There are several reasons I enjoy these cookies.  First, I’m a fan of all coconut products. Then, there’s the fact that they’re slightly crisp on the edges yet soft and chewy in the center. Plus, they’re easy peasy, just using one bowl and come together in no time at all. Try these today because you’re only 15 minutes away from start to finish.

httpv://youtu.be/twCC87WYQ2Q

5.0 from 2 reviews

Coconut Macaroons

 

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 1-2 Dozen

Ingredients

• 1½ oz room temperature egg whites
• 1 ts pure vanilla extract
• ¼ ts fine salt
• ¼ c sugar
• 2½ c un/sweetened coconut {either works}

Instructions

1. Whip the egg whites until they get frothy then add the vanilla, salt and slowly add the sugar. Whip again until it gets glossy and achieves soft peaks.
2. Carefully fold in the coconut in 2-3 additions.
3. Scoop onto parchment/silpat {I used a mini scoop} and bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes.
4. Cool and drizzle with melted chocolate if desired.

3.2.2807

Love,

Your Squishy Monster ^.~

2013 was a year full of blessings and I count my friendship with all of you one of the biggest!  May 2014 be the best year yet!!

Handmade flowers from my daddy for my 28th birthday.

Breaking in the beginning of 2013 with my mama in NYC.

My favorite Macaron.

Dinosaur cupcakes for a trio of special birthdays.

One of the final low country boils of the season.

One of my favorite recipes of the year.

One of my favorite cupcakes of the year {Meyer Lemon}, video to come.

A tour of a set from The Walking Dead.

Beautiful, gnarly trees in Oak Isle.

A pretty picture from an afternoon lunch in Charleston.

A birthday in the Bahamas.

Apple pickin’ and the search for the best apple cider donut.

A special portrait by a lovely stranger.

Happy New Year!!

As a southern girl, I enjoy my sweet tea by the buckets-ful but that’s more sugar than I even want to think about so I’ve been sipping on faintly sweetened white tea instead.  Light and delicate and so refreshing with just a splash of basil simple syrup.  How I make it: 1 cup cold filtered water, 1 c organic sugar, 2 handfuls of fresh basil.  Boil, strain, cool, use.

My Green Tea Macaron feature.

Soy hazelnut extra drizzle macchiato.  I may or may not have a problem.  Damn you treat receipts!

I’m probably the only foodie with an anti-cook book mentality {I know I’m an odd one} but for the domestic goddess Nigella, I am forever making exceptions.  I feel that to just be in her presence, I could happily be nourished and satisfied.

This illustrated article on anxiety.  {As you may or may not know is something I struggle with}.
I finally retired my old hunk of junk and got a digital kitchen scale!  This one is by EatSmart and I love its bright display and how sleek the design is so it tucks away perfectly but most of all, I love that it has a tare feature so I don’t have to worry about a bowl getting in the way.  This is definitely an essential tool in a bakers arsenal.  How far I’ve come since I was 7 spooning in copious amounts of flour and sugar into a batter that was always way too loose or heavy.

And to end on a sweet note, my absolute favorite dessert at the moment.  Pineapples went on super sale at my market and I’ve been eating them like crazy.  These are sliced and cored then grilled, dripping with melted chocolate and scattered with toasted hazelnuts.

But most importantly, it’s Mama’s official birthday {though we’re celebrating on Sunday}.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA!  I couldn’t have asked for a better one.  You are my inspiration and the reason why food has become my passion.  I love you so much.

What’s your favorite thing right now?

Love,

Your Squishy Monster ^.~

I adore French macarons but whenever I’m out and about, it pains me to pay top dollar for them.  Unless they’re Ladurée macarons which we visited twice amidst our packed Paris trip.  For those, I’ll make an exception.  J and I went in the off season and were lucky that we didn’t have a crazy line to contend with, even at their popular Champs-Élysées arrondissement.  We seriously just strolled right in and walked out clutching our precious goodies in 10 minutes flat which included several moments where I drooled over their beautiful selection of French macarons and mulled over which to pick.  In the end, I don’t think I could pick my favorite but I was happy to tuck in on the bench in front of the shop, not daring to walk one step further before biting into each delicate shell.

