Chocolate Almond Macaroons

Martha Stewart Living

Makes 16

    2 lg. egg whites                                               
    1 cup sugar                                                    
    6 tablespoons cocoa powder sifted                              
    1 1/2 cups med. fine ground blanch almonds (6.25 oz.)          
    1/2 teaspoon vegetable shortening                              
    4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips melted                      

Heat oven to 325°. Place eggs in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until egg whites are stiff. Then add sugar slowly, and continue beating until egg whites are very thick, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Beat in cocoa until combined. Stir in almonds, and mix until completely blended. The batter should be quite thick and sticky.

Line a baking sheet with parchment. Dampen hands, and shape about 1 heaping teaspoonful of dough into a 1-inch ball. Pinch the ball with your fingers to form a teardrop shape, and place on prepared baking sheet. Continue process, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart, until all the dough is used.

Bake until cookies are slightly cracked, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool on sheet for several minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Combine shortening and melted chocolate. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of chocolate onto the flat side of a cooled cookie, and place another cookie on top. Press together gently so chocolate oozes out slightly. Return cookie to rack, and let chocolate harden. Repeat process with remaining cookies.