Chocolate Almond Macaroons

Source: Nestle's Toll House Recipe Collection

Chocolate Almond Macaroons
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(Makes 2 dozen 2-inch cookies)

Ingredients:
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Cookies:
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12 oz (2 cups) Nestle Toll House Little Bits semi-sweet
chocolate, divided (or any other miniature chocolate chips)
2 egg whites
8 oz almond paste
1/3 cup sifted confectioner's sugar
2 tblsp all purpose flour

Topping:
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1 cup Nestle Toll House Little Bits semi-sweet chocolate (reserved
from 12 ounce package used for cookies)
1 tblsp vegetable shortening
1/4 cup chopped blanched almonds

Instructions:
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Cookies: 
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Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Melt over hot (NOT boiling) water, 1 cup
chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Set aside. In large bowl, combine
egg whites, almond paste, confectioner's sugar, and flour; beat until
smooth. Blend in melted chocolate. Spoon macaroon mixture into pastry
bag fitted with rosette tip. Pipe 1 3/4 inch rosettes onto foil lined
cookie sheets. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks. 

Topping: 
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Combine over hot (NOT boiling) water, 3/4 cup chips and vegetable
shortening; stir until morsels are melted and mixture is smooth. 
Drizzle each macaroon with 1/2 teaspoonful of chocolate. Sprinkle with
remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips and chopped almonds. 



Source: rec.food.recipes