HOLIDAY COOKIES : The Secrets of Excess

One of our favorite cookbooks this year is “Maida Heatter’s Brand-New Book of Great Cookies” (Random House: $25), and in The Times Test Kitchen, we think these two cookie recipes are among the book’s best. We like that neither cookie holds anything back. Regular macaroons are usually just egg whites and ground nuts; the extra ounce of chocolate in Heatter’s recipe pushes this cookie over the top. As for the macadamia and coconut bars, all we can say is we’ll watch our fat after the holidays.

CHOCOLATE MACAROONS

1 1/3 cups blanched almonds

1 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)

Pinch salt

3 egg whites

Toast almonds in shallow pan in 350-degree oven for about 10 or 12 minutes, shaking pan or stirring nuts once or twice. Set aside to cool.

Chop 12 almonds into small pieces and set aside. Grind remaining almonds in food processor with chocolate, sugar, cocoa and salt until fine, about 30 seconds. With motor running, add egg whites through feed tube and process until mixed.

Shape mixture into round cookies about 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Either use pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain round tube or drop from teaspoon. Sprinkle tops with chopped nuts.

Bake at 350 degrees reversing sheets top to bottom and front to back once during baking, until macaroons feel soft but dry, not sticky, about 10 minutes. Do not overbake.

With metal spatula, transfer macaroons to rack to cool. Store in airtight container or loosely covered.

Makes about 20 macaroons

Each macaroon contains about:

99 calories; 21 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.34 gram fiber.

MACADAMIA AND COCONUT BARS

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 light brown sugar, lightly packed

3 eggs

Salt

1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sifted flour

1 1/2 cups salted macadamia nuts

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups shredded coconut, lightly packed

Wet inside of 13x9-inch pan and line with aluminum foil. Butter foil. Chill pan in freezer or refrigerator.

Beat butter until soft. Add 1/2 cup brown sugar and beat until well-mixed. Beat in 1 egg and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and then, on low speed, add 1 1/4 cups flour and beat only until incorporated.

Place mixture by very small spoonfuls all over bottom of cold pan. Then, with floured fingertips, carefully, patiently and slowly spread dough in even layer all over bottom of pan, re-flouring fingertips often. Bake at 350 degrees until set, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven and let stand. Do not turn off oven.

Shake nuts gently in wide strainer to remove excess salt; set aside.

Sift together 2 tablespoons flour, pinch salt and baking powder; set aside.

Beat remaining 2 eggs, vanilla extract and remaining 1 cup brown sugar until thoroughly mixed. Beat in sifted ingredients. Gently stir in 1 1/2 cups coconut (reserve remaining coconut) and nuts.

Place mixture by tablespoon evenly over top of bottom layer. Then, with bottom of spoon, spread into smooth, very thin layer. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup coconut.

Bake at 350 degrees, reversing pan front to back once during baking, until top is richly browned and toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

Cool, then cover with baking sheet and turn upside down. Remove pan and carefully peel off foil. Cover with wax paper and another baking sheet or cutting board and turn upside down again, leaving cake right-side up.

Refrigerate for a few hours or more or place in freezer for about 1 hour. Cut into 32 even bars. Wrap each bar in either clear cellophane or wax paper, or place bars in airtight container with wax paper between layers.

Makes 32 bars

Each serving contains about:

163 calories; 92 mg sodium; 28 mg cholesterol; 10 grams fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.25 gram fiber.