honey macaroons
Anyone else constantly feel like they are having to bake just to use up extra egg whites or yolks? It’s the bane of my existence. This is how it happens: I make a custard or pasta and have extra egg whites sitting around. Then I have to look through all my cookbooks AND the internet to find something that strikes my fancy. But then again, I just came up with a super yummy recipe in the process! That’s a win win. (I could just add them to a scramble or omelet. The excuses I make…)
I think I had only made macaroons once prior to these. I like to order them at bakeries but I never make them at home. Plus I find them a little sickly sometimes. This recipe uses honey instead of sugar, adding a complexity to the flavor and a crunch to the caramelized exterior that I live for. Plus, they require so few ingredients, you can throw them together with little effort! With everyday pantry staples, these are the perfect treat to whip up when the need arises. Which will be often after you’ve tried these.
A few notes: These are small, but I find them to be rich and satisfying, so I prefer them this way.
If you’d like to dip them in chocolate, melt 2 oz./55 g 60-70% chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in 15 second spurts, stirring frequently, until just melted. Dip one side of each cookie and return to the sheet to dry completely.
honey macaroons
yield: 16 small cookies
2 (70 g) egg whites
6 Tb. (125 g) honey
pinch of kosher salt
1 ½ cups (170 g) unsweetened desiccated coconut
Preheat oven to 300F (150C).
In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites for about 30 seconds, until somewhat frothy. Add your honey and salt and mix well. Stir in the coconut, making sure there is no liquid sitting on the bottom of the bowl.
Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment. With a 2 Tb./#70 scoop, scoop all 16 cookies onto the sheet. Be sure to really pack your cookie scoop with dough, or else the cookies will be flimsy and less dome shapes. Don’t worry about them being close together. They will barely spread apart. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until nice and golden on the outside. If your oven runs hot, check around 15 minutes. Leave to cool completely on the sheet after removing from the oven. See above instructions in notes to dip in chocolate. These are best the day of: if you store them in a container, they loose their crisp exterior, but are still chewy and delicious.
