Homemade Chocolate-dipped Coconut Macaroons

I have never been a fan of desiccated coconut. I also think macaroons are over rated. In fact I don’t have a sweet tooth and besides chocolate mud cake, there are only a handful of deserts that take my fancy.

But when I reluctantly tasted a chocolate-coated coconut macaroon, that my husband had bought from a local bakery, I was blown away.

These babies were crisp on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside; with the perfect balance of coconut flakes and a generous layer of chocolate covering on the base. I was in cookie heaven.

I couldn’t get enough of these cookies therefore decided to make a batch of my own. Making these at home is easier than you think. I tried a recipe from Real Simple. These turned out to be a big hit at home and have become our family favourite. Coupled with a nice cup of coffee for hubby and I and a warm glass of milk for the young ones.

To my guests I serve it with tea and dental floss 😉

Chocolate dipped Coconut Macaroons

Preparation time: 30-40 minutes

Serves: About 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 14-ounce package of sweetened coconut flakes (roughly 5 cups)

2/3 cup sugar

3 large egg whites

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate

Method

1. Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl combine everything, i.e. the coconut, egg whites, flour, sugar, salt, and almond OR vanilla extract. Mix well, batter will be stiff.
3. Place a tablespoon full of batter onto parchment lined baking sheets, keeping about an inch in between cookies.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool completely.
5. Melt the chocolate in a double-boiler or a glass bowl placed atop a saucepan of gently simmering water.
6. Dip the bottom of each cookie into the melted chocolate and place upside down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let it rest until chocolate cools and hardens. You can also refrigerate for about 20 minutes or until firm.

I store mine in an airtight container at room temperature. It keeps for about a week, but they usually get snapped up much faster.

Homemade Chocolate dipped coconut macaroon

Homemade Chocolate dipped coconut macaroon

Enjoy & EatLovePack xxx