Macaroons recipe

Near the start of the year, my friend passed me a bag of dessicated coconuts. It's considered an exotic ingredient for me because it's only occasionally called for in recipes, and usually under 'optional'. Much like almond extract or chocolate extract, it's an ingredient I never bother to buy because of my frugality (although some friends have another name for my condition, when I pulled a long face after fuel prices went down from 125.9c/L to 125.4c/L after I filled my tank).

I was certain that I would use up the entire bag in a jiffy, so I made plans to ration the contents of the bag as long as possible. As the year went by and I started to pack up my house to move to another apartment, I started to panic as the entire bag laid almost untouched in my cupboard. 

So I referred to an old 'Things to bake' list I found floating around when I was packing, and found an Italian Macaroon recipe from David Lebovitz.

I've heard it told that Italian Macaroons are the grand-daddies of the more-renowned French macarons, which are based off it by swopping the coconut flakes for almond meal. But unlike the notoriously finicky younger 'uns, the old generation macaroons doesn't require as much precise technique. It is a joy to make, almost as much as it is to eat.

Who took the macaroon at the back?

Coconut and Chocolate Macaroons

From David Lebovitz's Ready for Desserts. 
The same recipe can also be found on his site

Makes 30 cookies. 

4 large egg whites

1¼ cups (250g) sugar (I reduce this slightly when I make this recipe, and even more if I dip with milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate)

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon honey

2½ cups (200g) unsweetened coconut (Coconut powder, medium shredded coconut, and coconut flakes all work well in this recipe.)

¼ cup (35g) flour

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (optional - for dipping)

In a large skillet, mix together the egg whites, sugar, salt, honey, coconut and flour.

Heat over low-to-moderate heat on the stovetop, stirring constantly, scraping the bottom as you stir.

When the mixture just begins to scorch at the bottom, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature.

(At this point, the mixture can be chilled for up to one week, or frozen for up to two months.)

When ready to bake, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (175 degrees C)

Form the dough into 1 1/2-inch mounds with your fingers evenly spaced on the baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until deep golden brown. 

To dip the macaroons in chocolate, melt the chocolate in a clean, dry bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or in a microwave.) Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Wait for the macaroons to completely cool. Dip the bottoms of each cookie in the chocolate and set the cookies on the baking sheet. Refrigerate 5-10 minutes, until the chocolate is set.

(Instead of dipping the macaroons in chocolate, I stuck a piece of chocolate into the top of each macaroon immediately once out of the oven, and placed the tray of macaroons in the still-hot (but switched off) oven for a couple of minutes. The chocolate may retain its outer appearance, but prodding it gently would reveal a melted interior.)