What are these? Why, coconut macarons of course! I couldn’t resist the pun. The meringues contain a 50-50 mix of ground almonds and ground coconut (if you want to try it yourself, I’d advise a mixture with more almond — about two thirds — since the extra coconut fat made for a less stable batter), […]
READ ONI can’t tell you how many requests I’ve received for this classic, but it seems only fitting that it should come up right around the Christmas holiday, when most home bakers are thinking about whipping up something special. Sacher torte is an excellent holiday pastry for several reasons. It’s challenging without being overly so, it’s […]
READ ONPastry Chef Camille files this report from the Continent: Funnily enough, I saw a pile of coconut macaroons in a bakery here in Paris yesterday. They were called “congolais.” Just thought you’d like to know that even here in macaron land, macaroons do exist. 🙂 Turns out those Parisians really do have taste!
READ ONToasted coconut is one of pastrydom’s most beautiful sights, I think. These shaggy cookies resemble French macarons only in name, however they are a true pedestrian delight, at least if you like coconut. I think they deserve the royal treatment. Start by tossing your sweetened and unsweetened coconut together with the salt. Next — and […]
READ ONThe question of fat was raised yesterday in an email. Specifically, where’s the fat in the macaron cookie recipe below? Don’t most cookies us butter as a base? The answer is that the fat is in there, just not in the form of dairy fat. The fat that macaroons contain — and they contain a […]
READ ONMexico Bob reminds me that in Mexico “coco” is also slang for “head” and also for “ghost” or “boogeyman”.
READ ONPeople love to mock the Professor on Gilligan’s Island for all his goofy coconut contraptions. I remember one episode where he made a transistor radio, and then there was the time Mr. Howell had those fainting spells, and the Professor built him that coconut shell MRI machine. Sure it was all a little far-fetched, but […]
READ ONOpinion is sharply divided on where the coconut originated, though the bulk of the evidence favors Southeast Asia and especially India. Because the coconut seems to have quite a few close relations in Central America, especially in the region of Panama, some cite the New World as its place of origin. But then there are […]
READ ONIt was brought to my attention by no less than eleven emailers last night that apples are not drupes. Eight of those further pointed out that coconuts are not the only drupes whose seeds are more desirable than their fruit. Almonds are also drupes, I learned, as is coffee. What can I say except that […]
READ ONThe coconut isn’t actually a nut, but the stone from a type of fruit known as a drupe. Collectively, we eat a lot of drupes. Nectarines, mangoes and olives spring to mind. Yet the coconut is one of only a very few whose seeds are more desirable than their fruit. Not that eating that seed […]
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