#1 Cajun Macaroons (1941), p. 2

Amaretti fresh from the oven.

The editors of The Gourmet Cookie Book selected a light almond cookie as their favorite of those published in 1941.  The book contains one from each year, 1941-2009, the duration of the Magazine's publication.  This one has a recipe nearly identical to an amaretti recipe I have, the main exception being that my amaretti have no flour, so are celiac-friendly.

Amaretti are best eaten as soon as they emerge from the oven - crisp on the outside, and chewy with the egg-white and almond paste mixture on the inside. The macaroon recipe, in contrast, says these are best a few days later, kept in a sealed container. I made the sacrifice and taste-tested these at two intervals.

Right off the parchment, the macaroons have the same texture as amaretti, and the flour might extend the recipe a bit farther, as almond paste is the most expensive ingredient. Two days later, they are very chewy, the same consistency throughout, and the last bits in my mouth crunch a little as though they were coconut (though none in this recipe). The pecans I used to top some of them are a nice addition and break up the chewiness.  Bottom line is that I prefer them hot out of the oven - I'd bake them minutes before serving.

Pipe dough through a zipable plastic bag.

Let's demystify one thing about piping cookies. You don't need to use a piping bag to make these cookies. Piping will make them look perfectly round or oval, depending on your technique, but you don't need a bag to do this.  Get yourself a one-quart zipable freezer bag and turn down the edge of the bag, the way you used to cuff your socks. Spoon the batter into the bag and zip the top closed.  Then cut a small slit at one corner of the bag and squeeze the batter down and out while holding that corner almost on the surface of the parchment paper.  The batter will spread out in a circle around the cut corner where the batter comes out.  Stop squeezing and lift the bag straight up for a perfect cookie. Just make a few more cookies till they come out uniform.

For the life of me, I can't figure why these are called "Cajun," a term I'd reserve for a confection with a savory spice.  In fact, these cookies might be great with a pinch of cayenne and paprika. I think the chef who published this recipe wanted something to go with his New Orleans-themed menu, and gave these puppies the misnomer. French macaroons, in contrast, are typically made with almond flour and can vary with different flavor additions.

The photo shoot did not go well. The camera survived.

I won't reprint in my blog any recipes from the book, but I will share links to the recipes if they are already on the internet.  Cajun Macaroons can be found here.