The contrast of the fragile shell that has a shatteringly crisp crust with the smooth and luscious filling is the best part of a good French macaron, not to be confused with a macaroon cookie.  These particular macarons that we’ll be making today are delightfully light with that classic egg shell like crust but with a subtle hint of green tea with a filling that matches.

Though it may seem daunting at first, homemade French macarons aren’t as difficult as they appear.  The key is patience.  You need to achieve stiff glossy peaks with room temperature egg whites that are preferably aged.  This makes them easier to work with.  The cream of tartar is optional, really but I found that it really helps stabilize its structure.  However, I’ve also successfully produced a batch of French macarons without the aid of it too.  Then, you want to make sure that your almond flour, sugar {and specifically here, green tea} are well sifted into a fine, downy pile.  This prevents lumps and ensures that the dry mixture melts perfectly into your wet mixture.  Next, you want to use a light hand when folding the batter together.  After all, you don’t want to deflate those prized air bubbles you worked so hard in creating.  It’s generally just a fine rule of thumb to avoid over-mixing any cookie batter anyways.  Each of these steps takes patience but your patience will be rewarded with super-model esque, fool proof macarons.  Finally, you want to make sure that you bake just one pan at a time with cookies piped on parchment or a silicone mat {never wax paper that can burn}.  I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to cry when I forgot this simple step and my beautifully risen cookies wouldn’t budge after baking.  They are of course edible but when you have pretty little un-cracked domes with well developed feet and you can’t get them off, it’s fair to say it’s one of the most unpleasant feelings as a baker ever.  What that means:

Remember,  being thoughtful and patience will really pay off with these.

Green Tea French Macarons

http://youtu.be/2ZfbjMcLTKk

5.0 from 1 reviews

Green Tea Macarons

 

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 20-30 Macarons

Ingredients

• 1 c powdered sugar
• ¾ c almond flour
• 3 ts matcha (green tea powder)
• 2 aged, room temperature egg whites (eggs separated and covered in the fridge for a couple days).
• ¼ ts cream of tartar
• 2½ tb sugar

Filling

• 4 oz room temperature cream cheese
• 2 tb room temperature butter
• 1 ts vanilla extract
• 3 ts matcha powder
• ½ c sifted powdered sugar (or more, depending on taste)

Instructions

1. In your first bowl, sift together your powdered sugar, almond flour, and matcha. Whatever doesn’t pass through, blitz through a food processor to make finer and sift again.
2. Beat your egg whites until they get foamy. Sprinkle in your cream of tartar. Slowly spoon in your granulated sugar and beat until your whites have obtained white and glossy stiff peaks.
3. Using a spatula, slowly incorporate your meringue into your dry, sifted mixture.
4. Fill a piping bag fitted with a small, plain round tip and swirl even circles onto silpat/parchment.
5. Rap the cookie sheet firmly onto your counter a couple times to release any trapped air bubbles and allow the trays to sit out for 15-20 minutes to develop a “shell.”
6. Bake each tray individually at 350 for about 10 minutes.
7. Cool completely then peel back and sandwich pairs with about a teaspoon of filling.
8. To create the filling, cream everything together.

3.2.2807

TGIF!

Love,

Your Squishy Monster ^.~

I cracked into my first watermelon this weekend (as it’s my favorite fruit, it was enough to begin the long weekend on the happiest note). Dinner hosted by some friends…can’t get any more southern than chicken fried steak, bacon green beans, and soulful mac and cheese!

Falafel from one of my favorite cafes.

Coffee and raspberry macarons.

My indoor pot and outdoor flowers I planted both in bloom.

Outside, J also showed me baby birds in the backyard…

A late night show the night before making homemade sushi with J…

Spicy tuna and snow crab rolls.

A day trip to Asheville for biscuits {to die for}! and crispy fried shrimp, swiss chard salad with jalapeño aioli, and goat cheese grits–yum!

