Friday, June 25, 2010

Coconut (and Chocolate) Cookies

Since we ended with Almond Joy Pieces last time, let's open with Almond Joy Cookies in this entry:











These are a chocolate cookie base with a layer of coconut cream - a few almonds are tossed on top and the whole thing is enrobed in chocolate.  Not a bad idea.  Not a great cookie.  The Almond Joy bar is better.  But a great effort at making a cookie out of a candy bar.  If you feel it's important to to that.

Check out these festive summer cookies offered by Pepperidge Farm!  Tahiti Coconut:



They remind me of Milanos - which I love with all my heart and soul. But these were no good.  I found them very, very dry and with little taste of coconut.  Disappointing - usually Pepperidge Farm rocks!  These are terrible.




Target's store brand Archer Farms made these:



They are wafer thin and are pretty good.  The coconut is more for decoration than for taste.  The dark chocolate overpowers everything else.I like chocolate covered Moravian cookies better.  But these are not dried out and if you want a light, dark chocolately cookie - these are very good.





And look at this coconut entry by Little Debbie:


Titled German Chocolate and subtitled "cookie rings with caramel and coconut," I had to wonder about these.  I mean, really - Germany and coconut?  Does that makes sense?  Well, according to Wikipedia (yeah, yeah, I know, not always right) the whole German Chocolate cake (with the coconut and caramel and all) came from a recipe submitted by a Dallas housewife in 1957.  It was called German Chocolate cake because the chocolate she used to make it was Baker's German Sweet Chocolate.  I gotta say this concoction seems more Dallas circa 1957 than Germany.  What does your gut tell you?



Anyway, these are not bad.  I don't think they hold a candle to those Samoas the Girl Scouts sell (better cookie - these need more cookie).  And I'm thinking the Pacific Islands seem a better fit for coconut than Germany.  But, hey, what do I know?  Tahiti, Samoa.....

I've never tried coconut macaroons before.  This one by Godiva was my favorite.  But I can't tell if it's just because of the chocolate:






Gotta love the chocolate base with the Godiva name stamped in:


This had a cakey texture that I liked better than the other macaroons:



I usually love Archway cookies:

And these looked great!  I think, for coconut macaroons, they probably are great.  These just aren't my favorite.  With chocolate, they are amazing.  Without chocolate, not so much.




These were made in my hometown of Macon, GA by Crown Candy Corporation. 


And they were drier than dry.  Ugh.  Archway was at least moist and chewy.  These were el yucko.  I'm so glad I got out of Macon.



I have to start reviewing some of that shortbread I have!!  And would you believe I found some coconut shortbread?


Eh.  Kind of dry.  What is it about these coconut things that makes them dry?  I expect coconut to be moist!  This shortbread didn't do anything for me and I ADORE shortbread!


Here's some vanilla shortbread from my friends at Walker's:


This has a really good flavor. Sometimes shortbread can be a bit bland, but this has a great, but not overpowering flavor.  Delish!


Harry and David also has some vanilla shortbread:



And I have to say, I love the thickness and the texture of this shortbread.  For the most part, I really love Harry & David's baked goods.  And I like the granulated sugar on top.  (As usual, nothing like the picture on the box.) BUT the flavor of Walker's is better.  The texture of Harry and David's is better, but I gotta go with Walker's.  So yummy!



Okay, gang - more shortbread and coconut and loads of other good stuff to come!!  But I might be MIA for a few days - I'm heading to New Yawk City for the Fancy Food Show!  Don't worry, I'll look both ways before crossing the street.  But I WILL be taking candy from strangers. 

9 comments:

Kris, in New England said...

Dear lord but I would pay money to see how you deal with New Yorkers...cuz I'm certain you won't have a problem and it would be lots of fun to watch.

perry said...

... dude. The Godiva macaroons are awesome--but even better if you can get the ones dipped in-store (because chocolate is *thicker*). Have you tried the Walker's with stem-ginger... my favorite by far.

Denise Ryan said...

Ha, ha - Kris - so far I've just been making them laugh. When I get a really rude one I just smile real big - seems to confuse the hell out of 'em. ; )

Denise Ryan said...

Perry - wow - I gotta try 'em fresh! Great tip!! And I told the Walker's people you recommended the ginger ones - I'll try some soon and review 'em. Thanks for the tips and the comment!!

Kris, in New England said...

Someone smiling in NYC would be puzzling to the natives, that's for sure.

I would also imagine that whatever southern accent you have would make you somewhat of a zoo creature to many - something to viewed from behind safety glass.

:-)

BTW, the notorious "Yankee coldness" doesn't really exist, at least in New England. We may be a bit reserved but we are nice.

Denise Ryan said...

Ha, ha - Kris you would have had some fun with me! And I agree - about the "Yankees" - my parents are actually from New Jersey, so I'm kind of a weird hybrid. : )

Anonymous said...

Coconut M&Ms - YUM
Archer Farms Dipped Macaroons - YUMYUMYUMYUM!! Totally addictive.

Melissa Nott said...

I love the fact that you blog about goodies, but I'm already getting the munchies. How do you do it? And your photos are fabulous.

Denise Ryan said...

Hey Melissa! I need to stop doing it - my jeans are getting tight! : ) I exercise a bunch, just to try and keep fitting into them AND eating candy! And so glad you like the pics - I had to get a special light set up - they were looking terrible. It's crazy what one will do for candy. ; )