Thursday, February 14, 2013

Scottish recipes - Scottish Macaroon Bars with Cherry

Scottish Macaroon Bars with Cherries



Today I am making Scottish Macaroon Bars with Cherry Centers

I made original Scottish Macaroon Bars last year, but this time they are made with a twist (FYI, Scottish Macaroons are no where near the same as American/French macaroons as you can see)

So, for those of you who don't know me well, I am a Scottish lassie now living in Texas and I make all the yummy Scottish treats that I cant live without

I also want to take a minute to thanks Lady behind the Curtain for inviting us all to her Dessert Challenge, I am linking up and I am excited to be taking part and I cant wait to see what other recipes have been linked up


Lady Behind the Curtain Dessert Challenge


Go check out all those fabulous recipes below

The special ingredients for this challenge are Cherry and Chocolate and so I knew what I had to make

Macaroons have another very special and surprising ingredient.... Potato

I know right? It's strange to include potato in a sweet treat but don't be afraid this is genius

The potato helps to solidify the center of the macaroon making it firm and creamy at the same time, very scientific indeed


So back to the Cherry Macaroon Bars

You will need

One small potato (boiled, mashed and cooled)
500g/1lb Powdered Sugar/icing sugar (and possibly more to get the perfect texture)
8 Maraschino Cherries
170g/6oz Shredded Sweetened Coconut
280g/10oz chocolate

Ingredients

  • sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl
Powdered sugar


  • add to the powedered sugar the cold mashed potato a little at a time, mixing with an electric hand held mixer until it is ready, you will know when it is ready it will thicken and become stiff
Making Scottish Macaroons
Scottish Macaroon center

  • wash and cut the cherries into small pieces and add to the mixture you may need to add more powdered sugar here if it starts to weep and melt 
Cherries
add cherries


more powdered sugar

  • with cold hands, mold the mixture into rectangles on a baking sheet, put the macaroons in the freezer to dry and set (about 10 minutes)
set in freezer

  • using a bain marie (bowl over a pot with hot water) melt the chocolate, set aside to cool slightly
Bain marie

  • Place the coconut on a baking sheet and toast for a couple of minutes until slightly golden
toasted coconut

  • once the bars are set and the chocolate cooled, using one hand for the chocolate and one hand for the coconut, dip the macaroon bar into the chocolate using one hand and then pass to the other hand to roll in the coconut I have no pictures of this part as my fingers were super messy (you will see for yourself)
  • place on a plate and back into the freezer just for 5 minutes
I hope you enjoy these delicious treats
Macaroon bars are a great sweet treat from my childhood and to this day children in Scotland still love Scottish Macaroon Bars
If you must try something Scottish, try these
you wont be disappointed and neither will your kids or grand kids


Scottish Macaroon Bars with Cherries
You can break them into small bite sized pieces or just enjoy the whole bar , and store them in an air tight container for a week (if they last that long *wink*)

linking to serenitynow






18 comments:

  1. What a wonderful treat, and such an interesting list of ingredients, I am loving it! They look yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a fun and unique recipe! Great choice for the challenge :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oooh, I love coconut and your macaroons sound magnificent!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great recipe! What a yummy treat. Thanks for participating in the Dessert Challenge. Can't wait to see what you create for us next month! ~Sheryl @ Lady Behind The Curtain~

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a new twist on chocolate and cherries! YUM!

    ReplyDelete
  6. These look SO GOOD! Thanks for linking up at my blog today. I am a new follower on GFC.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jenn, and thanks for following me too :)

      Delete
  7. How very interesting!! - looks delicious. I'm stopping by from Foodie Friday blog hop.
    Thanks
    Angie
    godsgrowinggarden.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Following you from Saturday Show & Tell. I'm in Crosby on the other side of Lake Houston. Looking forward to following another Houston blogger!

    Jeanette
    http://www.craftyincrosby.com/

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow, these look like a lot of work... but the end result is brilliant. Thanks for sharing your macaroons with us on foodie friday.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a clever idea! I love all of these items, and think they'd be spectacular together.

    ReplyDelete
  11. You are so right. No way I will be disappointed!!
    Potato? Who knew?!
    I would love if you link this recipe on my link party.
    It's up for one month so you get the max traffic and you can keep on linking.
    Xo
    Isabelle
    www.lechateaudesfleurs.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. I am obsessed with French Macarons, love seeing a different twist! Thanks for sharing at my Pin It Thursday party

    ReplyDelete
  13. Looks delicious, Angela. Thanks for linking up to Tasty Thursdays. Can't wait to see what you linked up this week.
    Thanks, Nichi

    ReplyDelete
  14. These look amazing! I am pinning right now! Cherry and Chocolate are a match made in heaven. I can't wait to try these out :) Krista @ http://ahandfulofeverything.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

I love comments, big and small, so go on, leave me some, you know you want to

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...