Wolfgang Puck's Passover Friendly Apricot Macaroons

These macaroons are melt-in-your-mouth delicious. They are the perfect 4:00 pm pick me up during this long week of Passover, when you are craving something light and sweet.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried apricots, cut into quarters
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
4 egg whites
4 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

In a small saucepan, combine apricots, water and 1 tablespoon sugar. Cook apricots over medium heat until tender and about 1 tablespoon water remains. Cool slightly and transfer to a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add remaining sugar, egg whites and 1/2 cup coconut. Process by first using on-off spurts, and then allow machine to run until apricots are pureed. Transfer to large bowl of electric mixer. Add remaining coconut. Beat on medium speed until coconut is well blended. Stop machine and check the texture. Mixture should hold together when pinched. Conitnue to mix, if necessary.

Using your hands, shape mixture into pointed cone shapes. Arrange 1 inch apart on parchment paper on cookie sheets. Bake in preheated 350° oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the tops are well browned. Cool on rack. Store in airtight container.

Makes 24-32 macaroons.

Coffee Meringues

I first came across this recipe during Passover, when Amy Kritzer featured it on her blog "What Jew Wanna Eat". These light and airy, gluten free, dairy free cookies are melt-in-your-mouth delicious and highly addictive!

Ingredients

2 large egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup superfine sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer with a whisk attachment (make sure both are very clean and dry), beat egg whites on low at first and then gradually up to high speed until thick and soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Add sugar in gradually (1 tablespoon at a time) and beat until batter is shiny and holds very stiff peaks and sugar is dissolved. You can test to see if the sugar is dissolved by taking a bit of the meringue between your fingers. It shouldn’t be very gritty. Meringue should be so stiff that you can hold the bowl upside down and it won’t drip. Fold in vanilla and espresso powder.

3. Drop 1 ½ - inch dollops of mixture onto sheets 1-inch apart or pipe onto sheets using a piping bag or a pastry tip in a zip lock bag.

4. Bake for about 1 ½ hours or until crisp, switching pan positions halfway through baking. Turn oven off and let meringues finish cooling in oven for a few hours or overnight. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.