A friend of mine was planning to go skiing in Wales today. This makes a change from his usual carving grounds in the Alps and the Canadian Rockies, but the weather conditions in the UK have been such lately that apparently there is some decent skiing to be had (that is, if you don’t mind hiking up the mountain before beginning your descent – possibly this is a pursuit for the most fanatical of skiers only…).
Today I give you the simplest little recipe, the results of which resemble tiny snowy mountains. What could be more seasonal? I suggest this as an alternative for those of you who don’t fancy donning layers of hi-tech insulating fabrics and braving the freezing weather to whiz downhill at speed. I can’t promise that this will be quite as exhilarating, but it is very satisfying nonetheless.
Snowheads, adapted from the recipe for Coconut Pyramids in the Good Housekeeping Cookery Book
2 egg whites
150g caster sugar
150g dessicated coconut
Preheat oven to 140ºC.
Grease a baking tray and cover with edible rice paper (not essential, you could just use baking parchment). Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then gently fold in the sugar and coconut using a metal spoon. Pile the mixture in small mounds on the prepared baking tray, press into neat conical shapes and bake in the oven for around 45 minutes to an hour – essentially you are just drying them out – until they take on a pale fawn colour.
Allow to cool then remove excess rice paper.
For extra indulgence, dip the bases of the macaroons in melted chocolate and leave to set on a sheet of baking paper (in the fridge if you are lucky enough to be in a hot climate!).
Makes about 12.
can you believe this is Wales??
