Dark Chocolate & Coconut Macaroons

This week I tried my hand at making good old fashioned coconut macaroons. Sure, they're not as pretty or colourful as their French counterparts; le macaron, but gosh darn they're tasty! They're also naturally gluten-free which is awesome news for my gluten intolerant brethren. If you make them with a meringue base then they're also dairy free...Bonus! I make mine with condensed milk and a whisked egg white to lighten them up a little.

I drizzled these lovelies with melted dark chocolate just to make them that little bit more indulgent. Admittedly, I did need to throw them in the fridge to get the chocolate to set because I'm totally shit at tempering chocolate but if you have chocolate superpowers, you probably won't need to do this.

I used a small ice cream scoop to form these into uniform balls but you could also roll tablespoons of the mix instead. Or you could flatten the mix out and cut out shapes. Totally up to you! I also used a mix of shredded and desiccated coconut to mix up the textures a little. If you only have one or the other then that totally works too.

These are so easy to make and take absolutely no time at all. Whip them up to give away as gifts or just as a little treat to yourself. I love how they get all crispy and caramelised on their little bottoms, while staying chewy and sweet on the inside. Read on for the recipe!

Dark Chocolate & Coconut Macaroons

Makes 36 cookies

I used dark chocolate here but you can get creative with your toppings. I'm keen to try pressing a whole  blanched almond into the top of each macaroon then drizzling with white chocolate. Can you say Ferrero Raffaello, much?

Ingredients:

1 400g can of sweetened condensed milk

1 egg white

1 Tbsp caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

100g shredded coconut

200g desiccated coconut

50g dark chocolate, melted

Method:

Preheat your oven to 150°C. Beat the egg white till it forms stiff peaks. Beat in the sugar and vanilla till dissolved. You can do this with an electric whisk but honestly, for just 1 egg white, it's almost worth breaking out the hand whisk and a little elbow grease. Go on, it's good for the soul. Using a spatula, gently fold in the condensed milk then the coconut. Grab a small ice cream scoop and form small balls of the mix on a baking paper lined cookie sheet. Or using wet hands, form the mixture into balls. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until the macaroons are golden. Keep an eye on these as they can catch and burn in the blink of an eye! Cool on a wire rack. Drizzle with melted chocolate when cool to the touch and pop in the fridge or freezer for 5 minutes to set the chocolate. Enjoy!

Over and out!