A few years back I was in my early twenties. I remember laughing… a lot. Everything was funny.
A handful of years ago I was in my mid twenties. That’s when I discovered what a pain in the butt tax time was when I could no longer claim myself as a college student.
These days I’m in my late twenties. I’m not complaining. No siree. I know how treacherous tax time is and I still find myself laughing my fool head of… often. Strangely… I still find it difficult to think of myself as an adult. The thought of adulthood is daunting, even here in late twentyville.
With this in mind, I’ve decided that I’ll be fully comfortable with adulthood when, and only when I:
-learn how to fold a fitted sheet.
-don’t run screaming at the sight of a spider or anything with wings and dangling legs.
and…
-can figure out how not to sit in gum while wearing my favorite jeans…. or at least figure out how to get the dang gum out.
While I figure out this adulthood madness, please enjoy some macaroons. I dipped them in chocolate. Kosher chocolate. I’m hardcore like that.
These macaroons were a request from a friend that is celebrating Passover. Coconut, sugar and chocolate? Yes… sometimes I take requests.
These magic coconut cookies are sweet, chewy and soft… like little chewy coconut clouds… the kind you want to shove into your face, four at a time, for dinner. I dipped these treats in kosher milk chocolate Kosher milk chocolate has cows stamped on it. Bonus.
[prinatble]
Chocolate Dipped Toasted Coconut Macaroons
recipe from Alton Brown
makes 32 to 40 cookies
4 large egg whites
pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar
12 ounces sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
2 (3 ounce) kosher milk chocolate bars, coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place coconut on a baking sheet, spread out evenly and place in the oven. Return to the oven every five minutes to stir the browning coconut. Once evenly browned, after about 15 minutes, remove the the oven and allow to cool.
In a mixer fitted with a whip attachment. whip egg whites and salt until they become white and begin to stiffen. Add sugar in 3 parts. Continue to whip until the egg whites are very stiff. Fold in toasted coconut.
On parchment lined cookie sheets, drop a teaspoon of the mixture leaving 1 to 2 inches around each cookie. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The outside should be golden brown but the insides should still be moist.
Place chocolate chunks in a heatproof bowl. Place bowl over a pan of simmering water so that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the simmering water. Allow to melt. Stir until loose and creamy. Partially dip the macaroons in the chocolate then allow to cool and harden on a parchment lined sheet. You can place the pan of chocolate dipped cookies in the refrigerator to speed up the hardening process.
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bunny mama
Ha! I was actually wrestling with a fitted sheet while reading this post. What are the odds? As a woman fast approaching 30 with 2 kids and a mortgage, I’d say being able to properly fold one of these beasts isn’t a prerequisite for adulthood. Besides, I’m pretty sure Martha Stewart is the only lady capable of such a feat.
ps. the macaroons look delicious!
Hillary
Hi Joy! These macaroons look so fantastic! I have a friend who is actually beside herself because her favorite macaroons are no longer being sold at a particular store. Devastating really, loosing a favorite food like that. So, I wanted to cheer her up and make some macaroons as a surprise and I stumbled across this wonderful recipe you’ve shared. I have always loved cooking and just started getting into the food blogging world and it’s been absolutely delightful! I can’t wait to make these treats for my friend and maybe, if I succeed, I can fill that little void that is left in the absence of her favorites!
PS: I love love your blog and find myself being inspired by so many of your recipes. If I could, I’d spend the whole day in my kitchen baking away! Thank you!!
Amy
I made these tonight, and they were divine. I believe that I overwhipped the egg whites though, and they came out more like meringues. But they were very delicious chocolate dipped meringues! Very fun and very yum.
Anna
So, mine ended up more meringue-y. Did I over whip the egg whites? Thanks for such amazing recipes!
Avanika (Yumsilicious Bakes)
Yummy! I love coconut desserts! And I hate growing up too! Just reached my 20’s!
