Chocolate Macaroon Critters Recipes

Steps:

• Freeze the almonds for 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment
• In a food processor, combine the almonds and the confectioners sugar and pulse on and off for 40 seconds, or until powdery. Add the cocoa powder and pulse very briefly just to mix.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to very soft peaks and beat in the granulated sugar until the mixture is glossy, 1 minute, more. Sieve the almond-cocoa mixture over the egg whites and gently fold it in, being careful not to crush too much air out of the egg whites. Using a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip, pipe 1 1/2-inch circles of the mixture onto the parchment-lined baking sheets. Very gently poke a whole almond into the top of each one. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until firm, turning the pans around halfway through the cooking time to cook them evenly. Transfer the sheets of paper onto damp tea towels and let stand for 5 minutes, then peel the macaroons off and finish cooling them on a rack. Serve at room temperature or store in an airtight tin, layered with sheets of waxed paper, for up to 2 weeks.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place the almond paste and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the almond paste is softened and the sugar well incorporated, about 5 minutes. Add the cocoa powder and blend just until combined.
• Add the egg whites a little bit at a time, incorporating fully after each addition. Egg whites are difficult to pour in small amounts, so hold a rubber spatula against the rim of the bowl and use it to "cut" the egg whites as they are poured. If you add the egg whites all at once, the mixture will be lumpy because the difference in consistency between the egg whites and the almond paste mixture is too great. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. You may or may not need all of the egg whites depending on the moistness and age of your almond paste. Stop mixing when the mixture reaches a consistency soft enough to pipe (like toothpaste).
• Place the batter in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe 1-inch mounds onto a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. It will be easier if you hold the pastry bag at a slight angle and allow the tip to touch the parchment as you start to pipe. Once you have formed the mound, stop squeezing and lift the tip straight up, leaving a small tail on the top of each mound. Space the macarons about 1-inch apart to allow for spreading. Pipe carefully: Your macarons will look nicest when they are sandwiched together if they are all the same size.
• Immediately before placing them in the oven, liberally sprinkle granulated sugar over the macarons. This will give them a nice crust that will keep the inside moist and chewy. Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. The top of each macaron should be very finely cracked, a characteristic for which they are known. If overbaked, the macarons will be dry and crunchy.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and immediately pour 1/4 cup of water onto the baking sheet under the parchment paper. Be careful: If you get any water on the macarons, they will be soggy. You will need to tilt the baking sheet to spread the water evenly. Let it sit for 2 minutes. The water will loosen the macarons from the paper. Remove the macarons from the paper 2 at a time and stick them together, matching the flat sides. Do not put them back on the hot, wet baking sheet or they will become soggy.
• The macarons can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or well wrapped in the freezer for up to 1 week. Unwrap them before bringing back to room temperature, or the condensation will make them soggy.

Steps:

• Mix oats, coconut, and cocoa powder together in a bowl.
• Bring sugar, butter, and milk to a boil in saucepan, stirring occasionally; remove immediately from heat and stir into oat mixture.
• Drop 15 spoonfuls of batter onto a sheet of waxed paper. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside. Break chocolate into small pieces, and then transfer to a medium heatproof bowl.
• Set bowl with chocolate over a pan of simmering water; stir until chocolate is melted. Let cool slightly.
• Pour melted chocolate into a large bowl; add cocoa, sugar, coconut, egg whites, vanilla, and salt. Mix with your hands until well combined.
• Dampen clean hands with cold water. Mound 1 1/2 tablespoons mixture into a loose haystack shape, and transfer to lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture, arranging macaroons 1 inch apart.
• Bake until just firm to the touch but still soft in the middle, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheet on a wire rack. Store in airtight containers at room temperature, up to 3 days.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl, then stir in the ground almonds. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold them into the dry ingredients.
• Fill an icing bag fitted with a plain nozzle with the mixture (or put in a large food bag and snip off the corner). Pipe 24 small blobs, about 3cm across, onto the baking sheet, leaving a little space between each. Smooth the surface with a wet finger, then leave for 15 mins to dry out. Bake for 15-20 mins until macaroons feel firm to the touch and peel easily off the paper. Cool on the paper, then peel off and store in a tin for up to 1 week.
• To make the filling, put chocolate into a heatproof bowl and gently melt over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir in the warm milk until smooth. Leave to cool and thicken a little, then use to sandwich the macarons together

Steps:

• Sift the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
• In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until frothy and gradually add the granulated sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.
• Add about half of the dry ingredients to the egg whites, fold until mostly combined, and slowly add the other half. Pipe mixture onto a silicon mat in 1-inch circles.
• Tap the tray a couple times on a hard, flat surface to remove air bubbles.
• Let them sit at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes (until dry to the touch) and bake for 16-17 minutes at 300°F.
• Serve.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil; lightly coat with cooking spray (if using nonstick pans or liners, do not use cooking spray).
• In large bowl, toss coconut with sugar until evenly coated. In a pan melt the chocolate; let cool slightly. In small bowl, combine egg whites, chocolate, vanilla and salt until blended. Add to coconut mixture; blend well with spatula.
• On prepared baking sheet, form heaping table-spoonfuls of mixture into 15 mounds, 2 inches apart. Bake 15 minutes or until bottoms are golden and tops start to brown (centers will be slightly soft). Let cool 10 minutes on baking sheet; remove with spatula to wire rack; let cool completely on rack. Best served the same day, but can be stored overnight in airtight container.

Steps:

• Boil first 4 ingredients for 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add vanilla.
• Pour over oatmeal and coconut and mix well.
• Drop tsp fulls onto wax paper and wait until dry and easy to lift off paper.