Cuckoo for Coconut Macaroons

One of my all time favorite flavors is coconut. Coconut cake, coconut chips, coconut milk, and especially coconut macaroons. I have always had a slightly over the top obsession with coconut macaroons. Being at boarding school the dessert selection is quite limited and honestly hardly worth the calories (most of the time). On the rare occasion when coconut macaroons are on the menu, I cannot resist. There is nothing aesthetically appealing about the display of these cookies, as they are nonchalantly placed in linen napkin lined straw baskets, however that gooey, soft inside enveloped in the slightly crunchy texture of the exterior is so mouth watering that it might as well be a crime to only eat one.

When I started this blog, I knew at some point I would have to find a “new and improved” recipe of this classic dessert. As I scanned through page after page of recipes on the Food52 website, I came across a completely reengineered macaroon. This macaroon was atypical to say the least; in fact it was quite unusual. It did not follow the ordinary macaroon appearance of a dainty finger-food, accompanied with a cup of tea and enjoyed pinky’s up. This macaroon was slightly edgy. It had sharp corners and an imperfect frame.

What gives this macaroon such a different physical appearance is the coconut. This recipe does not call for the standard bag of sweetened coconut shavings but rather unsweetened coconut chips. Coconut chips have recently become quite popular with the upcoming health food fad, they can be found at many health food markets (i.e. Whole Foods).

The genius behind this recipe is Alice Medrich, a chocolatier and author of scads of cookbooks, including Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies, which is where this recipe is featured.

Another fun deviation from the typical macaroons that Medrich discovered was in the use of chocolate. Instead of painting a little chocolate shoe on the bottom of each macaroon, Medrich simplifies it; in her exotic upgrade she jams a chunk of chocolate in the center of each macaroon. They key is to do this when the macaroons are fresh out of the oven so the sensual chocolate can melt and infuse with the warm, coconut shavings.

This recipe is fun, different and it tastes absolutely divine. I recommend to those of you who like to live on the edge.

New Classic Coconut Macaroons

(Adapted from Alice Medrich)

Yields about 20 cookies

4 large egg whites

3 1/2 cups unsweetened dried flaked (also known as coconut chips)

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

(Note: you can use sweetened, shredded coconut as well, just use 3 cups instead of 3 ½)

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

                Combine all of the ingredients in a large heatproof mixing bowl, preferably stainless steel because the mixture will heat faster than in glass. Set the bowl directly in a wide skillet of barely simmering water, about an inch full (if your bowl bobs in the water, simply pour some out). Stir the mixture with a silicone spatula, scraping the bottom to prevent burning, until the mixture is very hot to the touch and the egg whites have thickened slightly and turned from translucent to opaque, 5 to 7 minutes. Set the batter aside for 30 minutes to let the coconut absorb more of the goop.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.

Using approximately 1 - 1 ½ tablespoons of batter, make attractive heaps 2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets. Bake for about 5 minutes, just until the coconut tips begin to color, rotating the pans from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking.

Lower the temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cookies are a beautiful cream and gold with deeper brown edges, again rotating the pans from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through the baking time. If the coconut tips are browning too fast, lower the heat to 300 degrees. Set the pans or just the liners on racks to cool. Let cool completely before gently peeling the parchment away from each cookie.

The cookies are best on the day they are baked — the exterior is crisp and chewy and the interior soft and moist. Although the crispy edges will soften, the cookies remain delicious stored in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days.

Upgrade: Chocolate-Topped Coconut Macaroons. While the cookies are still hot, top each with a little piece of your favorite milk or dark chocolate. Or drizzle a little melted chocolate over each cookie. I used broken up pieces of Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate, it added an extra layer of creaminess that was absolutely delicious.

I hope you enjoy this irresistible coconut treat!