12 Days of Cookies - Day 9 - Chocolate Cherry Macaroons

Who else is insanely busy right now?  Everyone raise their hand.  Whether you are finishing up shopping, wrapping, baking, working, we all will enjoy the holiday rest.   Is it a rest?  Bouncing from house to house visiting family and friends.  Well, maybe not but it is enjoyable and fun and hopefully filling - food filling that is.
I can't wait for the wind down,  10 days with no work.  Aaah, my mind is already there.  A few more days to go...  Well if you need an easy recipe because you are too busy like me, try this one.  It does require refrigeration for a several hours but very quick to put together.

Enjoy Day 9

(Adapted from Fine Cooking)
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups (plus extra for topping) sweetened shredded coconut
• 150 ml cream of coconut  (See Note Below)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup dried cherries, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 325F.  Toast 1 1/2 cups of the coconut on a baking sheet.  Stir, every few minutes.  Bake until some shreds begin to turn brown 10-12 minutes.   Your goal is to dry out the coconut not toast it.   Let cool.  

2) In a medium bowl combine the cream of coconut, cocoa, egg whites, vanilla and salt. Whisk together until well combined. 

3) Stir in the cherries and coconut.   Cover and refrigerate until chilled and firm, minimum 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

4) When ready to bake preheat oven to 325F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment/silpat. Using a mini scoop, about a tablespoon size, drop balls on a the baking sheet.   

5) Top each macaroon with some of the untoasted coconut.   Bake about 25-30 minutes, until the outsides are not quite sticky and the inside is soft.  Coconut on top will begin to brown.  Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

NOTE: I could not find cream of coconut in a can but I found creamed coconut in a plastic bag in a box that you reconstitute with water.    I am sure this recipe is better if you can actually find creamed coconut but this worked quite well for me. 

Do I really even need to tell you how I feel about these?  So many wonderful things in a cute little package. 

MEG's RATING: D-EEEE-LICIOUS!

Day - 8 - Rugelach Bars