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Thursday, January 12, 2006

Coconut macaroons - reading a good old favourite

From Nigella Lawson's How to be a domestic goddess
p.50

I love cookbooks, that's a fact.
I love to read them again and again and sometimes -when i'm feeling like- cook from them. Indeed i don't cook that often from cookbooks as i tend to go off-shore and add a pinch of this, a dash of that...
But one of the cookbooks i cook most from is How to be a Domestic Goddess writen by Nigella Lawson. This book is a compilation of delicious sweet treats and yummy salty things.
I might have made something like 5 recipes from this book and maybe even more.

But this much cherished book of mine was sadly forgotten of the shelf. I got it from my fiance last Christmas. One of my first english cookbooks. And the beginning of an addiction - i can't buy french cookbooks anymore, except Pierre Herme's. A month ago or so, i opened it again and decided it was one of my favourite baking cookbook. The recipes work perfectly, the pictures are great and i like the fact that Nigella clearly gives the source of the recipe. OK you might think she did no job on the book, but god this is Nigella. And the pictures are mouth watering...

I made a list of all the recipes i wanted to give a try. I warn you, it is long.

CAKES
- Flora's famous courgette cake p.18 (i must check on Clotilde's blog, she might have tried it before)
- butterscotch layer cake p.20
- Boston cream pie p.21
- cherry almond loaf p.28
- banana bread p.33
- fairy cakes p.39

BISCUITS
- coconut macaroons p.50
- pistachio macaroons p.53
- sweet and salty peanut biscuits p.55
- ricciarelli p.56
- hot discs p.64

PIES
- supper onion pie p.85
- courgette and chickpea filo pie p.93
- cornish pasties p.97
- black and white tart p.112
- blackberry galette p.115

PUDDINGS
- apple syrup upside down pie p.135
- Calvados syllabub p.139
- Om Ali p.140
- profiteroles, my way p.142
- pistachio souflés p.145
- cheese blintzes p.154
- New York cheese cake p.157
- Joe Dolce's Italian cheesecake p.161

CHOCOLATE
- torta alla ganduia p.172
- chocolate cheesecake p.175
- Chocolate coffee volcano p.181
- goey chocolate stack p.185
- chocolate raspberry tart p.187
- pain au chocolat pudding p.190
- white chocolate and macadamia brownies p.194
- cappucino cupcakes p.199
- banana cherry and white chocolate cupcakes p.200
- florentines p.203

CHILDREN
- Snickers and peanut butter muffins p.218
- peanut butter squares p.223
- dreams bars p.227
- cinder toffee p.229
- Roxanne's millionaire's shortbread p.240

CHRISTMAS
- Certosino p.255
- baklava p.273
- cranberry upside down cake p.284
- Christmas creme brulée p.287

BREAD AND YEAST
- potato bread p.298
- garlic and parsley hearthbreads p.306
- apple kutchen p.319
- almond danish p.328

THE DOMESTIC GODDESS'S LARDER
- passionfruit curd p.344
- spiced apple chutney p.357
- Edith Alif's lime pickles p.361

I hope i will be able to make all these soon.

Coconut macaroons
makes 8

These are what we call in French: rocher à la noix de coco ou congolais [coconut rock or Congolian]. But they seems to be know as macarrons over the Channel.
They are very easy to make and delicious, though a little dry but that may be because i hadn't any cream of tartar.

2 large eggs whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
100g caster sugar
30g ground almonds
1 tsp vanilla extract
250 shreded coconut (i only used 125g)

Preheat the oven to 170°C.
Beat the egg whites until frothy - no more - then add the cream of tartar and carry on beating, Missuss, until soft peaks are formed. Add the sugar a tsp at a time and whisk until the peaks can hold their shapre and are shiny. Fold in the almonds, salt, vanilla and coconut. The mixture will be sticky but should, all the same, hold its shape when clumped together.
Form inyo clementin-sized domes (i made 'quenelles').
Cook for 20 minutes or until they're just beginning to turn golden in parts.

Yum!

This recipe was featured in 101cookbooks daily links of the 13th of January!

Labels: bites of sweetness, cookbooks, recipe inside

sweet link | posted by *fanny* at 18:05

9 sweets:

Anonymous said something sweet:: Hi Fanny,
Thanks for reminding me of Nigella's book. That's the problem, we keep acquiring more and more cookbooks; spending all that time with new cookbooks, keeps us from our old favorites. I know that in case of fire, I would rescue "How to Eat" and "Domestic Goddess" from the shelf. Thanks especially for the list, I had forgot that so many enticing things resided within the book...vici
p.s. I went out at lunch today in search of muscavado sugar so I could make your chocolate chip cookies, but no luck.; 12 January, 2006 23:10
Cate said something sweet:: Count me in as another Nigella fan. Those coconut macaroons look fabulous!; 13 January, 2006 02:26
*fanny* said something sweet:: Hi vici, i'm thinking of sending some packs of muscovado sugar. I will get some info about sending things to the US.

Thank you sweetnicks.

Hi natty, thanx for your kind words. But you now my life isn't that exciting as i've got to go to school every single day. And sadly i've not enough time to cook and bake. Ugh...

Love
Fanny; 13 January, 2006 10:58
Pille said something sweet:: Hi Fanny - a beautiful picture of coconut macaroons!
I love the book as well, and have tried the pistachio macaroons (delicious!), supper onion pie (just last week - gorgeous!!!), cranberry upside down cake, as well as Store Cupboard Chocolate Orange Cake that isn't on your list, but is divine. I've written about all these on my blog as well, and recommend each and every one of these!; 13 January, 2006 13:20
Fran said something sweet:: Hi Fanny--I so wish I had some of those macaroons right now. They look so delicious. I also wish I had Nigella's book. I could make good use of it now as I am kind of immobile for a while. I broke my knee cap Tuesday morning and am kind of out of things for a while. I saw Paula baking macaroons yesterday on Food Tv and I would rather have yours!
Love,
Fran; 13 January, 2006 22:13
Anonymous said something sweet:: Hello!

The macaroons look wonderful! The peanut butter squares on your list (p. 223) is one treat you can make quickly and then devour before moving on to more complicated recipes. Believe me, the squares are delicious and not just for children! I've made them many times. Happy baking!; 14 January, 2006 02:01
*fanny* said something sweet:: Hi pille, i'm just back from your food blog and all those pictures of nigella's recipes you've made give me the urge to make -now.

Hi fran, i've already sent you an email and ruly wish you're getting better soon.
Thanx for your kind word -as always.

Hi paige, now because of you i HAVE to make the peanut butter squares. Next week i'll buy some peanut butter for sure.
PS i'm already addicted to your blog

Love
xoxo
Fanny; 14 January, 2006 13:39
Unknown said something sweet:: hi fanny ,
Love Nigella , i like her style , her cooking and eating is sometimes out of space (her banana sandwich and fried pig hear ...among others ) i have some of her first book ..but she's fun
Great macarons ...
And i love pille estonian cooking by the way!!!!!!!; 14 January, 2006 15:27
Anonymous said something sweet:: Nigella Lawson is my favourite food writer. Interestingly she is not a chef, per se, but someone extremely passionate about food and cooking. Every recipe I have ever tried from her cookbooks is a winner. She is my food hero.; 19 January, 2006 01:50