Coconut Macaroons

A perfect summer treat: crunchy and chocolaty on the outside, chewy and soft on the inside. 

Today I'm in the mood for something tempting and deliciously sweet. Which means: Let's bake!!
I have been baking A LOT recently, especially after I got my new silicone mats from Kitchen Executive Chef. These mats are just perfect, no greasing and no sticking. And they are super easy to clean.
So, guess what is today?!? Time for one more chance to win a set of silicone baking mats. Many thanks to Kitchen Executive Chef:

And here is the recipe for this super easy, fast, and oh-so yummy coconut macaroons: crunchy and chocolaty on the outside, chewy and soft on the inside. In every bite you find the sweet and nutty flavor of the coconut, together with the bitter-sweet taste of the chocolate. Sinfully delicious summer treat!!
You can also try them with nutella ... check out at the end of this post! Once you try these, I'm sure you wish you'd made more :-)


Ingredients: to make about 16 macaroons (1.5 tablespoons each)  Printable Recipe

• 2 egg whites
• 1/3 cup of granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract
• 1 pinch of salt
• 7 oz, about 2.5 cups of sweetened flake coconut
• one cup of semi sweet chocolate
• 1 tablespoon whipping cream

Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus 30 minutes to cool down

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In  a large bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy.

Step 2: Add the sugar, the vanilla and almond extract, and the pinch of salt. Beat some more.

Step 3: Add the coconut and fold with a spoon until just combined.

Step 4: Scoop the batter onto your baking sheet, covered with a silicone baking mat. I used a  1.5 tablespoon scoop. Make sure your scoops are nice and compact.

                                                  

Step 5: Bake for 17-20 minutes until lightly golden, turning the baking sheet around after about 10 minutes. Let the macaroons cool down, for about 30 min.

                                                 

Step 6: Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water, mixing the chocolate with a spoon, and stirring in the whipping cream.

Step 7: Dip the bottom of each macaroon and drizzle the chocolate on top. Let cool in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or more before serving. I know... soooo hard to wait :-)

If you don't have chocolate handy or you'd like to experiment, you can also use nutella. Just make sure you warm it up just a little bit (in the microwave or a double boiler) so that it's easier to sprinkle on top. This is what you get! Buonissimi!!