This recipe was a favorite with one of my dearest clients who needed to watch his sugar and fat intake. We joked that he had a “macaroon clause” in his engagement letter!
Tips:The secret to making these moist low-fat treats is using egg whites whipped into meringue first. Then you fold in moist sweetened coconut tossed with the flour and salt. You can make meringue with a hand mixer, but a stand mixer makes the job easier. You can bake on a greased and floured cookie sheet, but a cookie sheet lined with a silicon baking mat assures the most even baking and easy removal.
Ingredients:Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit
Separate 4 egg whites and keep the yolks for the Pot d’crème recipe (link here to the Pot de Crème recipe)
Place the separated egg whites in a bowl large enough to handle the “whip” setting on your mixer (a bowl with high sides).
Add the sugar and almond extract to the egg whites and whip until stiff peaks form into a meringue.
In a separate bowl toss the flaked coconut, all-purpose flour and salt.
Gently fold the coconut flake mixture into the meringue using a rubber spatula. The meringue will crunch as the flour/coconut and salt mixture combines. When thoroughly blended, scoop by tablespoonfuls into a greased and floured cookie sheet or use a cookie sheet lined with a silicon mat. A small rubber spatula can help release the sticky mixture from the tablespoon. Use the spatulas to form each macaroon into a tiny, loose pyramid set about two inches apart in rows on the cookie sheet.
Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes until golden brown highlights appear. Depending on your oven and the closeness of the racks, you may need to bake one sheet longer than another. Watch carefully. The difference between potentially dangerous undercooked egg whites and inedible cinders is only a few minutes.
Cool baking sheets across the unlit burners of your stove a moment to allow the cookies to set, then use a spatula to gently remove each macaroon to a wire rack to cool completely.
Macaroons should be stored in a tightly sealed container to retain moistness.
Variations:
Chocolate-dipped macaroons:
Melt a quantity of your favorite chocolate baking chips—semi-sweet, dark, or milk chocolate—over low heat. A double boiler works well for this. 1 cup of baking chips will allow you to dip a good portion of the batch. After the macaroons have completely cooled, dip the tip of each into the chocolate. Return the cookie to a wire rack set over a wax paper lined baking sheet. Allow the glossy chocolate to cool a bit, then slide the whole rack into the refrigerator to allow the chocolate to set. The chocolate will lose the glossy finish when set.
Chocolate dipped macaroons can be stored in the refrigerator to keep the chocolate set but should be served at room temperature for best flavor.
Cherry macaroons:
This pink treat can be formed into heart shapes and served as a lower fat alternative to chocolate. If following this variation, reduce the sugar measure by 2 TB (1 if using Splenda) when making the meringue. Toss the coconut mixture with 1 TB of maraschino cherry juice and a 1/4 cup of finely minced maraschino cherries. If desired, add a bit more cherry juice to sweeten and color the mixture.
Bake and cool as directed.
Every time I made macaroons, I had unused egg yolks. Fortunately, my macaroon loving client had a chocolate loving wife, so I made pot de crème au chocolat for her and macaroons for him.
