This is a delightful little delicacy that was invented by a baker in Glasgow during the 1930s. It is one of those sweets that I loved as a kid, however if I had known that one of the main ingredients was leftover mashed potatoes, I am not sure I would have taken to it so readily. I made Macaroon for the first time about 20 years ago with my son Cameron, as he decided at the age of 5 that he would support his school and set up a sweetie stall at the school fair. I have been making it ever since and has graced the tables of the great and the good all around the world as a petit four.

Ingredients

600g (4 ¾ cups) icing (powdered) sugar
60g (2 oz) mashed potato
120g (4 oz) quality dark or milk chocolate, melted
125g (1 cup) desiccated coconut, toasted and cooled

Instructions

Your first task is to make the fondant for the macaroon, to do this put the mashed potato into a mixer or food processor. Next, add ¾ of the icing sugar and slowly mix. Gradually add the icing sugar until there is a dough-type consistency. You might need more sugar, as it all depends on how wet the potato is. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Toast the coconut under a medium grill. Once the fondant is ready it should be a pastry-type consistency and should be easy to roll out. Once it has been rolled out cut into bars or whatever shape is preferable. I tend not to dip the cut shapes into the chocolate. Instead, I use a pastry brush and carefully coat the fondant with the chocolate, and I try and keep the chocolate to a minimum as it can overtake the other ingredients. Next, coat the pieces of fondant and drop them into the cooled toasted coconut. Allow the bars to air dry on a cooling rack and, once the chocolate has set, store in a lidded container.

Slàinte!
Gary Maclean
www.garymacchef.com