Lindsay
Hi, Joy,
I just came across your site, and I decided to make these macaroons, your lemon rosemary palmiers, and your avocado vegan cake for a baby shower I was hosting over the weekend. WONDERFUL! And your blog is hilariously entertaining. I’m hooked.
Charlie B
Hi Joy if you want to get the gum out of your favorite jeans go get a can of O2 cleaner that people use to spray clean the keys of a computer, turn it upside down and spray he gum until it freezes and then simply scrape it off. This can also be used to clean gum from under tables, the floor and even the big ones on the sidewalk outside your bakery. Oh yea I love the toasted coconut macaroon also.
Laufa
Oh, I think you might be my new Super Hero (I have issues burning things in the kitchen). I love macaroons!
As for the jeans: Freeze them after you sat in the gum, over night. Next day, scrape what you can off (gum should be hard by now). There is a product called Goo Gone, follow directions and wash immediately. Jeans are like you never sat in gum.
(I’m not grown up yet – early 30’s.) I have kids and we went on a hike through the woods and swang on some vines. I even did it and didn’t break the vine. Adulthood is what you make of it. I look back and think how stupid I was, but appreciate all that I have accomplished so far!
Shari
Yum! I love macaroons, and my favorite recipe if from Sara Foster from “Foster’s Market”. Of course, they contain flour so wouldn’t be appropriate in this case, but give them a try, -I think you’ll like them too. As for the gum, -have you ever tried ice? It freezes the gum so it just falls off. : )
Ellie
I wish I had seen this before Passover was over! I had such a hard time making desserts with no flour!
Oh and the chocolate with the cows on it, it comes from Israel – and we like to call it “cow chocolate” (why be creative when a simple description is enough?) You should try the chocolate with the pop rocks in it – it is so much fun to eat with a crowd.
joythebaker
chocolate and pop rocks!? oh my word!
Deb in Indiana
These look wonderful. I have a favorite recipe (1950’s big red cookbook)that is very similar, but has untoasted coconut and some corn flakes added. The chocolate (I just drizzle it) and the coconut together are great! I’m going to make a batch of each — I think they’ll be great together.
Folding sheets — never! Just put them back on the bed — no wrinkles.
Amy
Put your jeans in the freezer. The gum should pop right off once it’s frozen (and it certainly won’t hurt your jeans).
Madeleine
The macaroons look completely dangerous. I can’t wait to make them. As for fitted sheets, I’m 32 and I still can’t fold them. I’m ok with that, but it’s still nice to know that there are other people out there who understand :-)
Suzi
I made these this weekend and I added some almonds on top of them. They tasted just like an Almond Joy and were super easy to make. Everyone loved them!
Claire
I have never failed at anything like I failed at these. Maybe I just wasn’t meant to work with egg whites.
But yours look delicious!
Tricia
So after reading your instructions on how to impress a boy by baking my best friend and I made these for our Jewish friend. We sent him home with 13 for his roommates and later heard from the roommates that he ate them ALL. Within an hour. I’m going to say he was impressed. Thanks Joy we LOVE your blog!
Trilby
I made a half batch of these. Didn’t bother with the chocolate, just scarfed them all up. YUM!
Roberta
Joy,
This is how you get gum out of your favorite jeans. Take a piece of ice and rub it all over the gum until it is really hard. Then take a butter knife and most of it should come off. Any that is left, you rub with ice again and do the same thing. Another tip: to get gum out of hair, you use peanutbutter. (I have four daughters so I have learned a few tricks).
kristen
Joy I just turned 27 and I still do not consider myself an adult!!!
ahkon
tried it!
taste grrrrrrrrrrrrreaat!!! everyone loves it!
Marissa
first: the jeans: windex and lots of scrubbing! if that doesnt work, try plain vinegar. im not even kidding. there was gum on my seat at a movie theatre and i nearly died at the thought of losing my fave jeans until i did this and got the gum out!!
second: these cookies look delish!!!!! must. buy. coconut.
Jessica
Thanks for the recipe! I made them tonight and they are soooo delicious! I will never eat a store bought macaroon again.
Stephanie
One day the fitted sheet thing just clicked and now I can do it without even thinking. Don’t be in a hurry for it though… once it gets out that you know how, you will be owning that chore for the rest of your days! Like it’s impossible for more than one person in each household to hold the secret. I kid you not.
Rebecca
why would anyone want to feel 30 when they can’t feel 20 again? Age is nothing compared to how young you are at heart. You will age less quickly when you feel young… and eating these macaroons will help make you feel like a 16 year old again. Great combo.
Maggie
Oh my, chocolate & coconut is almost as heavenly a combo as chocolate & PB… love it!
PS I used to work in a bed & breakfast and folded many a fitted sheet in my day. However, at 27, I am still pretty dreadful at it. Ohh adulthood, you are so elusive sometimes!
Menollie
Don’t you worry! I just bungeed smack-dab into my middle-thirties last month and I’ve only known how to fold a fitted sheet since Christmas, LOL! I’m still working on the “adult” feeling, though… :)
I’ve never made macaroons because they only register a “Meh” on my yum scale, but yours look very good. AND you used an Alton recipe!! *swoonage* These go on the to-bake list.
Zavier
Yummmmyyy!!!
E
Argh I wish I had seen this post before our passover so that I could have made these for our dinner! I will definitely have to make these this week though, they look delicious!
I love the kosher chocolate with the cow on it – I don’t know if you have this type of chocolate in the US, but in Israel that brand also makes chocolate with popping candy in it! Chocolate + popping candy = awesome!
Silvia
I think I’ll never be a real grown up, but I like it, it’s kind of relaxing.
Lovely macaroons, I’ll try them!
jaclyn@todayslady
I definitely don’t feel my age!! I dont think I ever will and I like it that way!
Those macaroons look so yummy!!! I want them all!!!
Sook @ My Fabulous Recipes
Mmm I love coconut! These macaroons look fantastic!
Melanie
Yum! These look so good!
I still feel like I’m 16 most of the time, until I am reminded by new weird facial lines that keep creeping up..and it scares me!
Keri
Fitted sheets are a sworn enemy of mine. For the longest time, I just used two flat sheets. Grown-up, I shall never be!
Those cookies look amazing, and now I’ll go on a search for kosher chocolate just for the cows!
peachkins
These look amazing!
Katrina
I’ve never had anything like these before! They look amazing!
Katie
Dang, going by those criteria I am so not a grownup!
Miranda
I cannot wait to make this!!!!!!!
JeremyG
These look AMAZING! Lucky for me I had the opportunity to taste them, and yes, Joy-fans, they are as delicious as they look!! Perfect treat for Passover or any other time of the year for that matter!
BrandiLee
These look so delicious!! I’ll have to make them soon.
Not that I want to push you into adulthood any faster (I still feel like I’m about 16 most of the time and I’m pretty darn close to 23) but here is an easy trick for fitted sheets that my mother taught me:
Put all of the corners inside of each other and lay flat, two edges will be folded over with the corners, but you’ll have something that looks more like a square anyway!
Thank you for all of your baking inspiration!
Jenni
Oh man, this had me laughing today! I HATE creepy crawlies – and with a house over 100 years old, I’m happy to say I’ve seen about 2 spiders in the 3 years we’ve lived here – wonder why? Well, dear Watson, it’s because Centipedes EAT spiders! So while we don’t have spiders, we have Centipedes, which also have infinitely more legs! *shudder!* I’m such a pansy, anything with more than 4 legs freaks me out! And my three year old though I’d lost my dang mind this afternoon when we were out gardening, and a moth few down my top! Talk about freak-out session!
And folding a fitted sheet is over-rated ;) I don’t think anyone can *really* do it – as for the gum, ice and patience … and there was once a food detectives episode about gum in hair that used peanut butter to get it out *shrug* OR you could use it as an excuse to buy new jeans!
