Great Passover Sweet Treats- Part 2 – Parisian Coconut Macaroons
Okay- maybe all that piping of the Chocolate “S” ‘s in the last post was too much for you. These (I promise) are much easier (but completely delightful nevertheless)-just dropped by big spoonfuls onto the baking sheet.
Parisian Coconut Macaroons are big puffy macaroons, more of a cross between meringues and macaroons, in my opinion. They are a recipe developed by Faye Levy that I found several years back in an issue of the now, sadly, defunct Gourmet magazine. I fell in love with these free form macaroons, as soon as I set eyes on them. I hope you will love them, too.
Parisian Coconut Macaroons
- Matzo cake meal for dusting
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 large egg whites at room temperature
- 3 cups finely grated unsweetened (desiccated) coconut (8 oz)
Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 2 baking sheets and dust with cake meal, knocking off any excess.
Make meringue:
Cook sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, until it reaches soft-ball stage (or registers 238°F on a candy thermometer).
While syrup boils, beat whites in standing mixer on low speed until stiff peaks form. Gradually pour hot syrup in a thin stream down side of bowl into whites, beating constantly on high speed. (Be careful not to let syrup touch beaters when pouring, or it will spatter and harden.) Continue to beat until meringue is room temperature.
Big fluffy spoonfuls dropped onto a prepared baking sheet
Stir in coconut and spoon rounded teaspoons of meringue into mounds about 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Shape mounds into pyramids with wet fingertips.
Bake macaroons 1 sheet at a time in middle of oven 12 minutes, or until just firm enough to be removed from baking sheet without losing their shape. Carefully transfer to a rack to cool. (Macaroons will harden as they cool.)
They can be made up to a week ahead of time, but again, I like to make them only a day or two before serving, so they’ll maintain some chewiness.
Macaroons fresh out of the oven
Enjoy!
And please check out my other blog, pain perdu, too.
