
golden delicious
I love macaroons. Upon reflection, I have a surprising number of fond macaroon-related memories. At least two: the first time I brought Mike home to Chicago, my parents served macaroons from the Mexican bakery in the neighborhood. These were enormous, decadent, delicious macaroons (I mean, especially so). Mike and my sister Claire, who had been very polite all evening, duked it out over the last one. Macaroons bring people together.
A few months later, after a solo visit home, I called Mike to tell him I was back in town (we lived in Milwaukee at the time). He was happy to hear it. When I told him I had brought macaroons from that Mexican bakery, his joy increased exponentially: “I love you!” he exclaimed with great feeling. Lucky for him, this was not the first time he had made such a declaration.
Anyway. Mike and I both love macaroons, but for some reason, it never occurred to me to make them myself. Until I got my hands on Beckville’s Yellow Cookbook and found this very easy recipe for Jello Pudding Macaroons:
- 1 pkg. vanilla pudding
- 2-2/3 cup Angel Flake coconut
- 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 tsp. almond extract
Combine and drop on greased and floured baking sheet. Garnish before baking with nuts, candied fruit or frosting beads. Bake 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove at once and cool on rack. Use wet spatula for easy removal.
I was delighted to find Angel Flake, the brand of shredded coconut specified in the recipe, at Econofoods (which, in case you are wondering, has a much better selection of “baking needs” than our local Wal-Mart). They even had a bag with the exact amount of coconut required!
I bought that, plus a bag with more than twice the amount of coconut, because one day we are going to make granola. I went home, sat Zoe, her Dolly, and her Chickie in the booster seat, and followed the recipe exactly.
Except I left off the garnish (on purpose) and used the giant bag of coconut (by mistake).
Now, I am no macaroon expert, but I think my mistake made these even more delicious! I love sweetened condensed milk and vanilla pudding mix as much as the next person (okay, probably more than the next ten people), but I think the extra coconut kept those yummy things from overpowering the star of the show, the coconut itself. So, if you use 5-1/3 cups of coconut instead of 2-2/3, you will not be disappointed.
Plus, you will have more macaroons. At least for an hour or two.