First Place Coconut Macaroons Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until they make medium-firm peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture. Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using either a 1 3/4-inch diameter ice cream scoop, or 2 teaspoons. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Blend coconut, sugar, flour, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt in a food processor until combined, about 30 seconds.
• Beat egg whites in a bowl until soft peaks form.
• Fold coconut mixture into egg whites until just combined.
• Wet your hands. Roll spoonfuls of coconut mixture between palms to golf ball-size cookies; arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake cookies in the preheated oven until coconut is slightly golden and toasted, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, 30 minutes.
• Line baking sheet with new piece of parchment paper.
• Melt chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over just-barely simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching.
• Dip half of each cookie in the chocolate and place on the prepared baking sheet. Place in refrigerator until chocolate is set, about 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
• Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Put unsweetened coconut in bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade and add 1 1/4 cups sugar.
• Process until mixture is finely ground and well combined.
• Put egg whites in the clean bowl of electric mixer.
• Set the bowl in a skillet with 1 to 1 1/2 inces of hot water.
• Place over low heat and beat constantly with a whisk until warm and frothy.
• (This will happen almost immediately; be careful not to overheat, or the whites will cook).
• Transfer the bowl to the electric mixer, which has been fitted with the whisk attachment.
• Add the salt to the whites and beat at high speed until they become white and thick.
• With the machine running, add remaining 1 cup sugar in a steady stream and continue to beat until thick and shiny.
• Add the honey and both extracts and continue to beat until stiff (the mixture will look like thick, shiny melted marshmallows).
• Remove the bowl from the machine and using a sturdy rubber spatula, fold in the ground coconut mixture and 2 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut.
• Combine gently but thoroughly.
• Using a medium-sized ice cream scoop, scoop macaroon batter onto prepared baking sheets, in 3 rows of 3 per sheet.
• Using your fingers, place a good pinch of the sweetened premium shred coconut on top of each mound, spreading gently to cover.
• To correct the shape of a mound, use your fingers to gently prop up and round the batter, which will be soft.
• Position oven rack on the center shelf.
• Place macaroons in oven and reduce temperature to 325 degrees F.
• Bake for 23 to 25 minutes or until light golden brown on the outside but still visibly soft on the inside.
• Let sheet sit on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Use a thin metal spatula to transfer the cookies.

Steps:

• Whisk together the egg whites and caster sugar in a large bowl for 2-3 mins until light and frothy, and the sugar has dissolved. Add the coconut, a pinch of salt and the vanilla, then stir until combined. Leave to stand for 10 mins.
• Heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3½. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Scoop teaspoonfuls of the mixture and roll into compact balls, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 mins until golden.
• Leave on the baking sheet to cool completely. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water, or in short 20-second bursts in the microwave. Tip the melted chocolate into a small bowl, then dip the bottom of each cooled macaroon into the chocolate and wipe off any excess. Arrange on a sheet of baking parchment, chocolate-side up, then put in the fridge for 20 mins, or until set. You can use any remaining melted chocolate to pipe in zigzags over the top, if you like, then leave to set.