Hi all,
I work at a Seattle newspaper, My tiny cubicle is happily situated across the isle from our test kitchen from where the magnificent Cece Sullivan cooks up recipes for the food section. Those of us nearby then get to eat and rate the stuff she cooks. Nice deal. She spent a whole week trying out various macaroon recipes. No Starch! Here they are:

Heavenly macaroons for Passover

By CeCe Sullivan
Seattle Times home economist

Macaroons are a traditional Passover dessert because they have no leavening, which is restricted by Jewish law during the eight-day festival beginning at sundown April 23. Instead, these cookies use egg whites for both their structure and lightness.
And that’s the catch. For many, working with the temperamental whites can be a deflating experience.
At Grand Central Bakery in Pioneer Square, where coconut and almond macaroons are sold during the Passover season, Laura Heinlein, pastry production manager, has separated more than her share of eggs. So she has some practical tips for handling egg whites.
To achieve the most volume when beating the whites, they should be at room temperature and separated cleanly from the yolks. That can be difficult for both experienced and novice bakers alike, but Heinlein has developed a method that works beautifully. “First I break the eggs into a bowl,” she said. “Then I spread my fingers slightly and cradle each yolk to remove it.”
When macaroons, such as these hazelnut beauties, are baking, a light golden brown color on top is a sign they’re done.
Different mixing techniques are used for the two kinds of macaroons. The almond, or Parisian macaroons, are made in the French tradition of beating the whites until foamy and then slowly adding the sugar until soft peaks are formed.
All of the ingredients for the coconut macaroons are blended in the top of a double boiler and heated to both dissolve the sugar and to help make the thick mixture easier to work with. The whites aren’t beaten at all, making this cookie a perfect entry point for beginners.
Both the almond and coconut mixtures are piped onto parchment-lined baking sheets. A piping bag with a plain tip is set in a cup or glass. Before filling the bag, Heinlein suggests folding the tip up to keep the mixture from seeping out. Then it’s piped onto the sheets into quarter-size rounds. Peaks may form when the pastry bag is pulled away, but a slightly dampened finger can smooth out the tops.
The macaroons are left to sit on the baking sheets for about 30 minutes before putting into the oven. “A skin forms on top, which gives that crustiness to the macaroons,” said Heinlein.
Once the cookies are baking, Heinlein looks for a toasty, light golden brown color on top. “Going by color is a pretty good indicator when the macaroons are done,” she suggests. The macaroons will only keep about 3 to 4 days, which shouldn’t be a problem once these sweet treats are tasted.
Besides their Pioneer Square location, Grand Central Bakery recently expanded to a second store in Seattle’s Eastlake neighborhood. (1616 Eastlake Ave., 206-768-0320.)
CeCe Sullivan: csullivan@seattletimes.com


Recipe: Chocolate French Macaroons

Makes 24 sandwich cookies
Chocolate filling:
- ½ cup whole milk
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Macaroons:
- Parchment paper
- 1 pound powdered sugar
- 2 cups whole blanched almonds
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

- ¾ cup egg whites (about 6 large eggs), room temperature

- 1/8 teaspoon salt
1. To make chocolate filling: Bring milk and butter to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat and add chocolate, whisking until melted and smooth. Transfer to a bowl and cool. Cover and refrigerate several hours until thick and cold.
2. To make macaroons: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Combine half of powdered sugar with all of the almonds in a food processor, pulsing until nuts are ground to a powder. Add remaining powdered sugar and pulse to blend. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add cocoa and process until blended.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt until stiff but not dry. Fold nut mixture into the whites in 4 additions. The batter will be stiff. Using a teaspoon measure, drop 12 mounds at a time onto baking sheets. (The mixture will spread.)
4. Bake macaroons, one sheet at a time, until firm to the touch in the center and dry on top, about 11 minutes. Slide parchment onto a cooling rack and let cool completely before peeling macaroons off parchment. (If using the same baking sheets, make sure that they are cool before dropping the batter on them.)
5. Arrange half of macaroons flat side up on a work surface. Spread a tablespoon of the filling onto each and top with a second macaroon, flat side down. Cover and chill at least 2 hours before serving.
From Bon Appétit, 2001

Copyright © 2005 The Seattle Times Company


Recipe: Hazelnut Macaroons

Makes about 25 macaroons
- 2 1/3 cups shelled hazelnuts (about 12 ounces)
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure almond extract or 1 teaspoon Frangelico or amaretto liqueur
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- Parchment paper
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread hazelnuts in a single layer in a baking pan and toast about 12 minutes or until most of the skins begin to crack. Cool slightly, then wrap in small batches in a clean dish towel and rub to loosen and remove most of the skins.
2. When nuts are completely cool, chop finely with the sugar in a food processor using the pulse button. With machine on, add extract and egg whites a little at a time. Process just enough to combine ingredients. Scrape into a bowl and refrigerate 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Drop rounded tablespoons of batter on baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. Bake 15 minutes or until the macaroons have puffed and dried to the touch. Slip the parchment paper onto cooling racks and let macaroons cool completely before removing.
From “The Gefilte Variations” by Jayne Cohen

Copyright © 2005 The Seattle Times Company