Coconut Macaroons

3 cups (200 grams) dried unsweetened coconut, shredded or flaked (can also use 3 cups (300 grams) dried sweetened coconut, shredded or flaked)

Coconut Macaroons: In a heatproof bowl (preferably stainless steel), whisk the egg whites with the sugar and salt. Place over a saucepan of simmering water and, whisking or stirring constantly, heat the egg whites until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, flour, and coconut. Cover and refrigerate for two hours or until firm (can chill overnight).

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place small mounds (a heaping tablespoon) (20 grams) of the batter onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing several inches apart. Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or until they start to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes and then place on a wire rack to finish cooling. Can be eaten warm, at room temperature, or even cold.

Chocolate Coating: Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl (preferably stainless steel), placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and dip the bottoms of the Coconut Macaroons in the melted chocolate. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Once all the Macaroons are dipped in the chocolate, place in the refrigerator until the chocolate has hardened. Store the Macaroons in a covered container in the refrigerator or they can be frozen. Can be served cold or at room temperature.

Coconut Macaroons are all about the sweet flavor of dried coconut, and the contrast of a crispy exterior to a soft and chewy interior. These delicious cookies can be eaten warm from the oven, at room temperature, or even cold. Excellent plain, but for the chocolate lover you will definitely want to take the extra step and dip the bottoms of the cookies in melted chocolate.

There are a lot of recipes for Coconut Macaroons, and I have some of my favorites on the site. While they are all bursting with dried coconut, they differ in both technique and ingredients. This recipe starts by warming egg whites with granulated white sugar until nice and creamy, just like a Swiss Meringue. This step stabilizes the whites and gives the Macaroons a crisp outer crust. Then vanilla extract is folded in, along with a little cake flour and lots of dried coconut. Although not often used in Coconut Macaroons, adding flour gives these cookies a wonderful dense texture and a dome-like shape. For the dried coconut I prefer to use unsweetened, either shredded or flaked. However, you can use sweetened dried coconut which is made by combining coconut with powdered sugar. Just keep in mind that if you use sweetened dried coconut the Macaroons will taste sweeter. Now, this batter does need to the chilled until firm and this will take a few hours, or you can chill the batter overnight. Coconut Macaroons store very well. In fact, sometimes I think I like them better after a day or two, when their flavor and outside crust has softened, yet they are still wonderfully moist and chewy.

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