Chocolate Macaroons

I’m always amazed at the incredible delights that can be created from very few ingredients.  This recipe comes from a little cookbook printed over 60 years ago that features the many ways to use baking chocolate. There is no flour in this recipe – the body of the cookie is created by the egg whites. It is really like a meringue in that way – so delicately light and with flavors of chocolate and coconut.

These also have the potential of being visually beautiful treats, something that could be easily achieved by putting the batter through a pastry bag with a star tip. Otherwise, this recipe requires little effort.  You do need to be careful about melting the chocolate. I used a double-boiler, but you could also melt the chocolate in the microwave, but do this at low power and in 15 second increments. The chocolate can burn easily, and once it’s burnt – forget it! So, once you get the chocolate melted and the egg whites beaten, the rest is a jiff to make!

Chocolate Macaroons

1 ½ oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

2 egg whites

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup sugar

1 ½ cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a double boiler (or slowly and carefully in a microwave – see comment above), melt chocolate. Set aside to cool.

In a bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer until frothy (about a minute). Add salt and vanilla to egg whites and continue beating another minute. Gradually add sugar into egg whites – one tablespoon at a time – and continue beating until egg whites are stiff and all sugar has been beaten in.

Add coconut and melted chocolate to egg white mixture and using a spatula, gently fold in until all is incorporated.

Drop by rounded teaspoon (or put batter in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip) on to a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper. It should yield 24-30 macaroons. 

Bake for 20 minutes in 350 degree oven. Remove and allow to cool for a couple of minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.