ALMOND JOY" MACAROONS

ALMOND JOY

Yield 30 macaroons

Number Of Ingredients 10

/3 cup crushed pineapple packed in juice, drained
1 3/4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup egg whites (from about 5 large eggs), or 3/4 cup liquid egg whites
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Nonstick pan spray (if not using a baking mat)
About 30 whole almonds, skin on
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Steps:

Put the pineapple, coconut, sugar, egg whites, flour, and salt into a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for 5 to 6 minutes, until all of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is sticky. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 weeks. To bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the Center position. Coat a baking sheet with pan spray or line it with a silicone baking mat. Scoop out tablespoon-size balls of the mixture to make about 30 cookies. Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about . inch apart (they will not spread). Press an almond into the top of each cookie. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown. Halfway through the baking time, rotate the pan from front to back. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely, about 1 hour. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler until you can stir it smooth. (Alternatively, use a microwave oven.) Spoon the melted chocolate over the cookies in a zigzag pattern. Allow the chocolate to harden before serving. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week