Michelle Darmody: How to bake coconut macaroons — and the mistakes to avoid

An added bonus is that the macaroons’ snowball-like charm makes them ideal for Christmas gifts. 

They work well boxed and tucked up inside some parchment paper.

The basic recipe has just four ingredients and a pinch of salt, they are made up of coconut, bound with sweetened meringue. 

I find that adding vanilla gives them a slightly richer flavour.

The freshness of your desiccated coconut matters. 

A musty packet that has been sitting at the back of the cupboard for a few years will not have the same depth of flavour or moisture as a fresh bag. 

Cracking a coconut and grating it yourself is tough work, and not everyone has that ability, but if you do, it will have wonderful flavour, but will also have too much liquid. 

The liquid will seep out as the macaroons bake, making them too sticky. 

If you do happen to use fresh coconut, you can squeeze it between your hands after you have grated it to remove as much of the coconut milk as possible.

Coconut macaroons

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

The basic recipe has just four ingredients and a pinch of salt, they are made up of coconut, bound with sweetened meringue. I find that adding vanilla gives them a slightly richer flavour.

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 12 mins

Total Time

 27 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 2 egg whites

• a pinch salt

• 75g caster sugar

• 150g desiccated coconut

• ½ tsp vanilla

• 150g dark chocolate

Method

1. Line a large flat baking tray with parchment.

2. Preheat your oven to 160ºC/gas mark 3

3. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they foam. Add half of the sugar and continue whisking. Once it has become fluffy, add the other half of the sugar and beat to soft peaks.

4. Put the coconut and vanilla into a large bowl.

5. Fold the egg white mixture into the coconut.

6. Use two dessert spoons to spoon the mixture onto the prepared tray.

7. Bake for about 12 minutes. They should be golden and crisp on the outside but soft on the inside.

8. Allow the macaroons to cool completely on the baking tray.

9. Melt the chocolate either in a bowl over simmering water or in a microwave.

10. Dip each macaroon into the melted chocolate and place them onto a sheet of baking parchment to firm up.

11. If you have some melted chocolate leftover you can drizzle it over the macaroons.

Baker's tips

• It is best not to overbeat the sugar. You will know it is overbeaten if the mixture becomes very shiny and stiff.
• Adding the sugar to the eggs in two batches works best when you want to create nice soft peaks. You'll know when you have reached the soft peak stage when you pull the whisk out of the mixture and it leaves a trace but the tips flopping over.
• I generally fold the egg mixture into the coconut by hand with a spatula, making sure that all of the whites are incorporated well.
• I find it best to fold the whites into the coconut mixture straight away as you want to keep all of the bubbles you have added in. The whisked egg whites are what provide structure and help the macaroons to hold their shape as they bake.
• Salt acts as a stabiliser, so adding a pinch will also help the egg whites hold their shape when they are whipped and keep the macaroons from being too dense or collapsing.
• If your oven temperature is too low, your macarons will not get crisp on the outside and will dry out too much in the centre before they turn golden.
• It is best to store your macaroons in a sealed container in a cool place. They will remain fresh for about three days.

Three delicious variations

Lime coconut macaroons

• To make a zesty lime version, substitute the vanilla with a teaspoon of lime juice and also add the zest of two limes to the mix when you are stirring in the coconut. 
• The dark chocolate still works well with the lime.

Cherry coconut macaroons

• Cherry and coconut work well together. For this version I use the old fashioned glacé cherries. 
• They add a wonderful burst of colour as well as sweet flavour. 
• Omit the vanilla and add 20g of chopped glacé cherries to the mixture when you are folding in the egg whites. 
• Dried sour cherries also work well but they can be a little chewy after baking.

Coconut almond macaroons

• The addition of slivered almonds and some flaked coconut adds texture as well as getting the almond flavour from the nuts. 
• In place of the vanilla you can use almond essence. 
• For this version I use 100g of desiccated coconut, 40g slivered almonds, 10g flaked coconut.