Feelingmyage
To make macaroon bars (makes 18-20):
• 1 large potato (100g after boiling)
• 400-500g icing sugar
• 2-3 drops vanilla extract
• 300g dark chocolate
• 100g dessicated coconut
Boil the potato until soft. Drain, measure out 100g, then mash until there are no lumps, and leave until cold.
Put the cold mashed potato, vanilla extract and 100g of icing sugar in a bowl. Mix well – the potato might seem very dry, but it will change into a very thick, sticky paste. Keep adding the icing sugar, 100g at a time, mixing well after each addition, until you have a stiff white fondant.
Line a tray with greaseproof paper, put the fondant in the tray, and press flat. Cover with cling film and leave in the freezer for an hour.
In the meantime, toast the coconut in the oven – spread thinly on a large baking sheet and cook in the oven at 150°C (300°F) for around 5 minutes until the coconut is just golden. Watch it carefully – it can burn very easily. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Remove the fondant from the freezer. Cut into bars (mine were finger length and just wider than finger width).
Melt the chocolate in a bowl above a pan of barely simmering water. Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, dip each piece of the sugar paste into the chocolate, then roll in the coconut. Transfer to a sheet of greasproof paper and allow to set.
