Easy 10-Minute Recipe for Coconut Macarons
This recipe requires only 10 minutes (literally) to make and about 10 minutes baking time.
What they are
These coconut macarons are a delicious, exotic-tasting treat made with just a few simple ingredients. It's something you can easily bring to parties or dinners because they won't get ruined during transport (a definite plus, considering a number of unhappy past experiences with cakes splattered all over car seats) and they usually obtain everyone's favour. These macarons keep pretty well and can be stored for some days without their flavour or consistency being altered.
If you like Bounty, the famous candy-bar, then this is the recipe for you. I only tuned down the sugar a notch because I can't stand sweets that are too sweet - but you can always add more to the recipe if you feel it's missing something. Have a go with this version first (I don't think you'll be missing the sugar, I feel there's enough to make the macarons taste as sweet as they should) and then you can add more the second time round if you feel like you need to. Keep in mind that the "standard" version requires equal parts of coconut and sugar, which is just too much for me.
This is a gluten free and dairy free recipe and is perfect to make with kids: it is super, super easy and a lot of fun because it requires rolling the paste into small coconut balls before putting the macarons in the oven. Note: if you are making it with kids, then I'd say it might require a little more than 10 minutes. ;)
Ingredients
240 g grated coconut, unsweetened (I like to buy finely grated because it gives the end result a smoother consistency)
150 g sugar
4 eggs, from which you'll need only the egg-whites (that's about 130 grams of liquid egg whites if you're using egg whites in a carton)
Procedure
The best part of this recipe is that it is really straightforward:
Put the grated coconut and sugar in a bowl and mix.
Separate your whites from your yolks, as you'll only be needing the whites.
Add the 4 egg whites (or your 130 grams of liquid egg-whites) to the other ingredients and mix together until the egg whites "absorb" all the coconut and sugar and you get a uniform, paste-like consistency.
Put down some baking paper on a baking tray and you're ready to start rolling out your macarons!
Using the dough, roll out little balls about the size a walnut (although I personally like to make mine slightly smaller), setting each one on the baking tray as you go.
When the dough is finished (I usually get about 25 - 30 macarons), put the baking tray in the oven and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes at 180° C. Cooking time will depend on the size of your macarons. You'll see when they're ready because the top will start to crack and they'll turn golden on the surface. When you take them out of the oven, the centre should still be moist and perfectly white.
Enjoy!
Variations to the recipe:
I feel like I annoy people with my love for vanilla so for this recipe I went without my dear old vanilla extract, but you can always add a teaspoon to the mixture if you want the macarons to have a more rounded flavour. Pinch of salt optional. :)
My pantry for this cake
What you'll need if you're in Europe:
What you'll need if you're in the US or rest of the world: