Pumpkin and Spice

For some reason, lately I've been craving coconut macaroons. I love them so much, but I really feel like they're an underrated cookie. Maybe it's the coconut. People seem to be either on the "love it" or "hate it" side of the coconut line- there is rarely middle ground.

Personally, I love it! I'm especially fond of Mounds bars. (I like Almond Joy, too, but I prefer the chocolate-coconut equation sans nut.) So, when I decided to make macaroons, I decided to add a Mounds-inspired touch and include some dark chocolate. Specifically very dark chocolate ganache.

Macaroons are frequently very dense and sweet, but the recipe I've created manages to be light, moist and just sweet enough. The sweetness is nicely complemented by a center of 70% dark chocolate ganache and a light dusting of cocoa powder. These are exceptionally addictive- chewy, chocolatey, coconutty... I have to get them out of the house!

Even if you don't decide to make the ganache, these are really fabulous macaroons- just skip the step where you poke a well in the center of the cookies.

Dreamy Dark Chocolate Coconut Macaroons
Makes about 32 cookies

For the Macaroons-

• 3c finely shredded unsweetened coconut (if you can only find regular shredded coconut, pulse it in the food processor to make it finer. If it's already sweetened, skip the extra sugar later in the recipe.)
• 1/2t almond extract
• 1t vanilla extract
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 3 egg whites
• 1T sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, mix coconut, the extracts and the condensed milk together. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy. Add the sugar and whip to med-stiff peaks. Fold about 1/3 of the egg whites into the coconut mixture to loosen it up, then carefully fold in the reamining whites. Using a 1/2oz scoop or a spoon, dish out small mounds of the mixture onto a parchment lined sheet tray. With a damp finger, press a deep well into each cookie. Bake for 14-16min, until toasty and golden on top, turning halfway. Allow to cool.

For the Ganache-

• 3.5oz 60-70% dark chocolate (Use a high quality brand. I used Green and Black.)
• 1/2c heavy cream

Chop chocolate into small bits. Place in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave at 15 sec intervals, stirring after each, until chocolate is just melted. Microwave cream for about 30sec, until warm. Add cream to chocolate, and mix until smooth. Try not to whip in any extra air. Allow to cool slightly.

Spoon a small dollop of ganache into the divets in the cookies. Allow the ganache to firm up. Sift together 2T confectioner's sugar and 2T cocoa powder and dust the cookies.