The view from a rooftop bar.

Breathtaking landscape + street performers followed by ice cream = win-win!

Homemade spicy Aztec chocolate ice cream, just in time to catch the sunset.

Off to nosh on some more bbq!

Love,

Your Squishy Monster ^.~

A new video will be up shortly as I’ve had mucho computer issues as of late.

What have I been up to?  Eating lots of yummy things, of course

Crab Cakes Remoulade at a French Bistro I’ve been dying to try out.

Raspberry, Almond, and Pistachio Macarons

Good Eats = Happy Girl

Art work at the bistro–I love, I want, I need this.

Grocery haul from last night.  I enjoy shopping at midnight.  The lines are shorter (or non existent) and I can take a painstakingly long time dragging my feet through aisles filled with my favorite things ever…food!

Morning Glory Muffins.  Whenever my computer decides to play nice, I intend on filming a tutorial for these power house morning pastries.  They’re chock full of carrots, raisins, coconut, and apples.  They’re the ultimate “food hide and seek.”  Speaking of, my next video will feature another “hide and seek” food.

Eating, Hauling, Baking…

Love,

Your Squishy Monster

Late last night, my bestie and I were craving something sweet and ducked into the only spot we knew that would be serving French Pastries at 3 am.

Completely engrossed in my bright sugary medley of things, I didn’t notice the man stomping out into the atrium who’s sole job was to yell, apparently. I almost peed in my pants (sorry for TMI). At 3 am on a Wednesday, the bakery is pretty empty and quiet anyways and I was comfortably perched on my padded chair, with my plate, tucked in a corner alone, waiting for my friend to come back with Tea. “Get up, I’m calling the Cops!” he’s yelling. It then struck me that behind me, hunched over in booths, were clumps of Kids, here and there, obviously homeless. They sat, staring back at this man, clutching their tattered packs, hoods stretched over their heads, wearing not the look of insolence or aggression but fatigue, weariness. Quicker than you can say “overpriced cookie,” they were gone and I was left with a nibbled plate of cookies and sadness. 

Where will they sleep tonight?  tomorrow?  the day after?  Where is their Family?  Do they have Family?  Are they worried, are they looking for them?  What do they eat?  Are they well?  What happens when it thunderstorms like it did on Tuesday?

I always have a bag of non perishables that I carry around in my car to give to the homeless man at that busy intersection that no one seems to have time to pause at.  Too busy.  I volunteer.  Obviously, that’s not enough.  I didn’t receive a culinary degree.  I went to school for Psychology and Human Services.  Part of my graduation requirements were to maintain a year long service internship at the local Ministry.  Sure, there’s a pile of second hand clothing to wear and lots of canned food to eat.  I didn’t get a chance to talk to these Kids last night…was it drugs?  abuse?  I don’t know, but they’re falling through the cracks.  The Ministry I was at was like most.  They do the best they can but can’t keep up with the demand.  There’s a vicious cycle that’s being perpetuated and it’s the Kids that are suffering.  Angelina Jolie can’t adopt all of them.

I’ll keep doing what I can.  I hope you do too.

I think I’ll start making my sack lunches for the initiative I headed a long time ago.  I wonder why I ever stopped.  (I got too absorbed in me, I suppose).  It was called “Pack Away Hunger.”  50 sack lunches with an inspiring message, uptown, every Sunday.  Once, I discovered two teens hiding out in an abandoned building.  Life comes at you so hungrily that you forget I forgot, that it’s not just about Squishy’s or Monster’s.  I’ll be sure to update y’all about Sundays, “Pack Away Hunger.”

I just hope that they know that they are loved.

Be grateful for all that you have.  Your Mother was right.  There are people out there with nothing.

Blessed and hoping to share my blessings,

Your Squishy Monster

Google French Macarons and you’ll find that lots of places are selling these petite sandwich cookies for $40 onward.

I made my own and I have to say it cost me less than $10.  No overnight frozen shipping or waiting required.  When you make it from scratch with your own two hands, you’re entitled to a feeling of ownership.  Therefore, you can gift and share from the heart.  Not to mention, quality control.  “Only the finest ingredients” is a fickle phrase.

