Coconut Chocolate Chunk Macaroons

I always thought a macaroon was made with coconut and sweet milk as in sweetened condensed milk. I didn't know it was actually a cookies often using egg whites (usually whipped to stiff peaks), with ground or powdered nuts, most commonly coconut but sometimes almond.

For this edition of the cookbook project, April picked a Coconut Chocolate Chunk Macaroon. I guess I've never made a macaroon before so this was a treat of a recipe. It used stiffly beaten egg whites and ground up almonds along with the coconut. And since it is the holidays, they threw in some chocolate chunks.

These cookies had that crisp meringue shell with a chewy center and bursting with chocolate. When they first came out of the oven, The Kid said, "These are the best cookies ever!" But as they cooled, she demoted them to just good cookies. In fact, she liked them better warm, so she put hers in the microwave. April said they were actually better the next day. I wouldn't know. Since The Hubby keeps complaining about his tight jeans, I boxed up a dozen cookies and went doorbell ditching. I love doorbell ditching at the holidays.
The rest of the cookies? They didn't stand a chance.
They never saw the dawning of a new day! :)

So I give to you, another tasted and proven cookie. Perfect for the holidays. Whether it's for a cookie platter or doorbell ditching, or cookies for Santa, these cookies are worth a try!

Want another opinion? Go check out April's cookies!

Reminder!
Marye is giving away an awesome gift basket. Go to Baking Delights to enter!

Coconut Chocolate Chunk Macaroon
By: Marcel Desaulniers

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
4 large egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
6 oz. semi sweet baking chocolate, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 2 baking sheets with some of the melted butter. Line the sheets with parchment or wax paper, then lightly coat the paper with more melted butter.

In a sifter, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Sift onto a large piece of parchment or wax paper.

Place the almonds and the sugars in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse for 10 to 12 seconds until combined and the almonds are coarsely chopped.

Place the egg whites and the cream of tartar int eh bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a balloon whip (the bowl and the whip need to be meticulously clean and dry, otherwise the egg whites will not whisk properly). Whisk on high until stiff peaks form, about 2 1/2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to fold in half the almond mixture. When combined, fold int eh remaining almond mixture. Fold in half of the sifted dry ingredients, when combined, fold in the rest. Now fold in half the chocolate and coconut, and when incorporated, fold in the rest until thoroughly combined.

Using 2 slightly heaping tablespoon or 1 heaping #50 ice cream scoop of the dough to portion 9 macaroons, about 2 inches apart width wise and 3 inches apart lengthwise, on each of the baking sheets. Place the baking sheets on the top and center racks of the oven and bake for 15-16 minutes, until light golden brown, switching the setts between top and center and rotating each sheet 180 degrees halfway through the baking time. Remove from the oven, and immediately transfer from the paper to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature (if the macaroons are not removed from the baking sheets within moments, they will stick to the paper). Store the cooled macaroons in a tightly sealed plastic container.

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