Macaroon Mondays

Confucious once said, "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life". Baking for me isn't a means to land a spot on Top Chef, or to one day own my own business (although I wouldn't rule that out entirely). I'm not even in it to earn the title of Pastry Chef. I just want to feel butter, sugar and flour in my hands and the warmth of a kitchen wrapped around me. I want to make the best damn carrot cake, chocolate chip cookies, blueberry muffins, New York cheesecake - I want to learn it all. I'm hoping to land another internship soon. Until then I'll continue preoccupying myself with food blogs, cookbooks, kitchen time and soon a month long cake decorating class.

Mondays are rough and today was of no exception.


BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut Macaroons
1 pkg. (14 oz.) BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut
2/3 cup sugar
6 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 tsp. almond extract
1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

1) HEAT oven to 325°F.
2) COMBINE coconut, sugar, flour and salt. Add egg whites and extract; mix well. Drop by tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto greased and floured baking sheets.
3) BAKE 20 min. or until edges are golden brown. Cool 3 min. on baking sheets; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.
4) MELT chocolate as directed on package. Dip cookies halfway into chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is firm.

Enjoy these with or without chocolate. I'm a huge fan of my chocolate being on the bitter side, so I used unsweetened chocolate (1 tbsp sugar per 1 oz chocolate baking square).