Now if you’re in the states, these are probably the best damn things next to hopping on a plane to Paris.  Also, less than $10 I, (and probably most people can do).  $2000 plane tickets are another story

Give these a try!  You’ve got nothing to lose.  If you can whip up meringue (which is a fancy term for fluffy beaten egg whites), and you have a little bit of patience (ahhh that word again)! you can definitely pop these out to share…or all for yourself.  Whatever, it’s your perogative

French Macarons

 

Prep time

45 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

55 mins

 

*Make your own by processing blanched almonds into a fine meal **Just crack your whites into a bowl and set/cover in the fridge for a day or two.

Author: The Squishy Monster

Ingredients

• 4 oz almond flour*
• 8 oz powdered sugar
• 5 oz aged egg whites**
• Pinch of cream of tarter
• 2½ oz caster sugar
• 2 ts pure vanilla extract
• ½ ts fine salt

Instructions

1. Sift together your almonds and powdered sugar twice. Process larger bits again.
2. In a stand mixer, fit with a whisk attachment, whip your egg whites, granulated sugar, and salt at speed 4 for 3 minutes. Increase to speed 7 for 3 minutes and speed 8 for 3 minutes. Whip for 1 final minute with any desired extracts/color.
3. Tip in your sifted almonds plus powdered sugar. Press and fold into your whipped whites.
4. Pipe into quarter sizes, rap your cookie sheet to release air bubbles and allow to sit for about 30 minutes for the cookies to develop a “shell.”
5. Bake at 300 for 10-15 minutes and cool before filling.

3.2.1753

Here are some combos that I’ve done before and love:

-Pink strawberry & strawberry jam (just add in 1/4 cup of dried crushed strawberries in with the nuts/sugar)
-The cookies as is filled with almond butter (easy and yummy)!!
-Ground pistachio instead of ground almonds with a bit of green dye & buttercream (this tastes like one of my favorite pistachio ice creams)!!
-Green tea (matcha) Powder mixed in with the nuts/sugar with green tea buttercream
-Lemon extract in the cookie paired with fresh lemon curd — a bit of yellow dye livens it up too.

Now these are just some that I’ve made but the possibilities are endless, endless I say!!

Enjoy the yum as well as the savings!!

XOXO, Your Squishy Monster =D

I made my own and I have to say it cost me less than $10.  No overnight frozen shipping or waiting required.  When you make it from scratch with your own two hands, you’re entitled to a feeling of ownership.  Therefore, you can gift and share from the heart.  Not to mention, quality control.  “Only the Finest Ingredients” is a fickle phrase.

Now if you’re in the states, these are probably the best damn things next to hopping on a plane to Paris.  Also, less than $10 I, (and probably most people can do).  $2000 plane tickets are another story

Give ‘em a try!  Ya got nothing to lose.  If you can whip up Meringue (which is a fancy term for fluffy beaten Egg Whites), and you have a little bit of patience (ahhh that word again)! you can definitely pop these out to share…or all for yourself.  Whatever, it’s your perogative

Watch this video on YouTube Embedded with WP YouTube Lyte.

*Watch my Truffle video to learn how to make the Ganache

Here are some combos that I’ve done before and love:
-Pink Strawberry & Strawberry Jam (just add in 1/4 cup of dried crushed Strawberries in w the Nuts/Sugar)
-The Cookies as is filled with Almond Butter (easy and yummy)!!
-Ground Pistachio instead of Ground Almonds with a bit of Green Dye & Buttercream (this tastes like one of my favorite Pistachio Ice Creams)!!
-Green Tea (Matcha) Powder mixed in with the Nuts/Sugar with Green Tea Buttercream
-Lemon Extract in the Cookie paired with Fresh Lemon Curd — a bit of Yellow Dye livens it up too.

Now these are just some that I’ve made but the possibilities are endless—endless I say!!

Enjoy the yum as well as the savings!!

XOXO, Your Squishy Monster =D