Baking Blitz

Grazing through cookbooks on a lazy afternoon is a great way to meal plan and get yourself into trouble. So, as I am currently borrowing the Cook's Illustrated Cookbook from a friend, I am using it as an excuse for both. The index makes my mouth water as I flip through trying to find new ways to use ingredients already in my pantry.  Even with access to their online recipe database, having a physical cookbook opens up a new set of possibilities.

The other afternoon it was the cause for not one, but two baking endeavors. Triple Coconut Macaroons and Classic Brownies. They are both so good they merit title case capitalization.

Most shocking is how easy these both were to make. And I mean easy. I usually expect CI to ask me to do something crazy to one of the ingredients to get the perfect outcome. And I always do whatever crazy thing they ask me to do because they are never wrong. Seriously, their track record is even better than the Barefoot Contessa and that's saying something.

So make these with confidence and knock the socks of people at the next school bake sale.

Classic Brownies

Be sure to test for doneness before removing the brownies from the oven. If underbaked (the toothpick has batter clinging to it), the texture of the brownies will be dense and gummy; if overbaked (the toothpick comes out completely clean), the brownies will be dry and cakey.

Ingredients

• 1 cup pecans or walnuts (4 ounces), chopped medium (optional)
• 1 1/4 cups plain cake flour (5 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into six 1-inch pieces
• 2 1/4 cups sugar (15 3/4 ounces)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 18-inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into length of 13- by 9-inch baking dish, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil and, if using extra-wide foil, fold lengthwise to 12-inch width; fit into width of baking pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet. Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. If using nuts, spread nuts evenly on rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside.
4. Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan of almost-simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. (Alternatively, in microwave, heat butter and chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on high for 45 seconds, then stir and heat for 30 seconds more. Stir again, and, if necessary, repeat in 15-second increments; do not let chocolate burn.) When chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove bowl from saucepan and gradually whisk in sugar. Add eggs one at time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly combined. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, folding with rubber spatula until batter is completely smooth and homogeneous.
5. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using spatula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface. Sprinkle toasted nuts (if using) evenly over batter and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of brownies comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours, then remove brownies from pan by lifting foil overhang. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares and serve. (Store leftovers in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)

Triple Coconut Macaroons from Cooks Illustrated

Ingredients

• 1 cup cream of coconut
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 4 large egg whites
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 3 cups unsweetened, shredded, desiccated coconut (about 8 ounces)
• 3 cups sweetened shredded coconut (or flaked), about 8 ounces

Instructions

1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and lightly spray parchment with nonstick vegetable cooking spray.
2. Whisk together cream of coconut, corn syrup, egg whites, vanilla, and salt in small bowl; set aside. Combine unsweetened and sweetened coconuts in large bowl; toss together, breaking up clumps with fingertips. Pour liquid ingredients into coconut and mix with rubber spatula until evenly moistened. Chill dough for 15 minutes.
3. Drop heaping tablespoons of batter onto parchment-lined cookie sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Form cookies into loose haystacks with fingertips (see illustration 1, below), moistening hands with water as necessary to prevent sticking. Bake until light golden brown, about 15 minutes, turning cookie sheets from front to back and switching from top to bottom racks halfway through baking.
4. Cool cookies on cookie sheets until slightly set, about 2 minutes; remove to wire rack with metal spatula.