Believe it or not, tomorrow is National Macaroon Day. What a great way to end the month: with a chewy/crispy cookie. What’s the difference between a Macaroon and a Macaron? Macaroons are traditionally made with egg white and coconut and usually, but not always, almond paste or ground almonds. The Macaron (French version) is a little more temperamental: it’s based on perfect, equal-sized meringue and almond flour cookies, sandwiched together with ganache or other filling. Making your own macaroons is not only easier but affords an opportunity to try some wonderful variations that are fresher tasting than anything available in stores.
Chocolate Macaroons
The classic from “Chocolate and the Art of Low-Fat Desserts” by Alice Medrich; makes 30 to 32 small cookies.
2/3 cup blanched almonds
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
3/8 teaspoon almond extract
1 or 2 egg whites
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a food processor, grind almonds with sugar and cocoa until fine. Add almond extract; pulse to combine. With motor running, slowly add just enough egg white to form a thick sticky paste that barely holds its shape when dropped from a spoon. Transfer mixture to a pastry bag (if no pastry bag, use teaspoon.) Pipe mounds about 1 1/4 inches in diameter and 3/8-inch high onto cookie sheets, or drop slightly rounded teaspoons of batter about 1 1/2 inches apart onto sheets. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Position oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 300 degrees and bake macaroons for 20 to 25 minutes. They should puff and be slightly crisp and crackled on top; centers will be moist but not completely gooey. Cool completely on a rack before peeling off parchment. Store in an airtight container, at room temperature, up to 3 days, or freeze up to 2 months.
Island Macaroons
The use of macadamia nuts instead of almonds brings it home. A wonderful chewy-crunchy texture, along with the delicious chocolate coating, makes these just like a candy bar. Recipe from Bon Appetit magazine; makes about 2 dozen.
3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup unsalted macadamia nuts, chopped
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 egg whites
Pinch of salt
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place coconut and mac nuts on a large cookie sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, stirring frequently, about 12 minutes. Watch carefully so they do not burn. Remove from oven and cool on a room temperature plate. Maintain oven temperature. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Grease the parchment with a little cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine condensed milk and vanilla. Mix in coconut and mac nuts thoroughly. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into coconut mixture. Drop batter by rounded tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake until macaroons just turn golden brown around edges, about 14 minutes. Cool completely on cookie sheets. Line another cookie sheet with waxed paper. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Dip cookie bottoms into melted chocolate. Place cookies, chocolate side down, on waxed paper cookie sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate is set, about 15 minutes. Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
3-Ingredient Coconut Macaroons
Besides being incredibly easy to make, these are gluten-free. Recipe from TheSpruce.com.
5 1/2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 to 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Combine ingredients in a bowl; mix well. Grease a teaspoon or small scoop, then drop mounds of dough on prepared sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned on edges. Cool on racks.
Almond Macaroons
Emily Luchetti, celebrity pastry chef and author of “Four-Star Desserts” prefers to use thin sliced almonds instead of ground almonds, for extra texture and crunch; makes about 20 cookies.
3 cups (12 ounces) sliced almonds, toasted
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup (about 4) egg whites
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon each: vanilla extract, almond extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
In a food processor, finely grind 1/3 cup of the sliced almonds with the sugar; set aside. Lightly beat egg whites until frothy, then stir in ground almond-sugar mixture, honey, vanilla and almond extracts. In a double boiler over simmering water, heat egg white mixture, stirring frequently, until hot. Remove from stove; stir in the flour, salt and remaining 2 2/3 cups sliced almonds. Refrigerate mixture for 2 hours until cold.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using 1 1/2 tablespoons batter for each macaroon, place them 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool before removing from baking sheets, and store in an airtight container at room temperature.