Oh My, My, Chocolate Macaroons!

Sometimes I can be stubborn, ridiculously stubborn if we're being completely honest here (and here we are always honest, promise). And sometimes with that stubbornness comes an irrational sense of determination, I'll let you decided whether that's good or bad, hehe. Like the time in high school when I decided to bake over 1,000 cookies to make the most delicious holiday gift bags for practically everyone I knew. Or the time when I decided to drive to BGSU in the middle of the night just to prove a point. Did I mention that I was kinda stubborn?


And maybe a little bit spontaneous too. Sometimes I just get an idea and flow with it. Like the time I decided to fly to Vegas spur of the moment to see my favorite Auntie and go to a Kenny Chesney concert with her. Sometime this stubbornness thing or even the spontaneousness can causes problems and it may have gotten me it trouble a few times, just maybe, but occasionally I am rewarded by my intense stubbornness and/or spontaeousness. Making Chocolate Macaroons was definitely a reward, a big reward, it may even make up for some of the not so rewarding problems that my stubbornness has caused.

I don't really know why, but Saturday morning I decided to make Macaroons. It was one of those hey- I'm gonna do this moments. I don't think I've even eaten a macaroon before, trust me if I had I would remember and probable be the size of a small elephant due to macaroon consumption (no lies here people, I told you we tell the truth). Coconut goodness and chocolate, how can you say no? I sure couldn't. The crisp golden coconut dipped in a luscious chocolate ganache. I'm telling you this stuff is better than crack (okay, so I can't verify that but it's good)! The macaroons come together easily and you are greatly rewarded- crisp on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside and that ganache- oh wow. Wow.

Be stubborn people, be stubborn. Go to the store right now- buy some coconut, preheat the oven and pretend you're somewhere tropical and enjoy these little guys. You really wanna listen here, Or I may be forced to drive to your house and feed you macaroons 'til you know you love them, I really am that stubborn.

Chocolate Macaroons
Adapted from TheBrownEyedBaker.com and JoyofBaking.com

If you know me, you know that I had an odd addiction to ganache- if I can replace chocolate with a chocolate ganache I do, which is what I did here and I was very pleased with the results. My macaroons ended up a little on the large side so next time I will make them smaller, but overall amazing. Make sure you use parchment paper or spray the pan with cooking spray- you can't cheat and use aluminum foil- otherwise you will be prying broken macaroons off your cookie sheet and picking off pieces of foil. True story.


2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg white
1½ teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
3½ cups sweetened flaked coconut
3/4 cups heavy cream
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 325 and in large bowl combine sweetened condensed milk, egg, vanilla and salt. Add coconut and stir until coated in the condensed milk mixture. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and drop macaroons into Tablespoon sized piles. Form into haystack like mounds (wet your fingers or the coconut will stick horribly). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until coconut is lightly browned on top.

Place chocolate in a small heat proof bowl. Heat cream and butter in a small saucepan until it is just ready to boil. Pour cream mixture over chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. After time has passed whisk cream and chocolate together until smooth.

Working quickly dip each macaroon in the ganache and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Once all macaroons are dunked place in fridge for about 30 minutes to harden.

You can put the extra ganache in the fridge overnight and roll into mishapped balls to form truffles, I prefer mine plain but you can also roll them in cocoa powder.