I have been known to experience writer’s block when it comes to developing recipes, and last week was no exception. I knew I wanted to come up with something sweet, but for the life of me could not summon one ounce of inspiration. The next day I was making a batch of Coconut Macaroons for my mom, Neeners, for Mother’s Day. It’s one of her favorites, especially when I cover half the cookie with melted chocolate or butterscotch. (Neeners would probably even eat beets, which she despises, if they were coated in chocolate or butterscotch).
All of a sudden, as if mentally struck by lightning, I thought “Hey, wait a second – this whole chocolate and butterscotch thing really seems more like a winter dessert. Is there a way to make this more like spring or summer?” My eyes guiltily drifted to the 8 egg yolks sitting on the counter that are always left over after making macaroons, and that typically find their way to the garbage. Eureka!! How about using up those yolks to make a thick and rich Lemon Curd, then make little nests in the unbaked cookies and fill the whole works with lemon?? No more wasted yolks, and what have I got to lose? If all else fails, I can just dunk the cookies in chocolate, and Neeners will never know. So that’s what I did, and I think we’ve got a winner. The bright and creamy lemon curd is a match made in heaven for the chewy coconut cookie. On top of all that an added bonus is that you’ll have leftover lemon curd, and it freezes beautifully. Haul it out of the freezer to use on muffins, scones, or ice cream. The cookies freeze like a charm also, and I usually make a double batch to make sure I’ve got a stash on hand at any given moment.
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