Cashew Macaron Cashew Macaroons Cashew Meringue Cookies

Yes, we cracked the recipe for cashew macaroons on our first attempt. After Croissants, one more recipe crossed off my to-do list. I am posting it now so that you can try this Diwali or holiday season or even give it in the form of mithai box or gift boxes. “These macaroons or macaron are totally different from the traditional French macaron or coconut macaroons. Cashew Macaroons are a special delicacy from the Mangalore region of Karnataka.”

Did you know that people visiting Mangalore for holidays go to the following places before they return back? Otherwise, they always feel their vacation is incomplete - one is Machali or Giri Manjas for seafood lovers, followed by Pabbas Ideal Ice Cream, and then goodies that include Citi Bakery macaroons and rusk, and benne butter. I am sure most Mangaloreans agree with this. The preparation style of these cashew macaroons is very similar to any meringue cookies or pavlova. The base ingredients are the same that are used to make meringue cookies with the addition of two more ingredients: cashews and cardamom powder.

Now, if you ask me whether making macaroons is easy or hard, I would say it requires patience and utmost care during their preparation. These two factors will decide the final result.

Like you make pavlova or meringue cookies, you will have to handle egg whites with utmost care. When separating egg whites, make sure there are no traces of yolk. If you find that egg whites are not cleanly separated from the yolk, please discard and start with a new batch if you are serious about replicating your favorite bakery-style macaroons. Do this step right, and you will be surprised to see the result. Patience is also a key factor because you have to wait for a long time for the macaroons to bake and dry before you can even check the outcome. We have to wait for at least a couple of hours after baking so that the macaroons dry slowly and crisp up and do not turn gooey. Do you see that light, hollow, and airy texture in the picture? You can watch the making of Mangalorean cashew macaroons here.

Read each step carefully and proceed to the next step. ¾ cup Sugar (Read Step I)1 tablespoon Cornstarch or cornflourSeeds from 5 cardamom pods2 Egg whites½ teaspoon White vinegar¾ cup Cashews, chopped Preheat the oven to 120 degrees C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and keep this aside. If you have icing sugar or confectioners sugar, use it along with 1 teaspoon of Cardamom powder. Else, in a blender, add sugar, cornstarch, and cardamom seeds and blend to form a smooth powder. Keep this aside.

Add egg whites to a bowl and beat it to form soft peaks. Add vinegar, followed by confectioners sugar, in increments of 2 tablespoon and beat/mix at low speed. Once all the sugar has been incorporated into egg whites, beat it at high speed until stiff peaks are formed. This is your meringue. Add cashews in two increments into the meringue. After each addition, fold in the cashews gently using a spatula. Scoop out 1 tablespoon of the meringue mixture onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat for the remaining meringue leaving a gap of 1 or 2 inches for the meringue to expand. Bake for 60 minutes at 120 degrees C. After that, turn off the oven. Let the macaroons sit undisturbed inside the oven for a couple of hours. Once cooled completely, transfer it to an airtight container. Use as and when required.

Love almonds over cashews? You can replace cashews with almonds to make almond macaroons. If you like to skip cardamom powder, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract instead. You can use lemon juice or cream of tartar instead of vinegar. It would be best if you wipe the bowl and the whisk/beater attachments with vinegar before you start beating egg whites. Vinegar helps in removing fat residues (present from previous cooking) that inhibit the formation of meringue.

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