One of the Jewish dietary laws for Passover recalls the exodus from Egypt, when they had no time to make leavened bread for their journey to the Promised Land. In memory of this, Jews not only eat no leavened food during Passover, but to avoid even inadvertent leavening, which can take place 18 minutes after flour becomes moist, they use only specially prepared matzo meal. Another dietary law forbids eating meat and dairy foods in the same meal. Together these two laws impose limits on cake and pie possibilities during Passover. Jewish cooks have therefore created a repertoire of alternative desserts. Among them, almond or coconut macaroons are a holiday staple. This recipe uses almond paste as shortcut.

Ingredients

• 1 7-ounce can almond paste at room temperature
• 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 egg white
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons dark rum (or to taste)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place sheets of baking parchment on 2 large cookie sheets. Break the almond paste into little lumps and put it in the container of a food processor or mixing bowl. Add the coconut and egg white and blend or stir together. Finally add the vanilla extract and the rum and process of beat it in so you have a thick paste, able to hold its shape when dropped but not too stiff. If necessary, add a few drops more rum to get the right consistency.

Put the mixture into piping bag or plastic bag filled with a wide nozzle such as Ateco 105. Pipe macaroons about an inch or so in diameter. If you do not have a piping bag, make the macaroons by dropping the mixture from a well-filled teaspoon. If the edges are untidy, just knock them into shape with the back of a fork. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a warm golden brown. Makes about 2 1/ 2 to 3 dozen macaroons. They can be stored for several weeks in an airtight container.