Coconut macaroons

I have previously made mention of the coconut macaroon method of making cookies.  Essentially, it was a reference to making a cookie simply by using the main ingredient, egg and sugar (remember these peanut butter cookies?).  

You can certainly do that to make a simple, quick coconut macaroon.  Use a 1/2 cup sugar, 3 egg whites and 4 cups of sweetened, flaked coconut, form into balls and bake at 350 degree F for 20 minutes.  Those macaroons are gluten-free and awesomely hassle-free.

But when I dream of coconut macaroons (I'm a pastry chef, so yeah, I dream about tarts and cookies a lot), I remember the complex, buttery texture and flavor of an Enrico's coconut macaroon and I yearn for so much more.

A quick history: coconut macaroons are closely related to macarons or almond macaroons, which are made from egg whites and almond paste.  This particular cousin of the original macaron was adopted by the Italian Jews because it had no chemical leavening or flour, making it an ideal treat for Passover.  From there, it made it's way around Europe, but ultimately, this treat is most popular in the US and UK as they are much easier to make than macarons and far more sturdy.  For more information on the history of macaroons, macarons and meringue-style cookies, visit thenibble.com. 

But now, on to heavenly buttery, coconut-ty, super-delicious, Sugar Lovin Macaroons.  This recipe is incredibly easy and yields a subtly complex flavor that is sure to satisfy any coconut lover.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Salted butter, softened
1/2 cup Sugar
3 Egg whites
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Coconut extract
1/4 cup Flour
4 cups Flaked, sweetened coconut

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour cookie sheets, set aside.  In bowl of mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium until light and fluffy.  Add in egg whites, beat until pale and well mixed, scraping down the bowl as necessary.

Sugar & butter

Sugar, butter, egg whites and extracts

2. Add in extracts, mix well.  Add in flour and coconut, mix until well blended and all the coconut is coated with egg and sugar mixture.  Using ice cream scoop, scoop out level portions and drop onto cookie sheet.

3.  Turn oven down to 300 degrees F and bake for 20-25 minutes or until cookies have turned golden brown.   Remove from pans, cool on wire rack.

TIP:  Serve with a dollop of Nutella and a whole almond for a take on an Almond Joy candy bar.

Old Post 17: Big Dog Coffee, not just for Java

As we all know, coffee shops are rarely serving just coffee these days.  To truly be a cafe, you've got to offer at the very least some sort of pastry or bread or snack to go along with the coffee, a comfy chair to sit in and a newspaper to kick back with. 

Big Dog Coffee at 27th and Sarah St. in the South Side is doing so much more.  If you are a dog lover, you must, must come to Big Dog Coffee where you and your pooch are more than welcome to relax in the cool and quaint cafe or on the sunny deck.  Aside from offering delicious coffee and friendly baristas, the little shop also has an oatmeal bar, a selection of daily fresh soups, and a variety of pastries. 

They get their pastries from a variety of local bakers- from full shops with store fronts to home bakers with businesses to friends who know how to make a killer cranberry bread.  You can also easily recognize the best coconut macaroons in town- no, not Sweet Tammy's, Enrico's!

Months and months ago, they had a chocolate gob which was out of this world delicious, but during this particular visit with Pete and Coop (my dogs), there were none.  Faced with indecision- the oatmeal bar with two dogs in hand or a granola bar - convenience landed on the granola bar.  This homemade granola bar was stuffed to the gills with peanut butter flavor and smooth, delicious texture.  It was a real treat with oats, raisins, peanut butter and nuts packed into one delicious bar. 

The raspberry-filled scone was somewhat of an afterthought.  It hadn't been part of the decision set, but it was intriguing because it was a filled scone.  Upon tasting it, it was almost like have a sweet, lemon-y biscuit filled with raspberry jam and flattened.  It was tasty, but a little unexpected. 

Each treat was complemented with a delicious cup o' latte and a wonderfully friendly set of customers who obligingly paid attention to Pete and Coop who wanted oh so badly to eat some of those treats behind the counter.

Stop by Big Dog Coffee and try the oatmeal bar and send your comments! It's on my list of things to try if I ever make it down that way sans dogs. 

Big Dog Coffee's Granola Bar on the Sugar Love Scale

Taste ♥♥♥.5
Texture ♥♥♥.5
Appearance ♥♥♥
Overall ♥♥♥.5

Old Post 12: Another "perfect" bakery (sarcasm abounds)

At Giant Eagle in Bethel Park, there is a display that reads "Pittsburgh's best chocolate chip cookies and macaroons." Sweet Tammy's bakery from Squirrel Hill is now selling Challah bread, chocolate chip cookies, and coconut macaroons to the mass of Giant Eagle consumers. But are they the best?

Sugar Love has a confessed snobbery for chocolate chip cookies. Everyone seems to think they have the best, but chocolate chip cookies are hard to get right. There must be a balance between chocolate chip and cookie and between a chewy and crisp texture. And given the last article about the best coconut macaroon ever from Enrico's, Sweet Tammy's was up against a lot, especially when she's willing to make the claim that hers are the best in Pittsburgh.

