Back in April, when I made a bajillion little
coconut macaroon cups, I started thinking of ways to get the same results with a third the effort. I'm excellent at expending as little energy as possible, so I was pretty determined.
For example, I'd really like to invent an all-in-one dishwasher / washing machine. Isn't it superfluous to have two water-guzzling appliances in every home that basically do the same thing? They both wash dirty stuff with detergent and water. Why can't we just outfit our homes with a single, giant, soapy/rinsey contraption and chuck all our dishes and laundry in there at the same time? My god, what an energy-efficient time-saver this would be! So green! Then, once everything's clean, we'd flip a switch to dry the clothes and dishes simultaneously. (Side note: is there a reason a dishwasher can dry dishes but a washing machine can't dry clothes? Why do clothes dryers even exist? Was the person who invented the dishwasher just smarter than the person who invented the washing machine?)
What were we talking about again?
Yes! Low-effort, maximum-output cooking. I love those coconut macaroon cups because they're little and individualized, and everyone gets their own customizable dessert. But it's also kind of a drag to make separate servings like this, especially for a crowd. What if I could get the same result but feed 40 people instead of 12, and with less effort. What IF?
I invented a way. The result is a giant, flat, rectangular tart you can bake in a rimmed baking sheet, spread with chocolate, dapple with berries, flick with zest, and dust ever so demurely with powdered sugar. Did I mention it feeds 40 people?
Also, it feeds FORTY people.
If you don't know forty people, don't despair.
You can feed yourself 40 times instead.
...
Recipe for Blueberry Macaroon Tart, for a crowd
This recipe involves tripling my
coconut macaroon cups. It's gluten-free and perfect for blueberry season. Please only use fresh fruit here as frozen berries won't hold up. A better way to cheat would be to use chocolate chips (instead of chocolate blocks), and to use pasteurized egg whites in a carton. They're such a time-saver, and you won't have a massive yolk-surplus on your hands.
Makes 40 2-inch bars
Coconut oil, for melting and brushing
10-1/2 cups shredded coconut (I used 3-3/4 cups sweetened and 6-3/4 unsweetened, medium shred)
Scant 1 cup coconut flour
18 egg whites, or their equivalent (one 2-pound carton of liquid egg whites, plus 1/2 cup)
1 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
19 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate, or 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
18 ounces fresh blueberries
Finely grated zest of 3 limes
Powdered sugar, for serving
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet (half-sheet pan) with parchment. Melt a bit of coconut oil and generously brush the parchment, sides, and corners of the pan.
In your very largest nonstick saucepan, combine the sweetened and unsweetened coconut, coconut flour, egg whites, sugar, and salt. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until well-combined and slightly drier. Use great care and stir slowly as you may sacrifice some over the sides. (Just spoon it back in.)
Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, packing it evenly into the corners and evening out the top. (Use a combination of your hands, the bottom of a greased cup measure, and an offset-spatula.) You want the sides to be ever so slightly higher than the center since you'll be topping it with blueberries later on. Bake this unfilled macaroon shell in the center of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until set and lightly brown.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and 1 teaspoon coconut oil over a double-boiler, stirring. Scrape the melted chocolate over the coconut base and smooth the top. Heap with blueberries and scatter with lime zest. Just before serving, dust lightly with powdered sugar. Cut into 2" squares.
Source: http://5secondrule.typepad.com/my_weblog/2013/05/gluten-free-blueberry-macaroon-tart-for-a-crowd.html
