ted cookie drop: movember part i - macaroon mustaches

Last month when I stopped by TED HQ with some Halloween inspired cookies, a couple people asked if I would participate in TED's Movember fund raising initiative. Sure, I said! The basic idea behind Movember is starting November 1st, men will be clean-shaven and they'll grow mustaches for the entire month of November. The purpose of the month-long facial hair statement is to "raise vital awareness and funds for men's health issues, specifically prostate and testicular cancer initiatives." Some of the guys in the office are growing mustaches but since not everyone can grow one, I thought maybe they'd buy one!

One of the cookies I made last month was an owl-shaped coconut macaroon. What made it work so well was the toasted coconut bits looked like feathers. This should work for mustaches too, right? Yup. I took the recipe I used for the owls and split it into two - half for a classic batch (no chocolate chips), the other to make into chocolate mustaches. You can do the same or see each mustache recipe below for the split amounts. 

CLASSIC MACAROON MUSTACHES
adapted from Martha Stewart Cookies
makes 22 mustaches 

2-1/2 cups unsweetened coconut
1/2-cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
2 large egg whites
3/4-teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt

Move oven racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Get a small bowl of water ready (to dip your hand and scoop into). 

In a large bowl, combine coconut, sugar, egg whites, vanilla extract, and salt with your hands. You're going to make two rows of mustaches. Using a heaping tablespoon or (ideally) a mini ice cream scoop, scoop out the coconut mixture; pressing the mixture into the scoop with wet fingers. Carefully plop it out onto one of your parchment-lined cookie sheets towards one side of the edge closest to you. Using dampened fingers, massage the coconut into whatever mustache shape you like. Continue until you've filled half the tray. Spin the tray around and start from the bottom edge again. Repeat with the second tray. 

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the edges turn brown, turning once and flipping positions. Let cool on cookies sheets. Enjoy!

To the classic macaroon recipe, I added melted chocolate and cocoa powder. The chocolate mixture was a little crumbly - so it was a little difficult to sculpt. I'd probably add an additional egg white next time, but this is the recipe as I made it. Be sure to have your egg whites at room temperature; otherwise the melted chocolate will be sure to harden up quickly and make sculpting even that much more difficult to do. I also painted the bottom side of the macaroons with melted chocolate to keep the pieces from breaking apart. 

CHOCOLATE MACAROON MUSTACHES
adapted from Martha Stewart Cookies
makes 22 mustaches 

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
2-1/2 cups unsweetened coconut
1/2-cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4-cup Dutch-processed cocoa
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
3/4-teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt
1/2-cup bittersweet chocolate, melted 

In a small bowl, microwave the chocolate pieces on medium temperature for 30 seconds. Stir and check for melting. Continue heating in 7 second increments, stirring mixture until almost melted. Stir until all chips have melted. Put aside.

Move oven racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Get a small bowl of water ready (to dip your hand and scoop into). 

In a large bowl, combine coconut, sugar, cocoa powder, egg whites, vanilla extract, and salt with your hands. Add in the melted chocolate. Mix well. You're going to make two rows of mustaches. Using a heaping tablespoon or (ideally) a mini ice cream scoop, scoop out the coconut mixture; pressing the mixture into the scoop with wet fingers. Carefully plop it out onto one of your parchment-lined cookie sheets towards one side of the edge closest to you. Using dampened fingers, massage the coconut into whatever mustache shape you like. Continue until you've filled half the tray. Spin the tray around and start from the bottom edge again. Repeat with the second tray. 

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the edges turn brown, turning once and flipping positions. Let cool on cookies sheets.

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Using an small offset spatula, spread a little melted chocolate on the bottom of a macaroon. Place on cookie sheet and repeat with the remaining macaroons or until the tray fills up. Place in refrigerator for 15 minutes or until chocolate hardens. Remove the macaroons to a container and continue with remaining cookies, reheating chocolate as necessary. Enjoy!