Coconut Rocher

Photo: flickr user dibaer

Ingredients

ripe mango peeled, pitted

cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut

cup sugar

2 lrgs egg whites

1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut milk

Finely-grated zest of 1/2 orange

Finely-grated zest of 1/2 lemon

8 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate finely chopped

Preparation

Puree mango in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons water if necessary.

Combine 2 tablespoons mango puree, coconut, sugar, egg whites, coconut milk, and orange and lemon zest in a heat-proof bowl, or the top of a double boiler, set over a pan of simmering water. Bring mixture to 125 degrees (measured on a candy thermometer), stirring constantly. Set aside to cool. The mixture can be made up to this point and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to one month; defrost in refrigerator overnight before using.

Arrange oven racks in upper and lower third of oven. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking pans with Silpats (French nonstick baking mats).

Dip a #804 pastry tip in warm water. Pack tip with coconut mixture. Tap the tip on work surface, releasing a cone-shaped rocher. Place the rocher, pointed-side up, on the prepared baking pans. Repeat with remaining coconut mixture.

Bake the rochers until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer baking pans to a wire rack, and cool completely.

To make chocolate-dipped rochers, place chocolate in a small heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Melt chocolate, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, being careful not to exceed a temperature of 90 degrees. (Remove bowl from heat when chocolate is 75 to 80 degrees to prevent overheating.) Transfer chocolate to a metal bowl. Dip bottom 1/4-inch of each rocher in chocolate. Return rochers to Silpat-lined baking pan to let chocolate set before serving.

This recipe yields about 4 dozen.