Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

Photo: zazzy

Ingredients

7 ounces (2 ⅔ cups) shredded sweetened coconut

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 large egg white

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 tablespoon sugar

6 ounces good quality semi-sweet chocolate

1 teaspoon vegetable or canola oil

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a medium bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, salt, almond extract and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. Add coconut and stir with a rubber spatula until everything is incorporated.

In a very clean bowl, mix egg white at room temperature and 1/8 tsp cream of tartar. Whisk or beat on low with a hand mixer until frothy and the cream of tartar has disappeared. Increase speed and beat until soft peaks form. Beat in 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.

Gently fold half the beaten egg whites into the coconut, then fold in the other half.

Use a small cookie scoop or drop by tablespoons on a cookie sheet lined with a silicon baking liner or parchment paper. Will make about 2 dozen cookies.

Bake about 10 minutes or until the tops and bottoms of the cookies are golden brown and delicious. Ovens vary - watch the cookies! Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. I transfer the entire baking liner to the rack and don’t try to peel them off until they are completely cool.

After cookies have cooled, melt 6 ounces of good quality semi-sweet chocolate and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a double boiler until almost melted. Remove from heat and stir to finish melting any remaining bits. Dip each cookie bottom and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator until the chocolate sets and they come off the parchment easily.

Can be stored in an airtight container for a couple days - if they last that long.