Fudgy Macaroons Bridge the Passover-Easter Divide

These chewy-fudgy chocolate coconut macaroons are the perfect solution for those years when Passover and Easter overlap, or any time you want a simple cookie that beautifully marries chocolate and coconut.

I like them so much I created a flattened version of these haystack-style cookies to encase a scoop of coconut sorbet for an Easter Rabbi ice cream sandwich in my book, i scream SANDWICH!, coming out next month from Stewart, Tabori & Chang. (Follow the link and click on the preview for a sneak peek!)

During Passover, I scrape the seeds from a vanilla bean or use ground vanilla bean in place of vanilla extract, which is extracted in grain-based alcohol and therefore is verbotten. If that isn’t a concern, you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.

Check your milk label to be sure you are using the sticky-sweet sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated. A low fat one will work equally well.

Happy Baking and Happy Spring, whatever holiday you celebrate!

Fudgy Coconut Macaroons

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

12 mins

Total time

27 mins

 

The recipe is my adaption of one by Marlene Sorosky Gray that appeared in a 2007 San Francisco Chronicle article. Gray adds coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, but I went for the pure chocolate-coconut experience. If you want to add them, reduce the coconut by ½ cup and substitute 1 cup of chopped nuts. I use organic unsweetened shredded coconut. The condensed milk adds more than enough sweetness for my taste, and the unsweetened versions are less likely to be pumped full of additives and preservatives.

Author: Jennie Schacht

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Jewish

Makes: 30 1-inch cookies

What You'll Need

• 1 can (14 to 15 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 56 grams (2 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 180 grams (2½ cups) unsweetened shredded coconut
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground vanilla bean
• ¼ teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
• 1 large egg white, whisked until frothy

What To Do

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats, or line cushioned, heavy-duty, or doubled-up baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Heat the condensed milk and chocolate in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, or in a large bowl in the microwave (1 to 2 minutes at 100 percent), just until you can stir the chocolate completely smooth.
3. Stir in the salt, vanilla, and espresso powder, if you are using it, to dissolve the espresso. Stir in the egg white. Stir in the coconut until it is thoroughly coated.
4. Let stand for 5 minutes before scooping.
5. Use a ½-ounce (1 tablespoon) scoop or a spoon to drop the cookies in mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly with about ½ inch all around them. (They won’t spread.)
6. Bake until the bottoms are set when you slide a small offset spatula under one, 10 to 12 minutes. For moist, chewy macaroons, avoid baking longer than needed.
7. Remove the sheets from the oven and, using a heatproof glove to avoid burns, carefully transfer the cookies on their mats to wire racks or a cool counter to cool completely.

Notes

Store leftover macaroons in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or wrap tightly and freeze; thaw, wrapped, overnight at room temperature.

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