookies after the jam has leaked out and baked on...

Can we talk Hazelnuts please? Thank-you Smitten Kitchen!

Linzer cookies are one of my all time favorites. For years I used the Silver Palate recipe. I still stand by that one. You can actually use pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts with excellent results. I used to put the pecans in my Mouli grater and grate the nuts in tiny batches- it resulted in a light dry nut flour that was perfect. Then for 20 bucks I got a mill- weighs a ton, hard to store, but it is so nice to be able to make a nut flour out of any nut I want. So I used Smitten Kitchen's recipe this time. I did put the nuts and suger into the food processor, but only after I had ground them into a nice nut flour. Don't skip the toasting.... trust me.

Oh, and about that nutella... come'on, Raspberry with a top quality jam is the way to go. Even my son who is not a fan of jam nor fruity things said these were hands down the best thing I have ever made, EVER!!

Linzer Hearts

By golly she did it again. This Hazelnut Torte decorated with edible flowers is just to die for. If you are a nutella fan, THIS is the real deal.

How did I adapt this? Well, chocolate sings with vanilla and bourbon and coffee, so why discriminate. I add a touch of each in the chocolate mixture.

And I will tell you that if you plan on using whipped cream for any type of decorating or anything other than globbing it onto something USE GELATIN!! It just means it will look good, stay fresh looking in the refrigerator if you have any leftovers (I know this seems impossible to fathom, but maybe you made it when you were home alone and you deserved a great fabulous cake... then it would need to keep nicely!) And yeah, any liquor will do in the whipped cream- bourbon if you don't have Frangelico. Maybe a splash of almond or hazelnut extract.

 

Pavlova, Wine Poached Pear Tarte Tatin!

There is something so simple about a pavlova. But the response to eating it is always extreme.

I didn't want it to be overly sweet- I mean the meringues take care of that. Lemon curd seemed so buttery and sugary. So I used Goya Passion Fruit puree and simply thickened it. I may have added just a touch of sugar. It was nice and tart and so perfectly complemented the meringues. Topped with whipped cream and a few berries and we were all in heaven.

Now once again I am  cooking with David... Lebovitz. He just seems to have the same ideas for delicious as I do. 

This Red Wine Poached Pear Tarte Tatin was both beautiful and tasty.

Once again, it did requite a bit of plan ahead preparation. But that's ok once in a while.

Olive Oil cake, Pain d'Epices, Persimmon Bread, Fig and Almond Cake, Baklava, Chocolate Ricotta Cake and Hazelnut Cocoa Clouds!! Yes I did!!

Olive Oil Cake?

 Lavender Olive Oil Loaf Cake with a cup of Earl Grey tea... divine on a gloomy winter's afternoon.

Added was a tablespoon of lavender; and substitute the lemon zest for orange zest and the cake has a new personality, a little more sophisticated.

Pain d'Epices au Chocolat

So having lent out my book from Lebovitz I had to locate this recipe online so I could make it for a holiday party this year. It was the very first thing I baked in my brand spanking new oven.

I way overcooked it because I just did, but the good news was that it was still fabulous all dried out.  

Persimmon Bread?

Why yes, and it was fabulous with all the fruits and nuts inside!!

The New York Times rarely stears you wrong with a good recipe and this was no exception:

Fig and Almond Cake

 Pistachio Baklava with Rosewater

 Real Baklava takes time. A lot of time. But the results are so thoroughly rewarding.

I believe that there exists no better version that with pistachios and rose water. Even after making a batch where the birthday girl requested no rosewater... well, it just didn't taste right and I had to add a little to the orange flower water. Guess what- she swooned over it. So I stand by the above statement. And whatever you do, don't be stingy on the pistachios and you must clarify your butter in order for the pasty to stay crunchy and not get soggy.

And I probably have a heavy hand with the rosewater, but have had no complaints. As always, you gotta taste it as you make it!

This is the recipe that I use. I probably increase the nuts  by intentionally over measuring.

Chocolate Ricotta Cake with Raspberry Buttercream

I use this cake recipe and make a swiss buttercream and incorporated very carefully the pint of pureed fresh raspberries. Remember, the buttercream is an emulsion and adding a liquid phase is risky. I added a touch of raspberry extract for good measure. 

It was very very good. The cake was so crazy moist and baked up perfectly.

Just one note on buttercream- the biggest advantage to a swiss buttercream is that it is not all that sweet nor is it sugary. Now I love sweets, but this adds a silky buttery lightly sweet complement to any cake and I just cannot get on board with those other versions that have cups and cups of confectioners sugar.

Hazelnut Chocolate Clouds withCocoa Nibs!

I think what I loved most about these were how they remained light on the outside while the chocolate melted and darkened the inside. The taste? Well can one really go wrong with chocolate and hazelnuts and meringue?