The chocolate chip cookie was disappointing. There was too much chocolate chip and not enough cookie. It was also very apparent that she was not using butter. But Sweet Tammy’s is kosher and dairy-free, so it’s no butter is forgivable, but not the disproportion of chocolate to cookie. The macaroon was better than the chocolate chip cookie, but was rather dry.

It's hard to truly judge a bakery by its packaged goods though, so it was off to Squirrel Hill to see Sweet Tammy's in the flesh.

A quick word on process: you do research with each article. You visit the website, google the bakery, and read up on it's Urban Spoon rating to get an idea of customer satisfaction. Sweet Tammy's has a nice Urban Spoon rating (85%) and she does communicate with consumers who make complaints. But on the opening page of her website she claims: "There are only a handful of perfect bakeries in America: Sprinkles in LA, Magnolia Bakery in New York, and now, Sweet Tammy's in Pittsburgh."

She's kidding right? A perfect bakery, on the same level as Sprinkles in LA and Magnolia in NYC? Sprinkles is the proclaimed start of the high end cupcake trend and Magnolia is one of the most famous American bakeries.

But back to the audacious little Sweet Tammy's. The selection of "perfect" sweet treats included another chocolate chip cookie (in an attempt to be fair), a snickerdoodle, a peppermint patty, and a pecan bar. The chocolate chip cookie fresh was better, but it still lacked the balance of chocolate to cookie. The pecan bar was forgettable- the caramel flavor was drowning the pecans, though it's presentation was very nice. The peppermint patty was ok, but there was a disproportionate amount of cookie to filling. You had to bite pretty far in to get any filling, though the filling was dead on a peppermint patty filling.

The snickerdoodle redeemed the trip to Squirrel Hill. It was moist and balanced and flavorful: a worthy Sugar Love sweet treat.

What Sweet Tammy's is trying to do definitely has an audience. A kosher, dairy-free bakery is needed and Sugar Love can applaud her for that. And overall, her baked goods were tasty. She also has one of the most beautiful store presentations and display cases in Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, arrogant claims put her treats on a much higher pedestal than is typical and when they don't support the claim, it's hard to have a great experience.

Sweet Tammy's Chocolate Chip Cookie on the Sugar Love Scale
Taste ♥♥
Texture ♥♥
Appearance ♥♥♥♥
Overall ♥♥♥

Old Post 11: Enrico Biscotti Company, not just for biscotti

When your bakery is named after a specific item, one is typically drawn to the store for that particular item.  Coco's Cupcakes, the Pie Place, Peace Love and Little Donuts, etc. You choose what they call themselves for since it really ought to be the best thing on their menu.

Maybe the best way to go about choosing your items at this Steel City emblem of a charming little bakery is to eat the biscotti first, so that you don't overwhelm your taste buds and then find yourself a little disappointed.  Now don't misunderstand, they have GREAT biscotti.  The texture is just right: it's it a little crunchy, a little crumby and not too dry.  They manage to not overdo the sweetness either.  The selection of flavors is fabulous as well, but the one pitfall is that the flavors don't seem to truly permeate the biscotti.  For instance, the fig pecan didn't hint at figs or pecan until you actually had one in the bite.  That said, with a hot cup of coffee, the biscotti is very, very good and can be found at a variety of cafes around the city if you can't make it to the strip district.

But it's just not the best thing you get to savor at Enrico's.  The almond macaroon and the coconut macaroon at Enrico's are so good that you shouldn't make the mistake of eating them first. Wait until you've had a chance to try other things and then order the macaroons. 

The almond macaroon almost tastes like the amaretto shot you get at the end of your meal at Mallorca; it has a crispy outer crust with just the right amount of browning and a delightfully chewy center.  The coconut macaroon is unlike most other bakeries. It manages to have a sinfully buttery flavor amidst the sweetness of the coconut.  A traditional coconut macaroon recipe calls for coconut, egg whites, sugar and some extract, so however they achieve the buttery flavor is a welcome and delightful surprise.

Enrico's is also doing a lot of cool things in the city.  Their cafe arm hosts first Friday family style dinners. The first Friday of every month you can join the Enrico's crowd for a family style meal in their cafe.  They also host a bread making class every Sunday at 10 am which includes breakfast (for a very wallet friendly $50).  Beyond those regular events, they host a variety of other Italian cooking experiences.  On July 30 and August 27, they will be having their Big Italian Throwdown- a large family style Italian dinner for 26 people.  It's BYOB and only $50 a person.  They also have a summer salad class July 21 and August 11. You can register for any of these events here. 

It's clear why Enrico's is consistently rated one of the top bakeries in Pittsburgh and has even found themselves in the top ten of all bakeries in America.  They have an excellent selection of great Sugar Loving treats, they have Steel City Charm, and they are community focused.   Stop in and order some biscotti and macaroons, but eat the biscotti first!

Enrico's Coconut Macaroon on the Sugar Love Scale:

Taste ♥♥♥♥♥
Texture ♥♥♥♥♥
Appearance ♥♥♥♥♥
Overall ♥♥♥♥♥

Yep, we're loving Enrico's.