COOKIES - COCONUT MACAROONS

Makes about 32 macaroons

1 cup sugar (divided use)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 ½ cups shredded unsweetened coconut

6 large egg whites

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

Comine 1/3 cup of the sugar with the flour and set aside.  

Combine the remaining 2/3 cup sugar, the coconut, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler.  Heat over simmering water, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and holds together, about 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat.  Fold in the flour mixture, orange zest, and vanilla extract.

Drop tablespoonfuls of batter onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart and shaping into neat mounds as needed.

In batches, bake until the macaroons are a light golden brown on the outside but still soft enough to give slightly when you press them lightly with your fingertip, 20-25 minutes.  Transfer the macaroons, still on the parchment paper, to a wire rack to cool completely.  When cool, they will lift off easily.

MY NOTE:  I used 5 egg whites, sweetened shredded coconut so I reduced the sugar to 2/3 cup and baked for 20 minutes.   I used my 1-inch ice cream scoop to scoop out the dough and this recipe made 24 cookies. 

From Baking At Home with The Culinary Institute of America.