Coconuts!
…and a product review. I bought a Zyliss easy grip zester. Verdict? It’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, but with a good amount of pressure, I got long ribbons of zest in a jiffy. The zest tastes the same as grated zest, but if you too have a weird thing for the aesthetics of zest, buy this. Kitchen toys are fun.
Pretty cool looking zest. Admit!
This recipe is loosely adapted from Martha Stewart’s. One time I saw Martha in the lobby of the building where I used to work in NYC. I think she had just gotten out of jail. True story.
She makes a good plain macaroon. But where is the chocolate? I wondered. So I did this.
Well hello now.
I’m pretty excited about my latest discovery. It’s a blend of 2/3 unsweetened shredded coconut to 1/3 unsweetened desiccated coconut. If you can’t find desiccated coconut in your grocery store, try an Indian grocery, where it will be labeled coconut powder, Bob’s Red Mill Fine Macaroon Coconut, or make your own by pulsing unsweetened shredded coconut in a food processor. Make sure you don’t over-process it into coconut butter, although that’s nummy too.
I’ve made these macaroons using all shredded coconut (too hard), all desiccated coconut (too soft), and finally landed on a blend of the two. It makes the batter so much easier to scoop onto the baking sheets, holding together well enough for you to create any shape you want (try making a macaroon tart crust), and bakes up crispy on the outside, airy light on the inside.
First, whisk the orange zest, sugar, egg whites, and vanilla together. Then mix in the coconut blend with your hands, keeping the batter loose.
Use a cookie scoop to place little mounds of the coconut mixture on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Now for the fun part.
85% dark chocolate. Kapow!
For every 1 cup of coconut batter, melt half a bar of chocolate for dipping and drizzling. I don’t even chop my chocolate for melting, I just break them into small squares and melt half in a heatproof bowl over a barely simmering pot of water, then remove the bowl from the pot and throw in the rest of the chocolate. whisking until it’s all drippy.
Dip the base of each macaroon in the melted chocolate and gently place it on a sheet of parchment paper over a cool baking tray. Armed with a small spoon, drizzle your heart out.
Eat the one that comes out lopsided. Silly macaroon. I eat you first.
I’ve had the best luck storing these in the fridge for up to a week. They stay crispy in the crisper.
Ingredients
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Whisk the orange zest, sugar, and vanilla into the egg white. Mix in both types of coconut with your hands, keeping the batter loose.
- Using a 1 inch cookie scoop, place small mounds of the mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, rotating your baking sheet halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet.
- Melt half the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a barely simmering pot of water. Remove the bowl and whisk in the rest of the chocolate until melted. Line a cool baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Dip the base of each macaroon into the melted chocolate and place on the parchment paper, then drizzle the rest of the melted chocolate over the macaroons with a spoon. If the chocolate begins to harden, simply place the bowl back over the pot to warm it back up.
- Let the chocolate set at room temperature for 30 minutes, then transfer the baking sheet to the fridge for another 30 minutes.
- Serve the macaroons or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Notes
Don't skip the chocolate. It is a serious nummy factor.
5 comments
Just made these for the SECOND time! This time I used a measuring cup, so they actually look like yours!
hahahaha “this time I use a measuring cup” – priceless 🙂
You have such a zest fetish.
Holla at ya boy, Huggy James, Hugga J, the J Hugga, mackin’ on them macaroons, son. They’s so sweet brothers be like carvin’ hearts and initials in they desks, singin’ first comes love, next comes macaroons. They’s so sweet brothers be hangin’ pictures of ’em on they locker doors like Tiger Beat One Direction Harry Styles and the Macaroons. They’s so sweet brothers be pickin’ flowers for they grandmothers just to taste them sweetness. No doubt no doubt.