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| Photo: (c) Alice Alfonsi |
A former journalist, Cleo Coyle is the pseudonym for a multi-published author and New York Times bestselling media tie-in writer. In collaboration with her husband, Cleo pens two popular series for Penguin. The Coffeehouse Mysteries are light, amateur sleuth culinary mysteries set in a Greenwich Village coffeehouse, the first of which, On What Grounds, is now in its sixteenth printing. The tenth and newest entry, Murder by Mocha, includes an appendix of chocolate recipes and is now a national bestseller. Under the name Alice Kimberly, Cleo also writes the Haunted Bookshop Mysteries. You can learn more at Cleo’s virtual coffeehouse: www.CoffeehouseMystery.com
CLEO COYLE:
Italians love to soak things in rum, especially during the holidays. My big, Italian family was no exception. If it wasn’t soaked in rum, it had rum as a flavoring ingredient. (Anisette and amaretto were very close seconds.)
In this recipe, I attempt to elevate the humble coconut macaroon to gourmet dessert tray worthiness with the use of dark rum (or, in a pinch, rum extract). Dressing it up in a shiny mocha jacket lets the cookie shimmer in the evening candlelight while offering a flavor pairing that has delighted candy bar buyers for decades. If you’re a fan of Almond Joy and Mounds, this cookie should be right up your chocolate-coconut alley.
Happy holidays, everyone. May you eat and drink with joy! ~ Cleo
To download a free PDF of this recipe that you can print, save, or share, click here.
http://coffeehousemystery.com/userfiles/file/CleoCoyle_MochaMacaroons.pdf
Cleo Coyle’s Mocha Dipped
Rum Macaroons
Text and photos (c) 2011 by Alice Alfonsi who writes The Coffeehouse Mysteries as Cleo Coyle with her husband, Marc Cerasini
Servings: Makes about 20 cookies
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| Photo: (c) Alice Alfonsi |
Ingredients:
For cookies:
2-3/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 extra large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons rum extract or 1 Tablespoon dark rum
For mocha glaze:
1/2 cup brewed coffee
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon rum extract
(1) Mix dough: Measure out dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, fork-whip egg whites with vanilla and rum extract (or dark rum). Combine wet and dry ingredients, stirring until dry ingredients are completely moistened. If you are using the extract, you can bake the cookies right away. For a more amazing cookie, use real rum. Note: if you are using real rum, then you must transfer the mixture to a covered plastic container and allow it to rest in the refrigerator overnight. Macerating like this will allow the flavors to fully develop; otherwise, the rum flavor will be very weak. While the rum extract version of this cookie is quite good, the real rum macaroons will give you a more powerful flavor and the cookie centers will stay moister longer (as long as you store finished macaroons in an airtight container).
(2) Form & bake: Preheat oven to 350ยบ F. To prevent cookies from sticking, line baking sheet with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray. The forming of the macaroon is the most important step. You want the coconut mixture to be really packed together. Some bakers use scoops. I simply use the rounded tablespoon from my measuring set (see photo). If you have no such utensil, then drop dough by spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet and use clean fingers to form tight little pyramids. Bake for about 20 minutes. You are watching for edges and tops to lightly brown (see photo). This will give you the perfect, slightly crunchy outside and soft, chewy inside that is the perfect macaroon.
(3) Mocha dipping: In a microwave safe bowl, mix brewed coffee, chocolate chips, vanilla, and rum. Heat in microwave for 15 seconds. Remove and stir. Repeat until chocolate is melted. Whisk until smooth. Dip tops of macaroons in mocha glaze. Cleo’s Note: There’s really no need to wait for this mocha glaze to dry. I serve the cookies with the chocolate still moist and glistening—delicious!
To download more of Cleo’s recipes, sign up to win free coffee, or learn about Cleo’s national bestselling Coffeehouse Mysteries, visit her online coffeehouse at: http://www.CoffeehouseMystery.com
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