Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

Summer is in full swing now and I’ve been enjoying being outdoors a bit more. It’s just so much more enjoyable walking the dog in the sunshine and in my case, walking down by the river is amazing (except for all the bugs!). So as you’d expect, one of the last things I want to do at this time of year is have the oven on for hours on end. Yet, in order to keep myself sane, I do need to do a bit of baking. Some super simple Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons? Done and done.

These little babies are delicious. The light, fluffy coconut clouds are dipped in a rich, bittersweet chocolate that has been melted slowly and speckled with sea salt. Then there’s the arty bit- go all Jackson Pollack after the bottoms have set and drizzle away! Who said baking isn’t fun? I’ve made these macaroons a few times before, but I thought dipping them in some slightly salted dark chocolate would elevate them to a whole new level of awesomeness! I mean, chocolate and coconut are one of those classic combinations that just belong together (Mounds or Almond Joy anyone?). If you are an Almond Joy fan, feel free to replace the vanilla extract with almond extract to get that flavor fix.

More importantly, make sure these little coconut clouds are completely cooled before dipping in the chocolate, or they can break apart. Also, that the chocolate has set before you pack them into an airtight container. Remember- watch these bad boys in the oven, they can go from perfect to disaster quite quickly in terms of browning. Be ready to impress anyone and everyone with these little dollops of indulgence!

Yield: 2 dozen macaroons

Ingredients

3 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
4 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 oz 70% dark chocolate
Flaky sea salt (if desired)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Gather all your ingredients and equipment.
Whisk the egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Combine the egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk until the whites and sugar are completely combined and the mixture is frothy.
Combine the coconut and egg white mixture. Pour the coconut over the egg white mixture and stir until the coconut is evenly moistened.
Line the baking sheet with parchment.
Shape the macaroons. I used a small ice cream scoop to make little domes. Space them an inch or so apart on the baking sheet.
Bake the macaroons until golden, 10-20 minutes depending on how large they are. (1 inch domes about 10-12 minutes).
Cool the macaroons. Let the macaroons cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
While macaroons are cooling, melt chocolate in a glass bowl over simmering water. Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt into the melted chocolate (if using).
Dip the bottom of the cooled macaroons in the melted chocolate and leave upside down on a baking tray to set.
If desired, when the bottoms have set, drizzle remaining chocolate over the top and allow to set in a cool place.
Macaroons can be kept in an airtight container for up to a week.

Notes

Recipe from Flick of the Whisk. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.

http://www.flickofthewhisk.com/2014/07/chocolate-dipped-coconut-macaroons/