Recipe - Coconut Macaroons

I made some coconut macaroons on Saturday night. They tasted so yummy!

My hubby asked me to make them for him as they are his favourite treat. The macaroons have such a soft and gooey texture that once you start eating them you really cannot stop. They are such a quick, easy and cheap recipe, that they are ideal for parties, high tea, and just great to have around in case unexpected guests come over. 

Here is the recipe:

Coconut Macaroons

Makes about 30

Prep time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 10mins per batch

Nutrition information: They have egg whites, and egg whites are a form of pure protein, so lets just pretend they are good for you...  

Ingredients:

195grams of shredded coconut

4 egg whites at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon salt

170grams of caster sugar

2teaspoons vanilla essence 

1/2teaspoon coconut essence

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. My oven is a fan forced oven and this temperature works well for me.
2. Line a baking tray with non- stick baking paper. Spread the coconut over the tray and cook in the oven until coconut turns a light brown colour. I don't like to toast the coconut too much as it gives it a bitter taste.
3. Once the coconut is a light brown colour, take it out of the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. 
4.  Use electric beaters to whisk the egg whites and the salt in a large, dry bowl until it forms soft peaks.
5. Add the sugar a tablespoon full at a time, whisking on a medium speed setting after each spoonful. Once that is completed, whisk for a further 2 minutes to make sure it is all combined. Once done, the mixture should be thick and glossy. 
6. Add the vanilla essense and coconut essence and whisk to combine on a slow speed setting. 
7. Add the cooled down coconut in batches to the mixture, making sure to use a large metal spoon to fold it into the mixture. Do not stir or whisk, this will reduce the consistency of your mixture. 
8. Spoon tablespoonful of mixture onto baking paper lined trays, leaving about 2cm between each. Mine are about 5cm wide and about 3cm high. 
9. Bake in preheated oven for about 10 mins or until light brown/golden in colour. They should feel firm. 
10. Repeat steps 8 & 9 until the whole mixture has been cooked. 
11. Set the macaroons aside to cool down for a few minutes. 
12. Enjoy!

*You can make them up to 2 days in advance and store them in an air tight container in the fridge. I wouldn't

 recommend keeping them for any longer - well that is if they even last 2 days! 

Here is the finished product! I enjoyed my coconut macaroons with a hot cup of peppermint tea.

Coconut Macaroons