We thought we\’d give Jenn the weekend off from her 12-day Christmas cookie countdown, and so I\’m chiming in with two of my standbys.
Day 8 – Ambrosia Macaroons
This new take on a classic macaroon has become my new favourite, with it\’s Christmas flavours of orange and chocolate, and simply for the fact it\’s so visually pretty on a plate of Christmas cookies.
Makes about 4 dozen
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tsp. finely grated orange peel
3 large eggs
24 ounces sweetened flaked coconut (about six cups firmly packed)
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
DIRECTIONS:
Position a rack in the centre of the oven and heat to 350°F.
Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment.
Beat butter in a large mixer until smooth. Add sugar and salt and blend. Beat in orange peels, then eggs, one at a time. Mix in coconut. Drop batter onto sheets by a large tablespoon, spacing about an inch apart.
Bake one sheet at a time, until golden on the bottom and browned in spots, about 25-30 minutes. Cool completely.
In the meantime, melt your chocolate (I use a double pot, boiling water in the bottom pot).
When cookies are cooled completely and before you remove them from the parchment paper, using a fork, drizzle the chocolate in lines across the tops. Cool or chill another 30 minutes and then store.