I love macaroons! I’ve seen a lot of coconut ones floating around lately that are white (like yours)I’m really going to have to try them! Our family had these no-bake drop cookies that were a chocolate batter and coconut that we called “macaroons” – you’re more than welcome to the recipe if you’d like ;)
Marianne
Shove your jeans in the freezer overnight and the gum will chip off in the morning. Yeah…I’m lazy like that.
Julianne
Not to push you into adulthood or anything, but hot vinegar and a toothbrush will get gum out. Weird, I know, but true.
Callie
THANK YOU! Why does it seem like all the food bloggers have chosen this week to write posts about pasta, muffins, noodle pudding… anything and everything I can’t eat right now. Thanks for posting something that’s Passover-kosher and doesn’t make me sad!
PeaSoup
omg, I adore macaroons! These are getting made asap:)
colleen @ sweetswallows
I’m in my late twenties too, and have many friends turning 30 this year. When I look around though, no one I know resembles that idea of ‘adult’ I used to have when I was a kid. I don’t think I’ll consider myself truly adult till I pop out some babies, and even then, nothing’s definite.
I used to think it was all downhill after 25, but I’m learning that’s when it starts getting better. It’s so nice to see someone else who’s enjoying getting older too. And macaroons are a great way to contemplate these life matters! :)
Krista
Oh, they’re lovely little beauties! :-) It’s been far too long since I made these. :-)
Sophie @ yumventures
These look amazingly delicious, especially with the chocolate addition! Here is a bakers question: why do these macaroons and French macaroons (or are they macarons?) share the same name? I can look up a recipe for macaroons and get both. Confusion! I know there is a difference in recipe, but is there an official name for each of them? Or are they just fraternal twins? =)
Carolyn J.
Here’s how I fold a fitted sheet:
a. Mash into a ball until it fits in my linen closet.
That is all. Life is too short to fold fitted sheets.
Carrie
I first felt like a grownup when I found myself reading the newspaper… for fun!!
Ashley
These look so delicious. And have no fear, I’m in the same place. 27 and I still feel like I might as well be 18. Sure I’m more mature, have more bills to pay, yet when I look at older “real” adults, I just dont feel like one of them yet. Maybe once were in our 30’s it will really hit us :)
Terresa Wellborn
Coconut & chocolate. I think you have a winner here!
PS: Have you ever made cake balls (a la Bakerella blog)? I tried some Red Velvet ones last week, they’re pretty tasty!!
Jen
Heat some white vinegar, then use an old toothbrush to rub it into your gummy jeans, and the gum will come right out! Weird, but true!
Adi
I have some macaroons in the oven right now! I wish I had seen your recipe first. Thanks so much for posting a kosher-for-Passover treat!
Heather @ chiknpastry
unfortunately, i know i should consider myself an adult b/c i’ll be 30 in less than a month. that said, i will probably never learn to fold a fitted sheet (i usually ball them up and shove them in the drawer) and I make my hubs do the taxes because i “did my time” and did them for a few years, and b/c he has an accounting degree. i’d also prefer to have naptime during the workday, but that’s probably taking it a lil’ too far eh?!
Nirvana
These look ridiculously delicious… I’m trying to eat healthy but I think I’m making an exception for this!
Stef
one step closer to that goal…
how to fold a fitted sheet you tube video!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z5k9nWcuFc
these cookies look splendid!!
Karin
They look delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Oh and by the way: I am 34 and mother of three little ones. But I have to confess: I am far from being an adult, especially if I look at your requirements for adulthood ;-)
Angelique
I am convinced it is impossible to fold a fitted sheet. No amount of Martha Stewart is going to convince me otherwise ;)
Those look delicious!
Melissa
I love these! I have never made them with toasted coconut, great idea. My husband is not such a fan, he thinks they look like ghost poop… ya know cuz they are so light and white (when not using toasted coconut).
Sasa
SO know what you mean; sometimes I think back to when I was a kid and thought my teachers and other adults must have it all figured out. A lot of them must have been the same age I am now (29) and d00d, I have no idea. I still feel the same as I ever did.
