The Great Bake V

I managed to find time away from today's Iron Mom, dealing with my appliances and the related fall out to continue with a little baking. Since I'm on nights for the next two, I'm not sure how much more baking I can get done before our big thing this weekend. Nevertheless, we press on.

My mom used to make these every Christmas. The whole house would smell wonderful from the toasty coconut and almond flavours. She usually puts a small cherry bit on top of each mound, but I omitted that part this year. (Sean will be disappointed as he likes them to look like boobs.) I need my cherries for another recipe and quite frankly, I didn't feel like chopping the damn things up this morning. You can garnish as you will.

These lovely coconut confections are so seventies, and so very yummy. I've watched quite a few doubters as they take their first bite and then five minutes later I've had to smack their hands away from the tin. Don't worry loves, I can hook you up... the first one is always free.

Coconut Macaroons

You will need:

3 pkgs (200g ea.) flaked coconut
1 can condensed milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 C). In a large mixing bowl, combine coconut, milk, vanilla and almond extract, mix well. Drop by rounded spoonful onto a well greased cookie sheet. Bake on middle rack of oven, 12 @ a time, 10-12 mins or until browned on the edges. Cool slightly. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Store loosely covered at room temperature. Makes about 4 dozen.

Variations

Chocolate: Omit almond extract. Add 4 squares (28g ea) unsweetened chocolate, melted. Proceed as above

Chocolate Chip: omit almond extract. Add 1c mini chocolate chips. Proceed as above.

Lightly Toasty Coco-nutty Loveliness

------------------------------------

Four bloody ingredients, does it get any simpler?

You will want to squish them together and mound them up a bit as they never seem to drop from the spoon intact. Again, I use parchment paper for everything which is handy for these as you don't want the bottoms to be anything more than slightly toasted.

My bed and then duty await.

Happy noshing.

"Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may work." ~ Anonymous

The Great Bake II

As with most things, my first installment in the Great Bake of 2009 is useless without pictures.

This occured to me as I was carefully storing them in plastic containers to freeze. And it was night, and no natural light, so the pics are pretty useless too. C'est la vie. In any event, as I wait for my butter to come to room temperature to make some very snappy Ginger Snaps, this is how the Chocolate Drop Cookies turn out...

Addictive lumps of chocolatey goodness.... *drool*

That night, I made a batch of old fashioned cornstarch shortbread. These are short. Very short. This recipe came to me from Karen Stadnyk, a nurse I used to work with on Mental Health Intensive and who now calls me occasionally in the MHESU to send me a "package" from Headwaters. I'll forgive her, if only because of these cookies.

Shortbread Cookies

1/2 lb butter
1/2 c cornstarch
1/2 c icing sugar
1 c flour

Beat butter until light and add remaining ingredients one @ a time, beating after each addition. Roll into small balls and flatten with a fork.

Bake @ 300 degrees F for 30 mins

(Makes 3 dozen)
------------------------

The extended baking time is assuming you make little squished balls. If you are like me and like actual cut out shapes you will want to chill the dough a bit and then roll it out 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick on a floured surface to cut them out and then put them on a pan. I also cook most of my cookies on parchment paper so that the bottoms don't get too brown from my "well loved" cookie sheets. Sprinkle on coloured sugar or add cherry bits or whatever your heart desires and bake for about 20 mins or less, depending on the thickness of the cookie and your oven.

Some of mine turned out a bit overdone (they should not be brown) as I forgot the less than 20 minute rule and the stars... well the dough got a bit too warm and the stars ended up looking like Patrick from SpongeBob. I separated what was a keeper and let my family eat the rest. Which they did... They descended on them like a pack of starving dogs.

Slightly overdone and wonky... will have to make another batch.

Ehhh... That's how the cookie crumbles, as they say.

Next up, ginger snaps...

"I always had the will to win. I felt it baking cookies. They had to be the best cookies anyone baked. " ~ Bette Davis