The post French Chocolate Macaroons appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
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French Chocolate Macaroons
Ingredients
For the macarons:
1/2 cup blanched whole almonds
1 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
3 egg whites
Pinch of salt
2 tsp. granulated sugar
For the filling:
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
5 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate,
finely chopped
8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at
room temperature
Prepare
1. Position a rack in the middle of an oven and preheat to 400°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. To make the macarons, in a food processor, combine the almonds with 1 cup of the confectioners’ sugar and pulse until finely ground. Add the cocoa powder and the remaining 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar and pulse until well blended.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the egg whites and salt on medium-high speed just until the whites form soft peaks when the beaters are lifted. Add the granulated sugar and beat just until the whites form stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted. Using a whisk or a rubber spatula, gently fold in the almond mixture.
4. Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe out 1-inch-diameter mounds about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, one sheet at a time, until the tops are cracked and appear dry but the macarons are still slightly soft to the touch, 6 to 8 minutes.
5. Transfer the cookies, still on the parchment paper, to barely dampened kitchen towels and let cool for 5 minutes. Carefully peel the paper off the macarons, transfer to wire racks and let cool completely. (The macarons can be made 1 day in advance and stored in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container.)
6. To make the filling, in a saucepan over high heat, bring the cream just to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder. Add the chocolate and butter and whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until the filling is firm enough to hold its shape when spread, at least 30 minutes.
7. If desired, transfer the filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe the filling, or spread it with a table knife, generously on the flat side of half of the macarons. Top with the remaining macarons, flat side down, pressing together gently to form sandwiches. (The cookies can be stored in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.) Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
- 1/2 cup blanched whole almonds
- 1 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
- 3 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 egg whites
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tsp. granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate,
- finely chopped
- 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at
- room temperature
- Position a rack in the middle of an oven and preheat to 400°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- To make the macarons, in a food processor, combine the almonds with 1 cup of the confectioners' sugar and pulse until finely ground. Add the cocoa powder and the remaining 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar and pulse until well blended.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the egg whites and salt on medium-high speed just until the whites form soft peaks when the beaters are lifted. Add the granulated sugar and beat just until the whites form stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted. Using a whisk or a rubber spatula, gently fold in the almond mixture.
- Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe out 1-inch-diameter mounds about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, one sheet at a time, until the tops are cracked and appear dry but the macarons are still slightly soft to the touch, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Transfer the cookies, still on the parchment paper, to barely dampened kitchen towels and let cool for 5 minutes. Carefully peel the paper off the macarons, transfer to wire racks and let cool completely. (The macarons can be made 1 day in advance and stored in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container.)
- To make the filling, in a saucepan over high heat, bring the cream just to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder. Add the chocolate and butter and whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until the filling is firm enough to hold its shape when spread, at least 30 minutes.
- If desired, transfer the filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe the filling, or spread it with a table knife, generously on the flat side of half of the macarons. Top with the remaining macarons, flat side down, pressing together gently to form sandwiches. (The cookies can be stored in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.) Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
The post French Chocolate Macaroons appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
]]>The post RUSTIC RATATOUILLE appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.
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Ratatouille
Ingredients
2 (16 ounce) cans tomato paste
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 large eggplant, thinly sliced
2 zucchinis, thinly sliced
2 yellow squash, thinly sliced
1 orange bell pepper, cored and very thinly sliced
4 tablespoons olive oil, or to taste
3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, or to taste
mascarpone cheese for topping, to your hearts content
Prepare
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Spread tomato paste into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with onion and garlic and stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil and water until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and black pepper.
3. Arrange alternating slices of eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, and orange bell pepper, starting at the outer edge of the dish and working concentrically towards the center. The key here is to not necessarily overlap and alternate in a specific order and get sloppy with it a wee bit. Drizzle the vegetables with 4 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle with thyme leaves. Cover vegetables with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit inside.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until vegetables are roasted and tender, one hour. Serve with large dollops of mascarpone cheese, if desired.
- 2 (16 ounce) cans tomato paste
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 large eggplant, thinly sliced
- 2 zucchinis, thinly sliced
- 2 yellow squash, thinly sliced
- 1 orange bell pepper, cored and very thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, or to taste
- 3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, or to taste
- mascarpone cheese for topping, to your hearts content
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Spread tomato paste into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with onion and garlic and stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil and water until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Arrange alternating slices of eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, and orange bell pepper, starting at the outer edge of the dish and working concentrically towards the center. The key here is to not necessarily overlap and alternate in a specific order and get sloppy with it a wee bit. Drizzle the vegetables with 4 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle with thyme leaves. Cover vegetables with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit inside.
- Bake in the preheated oven until vegetables are roasted and tender, one hour. Serve with large dollops of mascarpone cheese, if desired.
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