Em
Folding a fitted sheet- no kidding! It’s impossible!
These look super amazing.
Danny
YO!!!! That’s the Elite Israeli Cow Chocolate Bar!!! Well done, Joy Wilson!!!! Representing my peeps on this Passover fest!!! Also, whiel I am here, Happy Easter to you and the family!!! Send everyone my love! Keep up the killer recipes and general badassedness!
Meagan
I just love you’re site, you’re writing always makes me smile. Oh, and the baking looks pretty good too.
marti
1) Martha Stewart (http://www.marthastewart.com/article/fold-a-fitted-sheet)
2) Flip-flops…flatten heehee!
3) I’m guessing here, but I’m going to say start with an ice cube. Pick and freeze; pick and freeze.
Those macaroons look amazin’!
Melanie
I can understand how a request like these cookies could be easily fulfilled since the ingredients are classic, decadent and utterly delicious. I love that they are over-the-top and dipped in chocolate. And if it makes you feel any better, I am in my early thirties and still can’t fold a dang fitted sheet.
Crystal's Cozy Kitchen
All I can say is YUM!
Vicki
I’m 27 and I just figured out how to fold a fitted sheet just a couple of months ago! I still can’t get over how exciting it is to fold them in a nice smooth rectangle.
linda
these are lovely joy!
i will be baking them tonite…thanks for adding the “right touch” for the holiday
margaret
I LAUGH at danger…. or adulthood whichever comes first.
These choco dipped macs are nothing to laugh about. Seriously delicious.
Nate Glancy
I think that would be a great breakfast! I’ll be right over:)
Megan
Those look so tasty! Love the cow stamped chocolate. You’re a G.
GrapeSugar
Do you do deliveries?
I’m in Boston, it’s close right? I’ll take 2 dozen…just for me.
Thanks ;)
Kate @ Savour Fare
Kosher chocolate IS hardcore. I learned to fold a fitted sheet from my college roommate, but I still don’t feel like a grownup. And those seem like an excellent breakfast.
Jenious
I’m in my early 30s and the fitted sheet folding still has me stumped. Maybe I’m holding on to my stubborn youth? Either way, these cookies look fiercely delicious.
Tina
YUM!!!! How long would these keep for? Could you make them a few days in advance?I’m on the lookout for simple but tasty finger foods and treats for an upcoming finger-food garden-party wedding, these would be perfect if they keep well for a few days…?
My benchmark for turning into an adult was when I stopped automatically climbing stairwells two at a time. (I will always scream at spiders and flying bugs, even when I’m 90).
Rachel
I totally understand not feeling like an adult. It wasn’t until I turned 30 that I was an “official adult”, or at least I told myself this. Of course, this did not make me feel like an adult…only that everyone else considered me an adult.
Now, at 32, I am beginning to feel like an adult. I realized it when my hubby told me that we could have kids in their teens! Talk about feeling old.
Don’t worry…you eventually will come to the same realization!
Emily
Maybe you should get the bug vacuum. It makes me feel in charge when a bug is crawling across my floor. It makes me feel a little bit more like an adult.
Emily
I’m currently 25 and just bought my first house last week. I still don’t feel like an adult, but I think I’m getting there. My husband looks at me funny when I mention “grownups.”
Mackenzie@ The Caramel Cookie
Toasted coconut is awesome; and even better dipped in chocolate!
Michelle @ H.E.R.
Do these quality as an Easter dessert? Because I must make one for the family get-together..
Betsy Metcalf
So simple yet so delicious. Why does chocolate make everything taste better?
Misty
You had me laughing a few times with this post. I think anything is improved with a small cow stamp.
emma
looks so yummy! i adore chocolate and coconut. so this is a win win.
must make now.
jenn
my sweets is going to love these!
Jessica @ How Sweet
Give me a little drizzle of peanut butter, too and I’d be in macaroon heaven.
Maria
I love the toasted coconut! YUM!