Recipe: Chocolate Almond Macaroons

Chocolate Almond Macaroons
From: Nestle's Toll House Recipe Collection
Makes 2 dozen 2-inch cookies

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

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

COOKIES:
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:
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.