carrot masala macaroons

 

yields 36 bite-sized cookies

ingredients

3/4 cup whole almonds (substitute unsweetened coconut, if desired)
2 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon Garam masala, pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 – 1/3 cups lightly packed, finely shredded carrot
3/4 cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut
1/4 rounded teaspoon lemon zest (Meyer lemon, when available)

 

directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit with racks in the upper and lower thirds.

In a food processor, pulse the almonds until finely chopped with some variation in texture.  Set aside.  Skip this step if you are omitting the almonds.

In a medium stainless steel bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy.  Stir in the sugar, masala and salt.  Add the carrot, almonds and lemon zest.  Stir until well combined.  Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve and the coconut to soften.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Set aside.  Fill a large, flat bottomed skillet with about one inch of water and set on a burner to lightly simmer.

Place the bowl directly in the pan of simmering water and stir the mixture with a silicone spatula, scraping the bottom to prevent burning.  Once the mixture is hot to touch and most of the liquid has thickened or been absorbed, about 5 – 7 minutes, remove from heat.

Drop heaping teaspoons of the mixture 1 inch apart on the parchment-lined sheets.  Form hive shapes with your fingers, if desired.  Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until the bottoms of the cookies are deep golden brown and the tips of the carrot shreds begin to color.  Rotate the pans from top to bottom and front to back  at the halfway mark.  If the bottoms are brown and the tops are still pale, turn off the oven and broil the tops on low for 1 – 3 minutes, keeping a close eye on them to prevent burning.  Transfer the cookies while still on the parchment to wire racks to cool.

 

Cool completely before storing.  Cookies keep for 3 to 4 days, loosely covered rather than airtight, to avoid sogginess.  Do not freeze. 

 

Recipe adapted from ‘Chewy, Gooey, Crispy, Crunchy Melt in your Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich

spiced banana bars with lemon icing

 

serves 8 – 10

ingredients

bars
1 cup flour (I use 2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour + 1/3 cup white flour) 
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup ripe banana (about 1 large banana), mashed
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup milk (2% or whole)

lemon icing
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 – 1/2 tablespoons hot water
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
3 cups powdered sugar

 

directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

bars
Sift the dry ingredients.  You can use a sieve or wire whisk in place of a sifter.  Set aside.  With a wooden spoon or handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a medium bowl.  Add the mashed banana and blend thoroughly.  Now add the egg and beat well.  Next, add the dry ingredients and milk.  Blend thoroughly.  Spread the mixture evenly in a well-greased, floured 9 x 11 x 2 inch pan.

Bake for 20 –25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Place the bars, in the pan, on a wire rack to cool.  Using a toothpick, prick the entire surface of the bars, at one inch intervals.  Frost the bars generously while still warm.

lemon icing
In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, hot water, lemon juice and zest.  Using a handheld electric mixer, blend in the powdered sugar until smooth.  If the icing seems thin, add additional powdered sugar, as needed.  Be sure to work speedily when frosting the bars as the icing glazes over quickly.

lemon lime cream tart with blackberries and blueberries

 

yields 8 – 10 servings

ingredients

sweet tart dough
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 large egg, room temperature

egg wash
1 large egg
pinch salt

filling
3/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
zest of 3 limes

topping
1 pint blackberries
1 pint blackberries 
2 tablespoons black or red currant jelly

DIRECTIONS

crust
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine butter, sugar and salt, mixing on medium speed until smooth.  Add egg and mix until smooth.  Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl with a rubber spatula.  Add flour, all at once, and mix on low just until incorporated.  Shape dough into two equal balls, and shape each ball into 1/2” thick disks.  Wrap well in plastic wrap and chill two hours or overnight.*

To line a 9” tart pan, place chilled dough disk on a lightly floured surface (i.e. a silicone mat) and roll to 1/8” thick, rolling from center toward edges, in all directions.  Lift and rotate dough a quarter turn after every few strokes, dusting underneath with flour, as necessary, to discourage sticking.  Work quickly to prevent dough from becoming warm.  If dough has warmed, transfer to the refrigerator to firm up for a few minutes.  Otherwise, gently transfer dough to the tart pan, easing it into the bottom and sides and pressing carefully into place.  Do not stretch dough or side will shrink during baking.  Patch tears with extra dough, pressing firmly to adhere.  Trim dough to level with top of the pan using a sharp knife.  Place tart shell in freezer for about 15 minutes or until firm.  Freeze any scraps and the extra disk for future use.  Frozen dough keeps for up to three weeks.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Once the shell is firm, use a fork or the tip of a knife to dock (make small holes in) the bottom of the tart shell, 2” apart.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly colored, dry and opaque.  Check during baking and rotate pans as needed, for even color.  Beat egg with salt in a small bowl and lightly brush the bottom and sides of the shell with egg glaze, about two minutes before desired color is reached.  Return shells to oven and bake until lightly colored and egg glaze has set.

filling
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together sugar and eggs in a bowl.  When well mixed, slowly stir in cream, juices and zest.  Place the cooked tart shell on a rimmed baking sheet.  To reduce spillage, position the pan on the oven rack before pouring filling into the shell.  Bake 35-40 minutes or until the filling is set but still semi-wobbly in the center.  After cooling for one hour, the filling will set to a perfect consistency, soft and smooth.  Make sure to cool before cutting to avoid a gooey mess. 

topping
Once tart has cooled, remove sides from tart pan, using a small, sharp knife to loosen, if needed.  Place crust on a plate.  Carefully rinse blueberries and blackberries and gently pat dry with paper towels.  Arrange blackberries in two concentric circles, about 1” from inside edge of crust.   Mound blueberries in center of tart.  If there are extra blueberries, add another circle (see photo, above) around blackberries. 

In a small saucepan, warm jelly until melted.  Whisk, adding water if too thick.  Use a pastry brush to brush jelly over berries, careful to avoid dripping jelly on the filling.

Tart can be served at room temperature or chilled, according to preference.  Serve unaccompanied or with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.

Lemon lime cream filling adapted from ‘The Naked Chef’, by Jamie Oliver.  Sweet crust adapted from the ‘Tartine’ cookbook, by Elizabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson.