Chocolate Chip Macaroons--A work in Progress

Yesterday was a tough day. Tuesdays are generally the hubby's day off but he picked up an extra shift. So I was on my own for the majority of the day. After finally getting the boys ready, we set off to the library and then to get Z2's blood drawn. The phlebotomist was perhaps the most unprofessional professional I've ever met in my life. When we came into the lab, she didn't even get off the phone or tell whoever she was speaking to to hold on while she attended us. To make matters worse, she missed my baby's vein and was poking around trying to find it while he wailed. I told her to stop and try again. Luckily, she got it on the second go round. Poor Z2. And Z1 was just cranky all day long. I made him take a nap after I couldn't take the whining and poor behavior anymore. He passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow. So I took the opportunity to put Z2 on my back in the Asian Baby Carrier (ABC) carrier and set about to make something sweet.

A few weeks ago we went to Muscoot Farm and there my friend shared with me a very not vegan chocolate dipped chocolate chip macaroon. It was delicious. I wanted to try to replicate it. I came up with the following recipe (based very loosely on a cookie recipe found in Dreena Burton's book):

Chocolate Chip Macaroons
1 1/4 spelt flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup shredded coconut
3/4cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup toasted almonds (stick raw almonds in a preheated 400 degree oven for 5-8 mins until the smell fragrant)
2 egg substitutes (I use Ener-G egg replacer)

Bake at 350 degrees fro 15-17 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 2-3 minutes before transferring to wire cooling rack.

They were good but not as decadent at the one I had on the farm. I think to fix that I would add a tad bit more chocolate chips, switch out the maple syrup for a simple syrup (not to mention that I have serious guilt issues about baking with maple syrup as it is now seriously, I mean, seriously expensive) or use only a syrup to sweeten it (the one I had at the farm was sweetened with corn syrup only and I think a liquid sweetener lends a certain crispiness that I'd like out of a macaroon). I think more chocolate chips and a liquid sweetener would make the sweetness a little more in your face too. Right now the sweetness is mellow. Almost like you'd expect from a bread. I think I'd also use only on egg substitute. I've found that too much Ener-g egg replacer often achieves the opposite of the desired effect and the pastry (or pancake or bread) is too crumbly and falls apart too easily. I might also melt some chocolate chips in a double boiler and dip each one . . . although in that case I wouldn't add more chocolate chips to the batter. So, it's truly a work in progress.

As for pizza and making pizza dough, I've gotten so good at it, it's not even a project anymore. It's routine. And everyone loves it.