Candied Cherry Macaroons Recipes

CHERRY MACARONS

Steps:

• Start by weighing out the powdered sugar, almond flour, and sugar. Bring your eggs, butter, and cream cheese to room temperature.
• Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar in a large bowl and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, add in the egg whites and salt and whip on high speed until foamy. Add in the sugar SLOWLY while the mixer is still on high speed. If you add the sugar to quickly it will flatten the egg whites.
• Continue beating on high speed until you get a nice soft peek (see photo). The egg whites should not stand completely up, but they should be stiff enough to hold shape when you remove the whisk.
• Add a couple drops of food color into the egg whites but do not mix together.
• Add about half of the dry mixture to the egg whites. Slowly fold dry ingredients until incorporated completely and there are no dry spots.
• Add the remaining half of the dry ingredients and repeat until you can pick your spatula up and you can make a figure 8 without the batter breaking off. Be sure to check often because you do not want to over mix.
• Prepare a piping bag with a small round tip and place into a large jar or glass with the tip facing up so the batter does not run out the bottom.
• Fill the bag with the macaron batter and set aside.
• Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone mat (you can also use parchment paper).
• Pipe about 1 ½-2" circles with all of the batter placing them about 1" apart. After you have piped all the circles bang the tray against the counter 4 or 5 times to release4 all of the air bubbles. Use a toothpick to pop all the ones that you can.
• Let the macarons sit on the counter for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The humidity where you live will influence this time. You want to let them sit until they turn matte and you can touch them with your finger without getting any batter on your finger. They should form a "shell".
• After they have formed the shell, place them in a 300-degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Touch the tops of them to see if they are done, the tops of the shells should NOT move around on the "feet" or bottom of the shell. If the shells still move place back in the oven for 1 minute increments.
• Allow the shells to cool completely before trying to remove from the pan.
• Prepare the frosting by adding the butter and cream cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (you can also use a hand mixer), and cream until softened and fluffy.
• Add in the cherry juice and mix well.
• Slowly add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time. After all of the powdered sugar is in, beat on high for 4-5 minutes.
• Fill a piping bag or a Ziplock bag with the frosting.
• Turn over half of the macaron shells and fill with about 1 tbsp of the frosting, top with half of a cherry. Top with the remaining half of the macaron shells. For best result, refrigerate them 12 hours to overnight.
• owever, you can eat them immediately. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Makes 12 macarons (24 shells)

COCONUT MACAROONS WITH CANDIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• About 30 minutes before making macaroons, place an egg separator over a small bowl. Crack each egg over the egg separator to separate the yolks from the whites. (Save egg yolks for another recipe.)
• In a clean large bowl, place the egg whites, and let stand at room temperature up to 30 minutes.*
• Heat the oven to 300°F. Line cookie sheets with a sheet of foil or cooking parchment paper.
• Add the cream of tartar and salt to the egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Beat in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until stiff and glossy--do not underbeat. Pour into a medium bowl.
• Sprinkle the almond extract and coconut over egg white mixture. With a rubber spatula, cut down vertically through the batter, then slide the spatula across the bottom of the bowl and up the side, turning the batter over. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat this down-across-up motion. Continue folding just until ingredients are blended.
• For each cookie, scoop a teaspoonful of dough, using a tableware spoon, and push it onto a lined cookie sheet with another spoon or rubber spatula, placing cookies 1 inch apart. Place 1 cherry piece on each cookie.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or just until edges are light brown. Cool on cookie sheets 10 minutes, then remove cookies from foil to a cooling rack, using a turner. Cool cookie sheets 10 minutes between batches.

STAINED GLASS CHERRY MACAROONS

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 325°. Add vanilla and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form. In another bowl, combine coconut, cherries and flour; stir into egg white mixture., Drop by tablespoonfuls 1 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 14-16 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

CHERRY MACAROONS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and extract; mix well. , Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in the coconut and cherries (dough will be very stiff). , Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

COCONUT MACAROONS WITH A CHERRY TOP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. Line baking trays with parchment paper.
• Place coconut in a large zip lock bag. Toss in 2 T. maraschino cherry juice and shake until coconut is pink. Set aside.
• Cut 18 maraschino cherries in half. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
• Using a mixer, beat egg whites and salt at high speed until soft peaks form.
• Sprinkle sugar in, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition until sugar is completely dissolved (allow 2 minutes after each addition of sugar). Whites should be in stiff glossy peaks when you're done.
• Beat in vanilla. With a rubber spatula, fold in coconut and flour.
• Drop coconut by rounded teaspoon about an inch apart onto the prepared baking sheets. They won't spread very much at all. Place a half cherry on top of each cookie.
• Bake at 300° for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Slide parchment paper and cookies directly onto a rack to cool.
• Store in tightly covered container for up to 3 days.
• Makes 36 cookies.