Chocolate Pepper Snaps and Coconut Macaroons
What time is it? It's cookie time! (Although, frankly, every day is cookie time in my opinion.) But for those of you who don't bake until the holidays, then get out your pans and spatulas and whip up a couple of these babies.
Both of these cookies were traded recently at a cookie exchange I attended. I took the Chocolate Pepper Snaps, a recipe made for decades in my husband's family that is based on a Ghirardelli recipe booklet from 1969. We've added a dash of cayenne over the years and a sprinkle of sugar on top for eye appeal. The original recipe called for the Ghirardelli Ground Chocolate, which was coarser than cocoa and included sugar. However, I just use high-quality unsweetened cocoa in my cookies so that they aren't overly sweet.
One of my favorites that I brought home from the exchange was a chocolate-dipped coconut macaroon from Kim Bedwell. I'm a big fan of coconut (as is Kim), and these were tasty and moist. I suggested adding a bit of coconut milk or--dare I say it--coconut cream in place of some of the sweetened condensed milk. Or, I have powdered coconut milk that I found in Sri Lanka. Maybe one of the Asian markets here carries something like that? If you're going to go coconutty, you might as well go all the way!
Chocolate Pepper Snaps
1 cup pure ground unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup sugar, plus extra for garnish
1 large egg
Dash cayenne
Sift together ground chocolate, flour, salt, and baking powder. Cream butter with vanilla and spices until very light and fluffy; add sugar and egg. Beat until light and fluffy again. Slowly add sifted ingredients. Shape into 1-inch balls. Put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment and sprayed with nonstick baking spray. Make balls pretty flat with fingers and sprinkle with a little extra sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 11 to 12 minutes, or until set but not too dark on bottom.
Makes about 4 dozen
Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons
14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla (as Ina Garten would say, “good vanilla”)
2 extra-large eggs whites, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bag Guittard semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, combine coconut, condensed milk and vanilla. Whip egg whites and salt with an electric mixer on high until it makes firm peaks. Fold egg whites into coconut mixture. Drop batter on sheet pan lined with either parchment paper (or Silpat) using two teaspoons. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Let sit on pans for 5 minutes transferring cookies to wire rack for cooling.
Using a double boiler, melt chocolate chips. Dip edge of completely cooled cookie in melted chocolate and place dipped cookie on parchment paper until set.
Makes 20 cookies
Comments
Sounds like a good time..and bet VG appreciates the write up.
Posted by: Melly | December 8, 2007 1:39 PM
These were both just so delish!!! Thanks for bringing them!
Posted by: Garrett | December 21, 2007 8:33 AM