The Mystery of the Coconut Macaroon

[joyous]

When you buy macaroons at the bakery, you get a wonderful chewy cake-like mound.

When I try to make them at home, I get something that is more like candy. It ends up being essentially meringue mounds with coconut. Good, but not quite what I'm after. In fact, all the recipes I've found have me whipping up egg whites, and adding sugar, coconut, and vanilla.

What is the mystery ingredient that makes it more like a chewy cookie?

[carolyn.1]

bumping up for joyous..

[Laura]

It may take me awhile but around Spring 97 (maybe even '96) CL had a cover recipe with lemon filled coconut macaroon cups. They were very easy and a chewy cookie. I can get the recipe by this weekend (my old CL's are still in storage after moving last August) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/redface.gif

[joyous]

Originally posted by Laura:
It may take me awhile but around Spring 97 (maybe even '96) CL had a cover recipe with lemon filled coconut macaroon cups. They were very easy and a chewy cookie. I can get the recipe by this weekend (my old CL's are still in storage after moving last August) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/redface.gif

Thank you, Laura, that's awfully nice!

[Laura B]

I thought I would save Laura some trouble and post the recipe from Mastercook, but I do not seem to have that one. Perhaps Grace will see this and dig it out of her Cookware files for us!

[aka]

Laura B....I find I have that problem all too often; I look in my MasterCook (the latest edition too!!) and the recipe I want isn't there. Very frustrating. When I bought it I actually thought I was getting all the recipes up to a certain point.

Regarding the macaroons, I have an untried recipe from Cook's Illustrated from a while back. They usually test their recipes to death...I can post it if interested.

Lilia

[Grace]

Well it seems that my CookWare software that hardly anyone else seems to like comes to the rescue again! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif (Sorry, don't mean to be a gloater... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif )

Anyhow, here is the recipe for the Lemon Macaroon Tartlets - and it's from 1994! There was also a recipe for regular macaroons from 2000, that I'll post after the tartlet recipe. Hope they are what you are looking for!

CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

Lemon Macaroon Tartlets

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: Mar/Apr 1994 PAGE: 88

INGREDIENTS FOR 12 SERVINGS:
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1 tblsp. plus 2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
Macaroon Tart Shells
1/2 cup thawed reduced-calorie frozen whipped topping
1 tblsp. flaked sweetened coconut, toasted

INSTRUCTIONS:
Place egg in a small bowl; set aside. Combine sugar, cornstarch and lemon
rind in a saucepan; stir well. Gradually add water and lemon juice; stir with
a wire shisk until blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook 1 minutes,
stirring constantly. Gradually stir one-fourth of hot lemon mixture into egg;
add to remaining lemon mixture, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat 1
minute or until thickened, stirring constantly. Pour mixture into a bowl;
stir in food coloring. Place plastic wrap on surface, and chill.

Spoon 1 tablespoon plu 1 teaspoon lemon mixture into each Macaroon tart shell.
Top each with 2 teaspoons whipped topping and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon
toasted coconut.

Yield: 1 dozen

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Calories per serving 204 (32% from fat) Fat 7.2gCookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

Macaroon Tart Shells

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: Mar/Apr 1994 PAGE: 88

INGREDIENTS FOR 12 SERVINGS:
2 cups flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tblsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 egg whites
Vegetable Cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Divide mixture evenly among
12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray, pressing mixture into bottom and up
sides of muffin cups. Bake at 400º for 15 minutes or until edges are browned.
Coll 2 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan, and cool completely
on a wire rack.

Yield: 1 dozen (serving size: 1 shell)

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Calories 133 (40% from fat) Fat 6g

CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

Chewy Coconut Macaroons

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: December 2000 PAGE: 132

INGREDIENTS FOR 32 SERVINGS:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2-1/2 cups flaked sweetened coconut
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife.
Combine the flour and coconut in a medium bowl; toss well. Add the vanilla,
salt, and milk; stir until well-blended. (Mixture will be very thick.)

3. Drop the batter by scant tablespoons (about 2 teaspoons) 2 inches apart
onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 250 degrees for 50
minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan; cool cookies completely on
wire racks. Yield: 32 cookies (serving size: 1 cookie).

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 82 (29% from fat); FAT 2.6g (sat 2.3g, mono 0.1g, poly 0g); PROTEIN
1.5g; CARB 13.3g; FIBER 0.5g; CHOL 2mg; IRON 0.3mg; SODIUM 41mg; CALC 33mg

[joyous]

Y'all absolutely rock!

Hmmmm, a macaroon recipe with flour! This sounds promising!!!! Thanks!

[Peeps]

Joy- Can you please let us know how they turn out, whichever ones you try? I remember checking out that recipe when it came out in December but I never got around to trying it. I'd love to hear a review since I actually have all the ingredients on hand.

[Laura]

Grace, you rock! Sorry about the year, I remember making them in '97 http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/rolleyes.gif ! Anyway, I have been wanting to make these for awhile without digging through my storage boxes. Thanks

P/S I think the lemon macaroon tartlets are quite good and very easy!

[This message has been edited by Laura (edited 06-20-2001).]

[Grace]

Laura, thanks for the kind words, but really, it isn't any problem to get the recipes from my software. Now digging them out of a box and typing all that in would really be something, and YOU were willing to do that!! (I don't think I would have... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif !) It's my pleasure to help, and I'm always happy to post a recipe for anyone. And isn't it funny how time FLIES?! I mean 94 was a long time ago.... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[Lynn B]

YOU GO, GRACE!!!!
Whatta girl!!!!!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

PS Joyous, please DO let us know how they turn out! I've been eyeing that second macaroon recipe myself!!! Thanks!

[This message has been edited by Lynn B (edited 06-20-2001).]

[joyous]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Lynn B:

PS Joyous, please DO let us know how they turn out! I've been eyeing that second macaroon recipe myself!!! Thanks!

Is this quick enough for ya? I made the last recipe, the one titled "chewy coconut macaroons." They're very good, but still not cookie-ish. Or cake-ish. Or whatever it is I'm searching for.

I think I'll take them to the weekly faculty pool party tomorrow, and they'll be a hit. But for me: the search continues.

[charlie]

Here is another recipe, although not CL, it's mighty good:


* Exported from MasterCook *

Coconut Macaroons

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 48 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cookies and Bars Sue Bee Honey


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 14-ounce can sweetened and condensed milk
1 egg white
4 cups angel coconut (about 10 oz.)
1/4 cup Sue Bee Honey
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
48 Maraschino cherry halves -- optional

Combine first 5 ingredients.

Stir in flour, baking powder and salt.

Drop by teaspoonfuls on a well greased baking sheet. Lightly press a Maraschino cherry half into each unbaked cookie. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes or until coconut is lightly browned. Remove from sheet immediately and let cool on waxed paper.

Source:
"Sue Bee Honey"
S(Internet address):
"http://www.suebee.com/"
Yield:
"4 Dozen"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 65 Calories; 3g Fat (36.5% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 3mg Cholesterol; 33mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 412 0 2737 731 0 0 0 0 2130706543

Cookies=Dessert=Splurge=No Calorie Count!

I mean how often does one eat dessert? Not very often in our house, took quite a few years to break DH of the habit but was successful!!!


Oh, and BTW...skip them cherries!!!

[This message has been edited by charlie (edited 06-20-2001).]

[joyous]

Charlie, this is pretty close to what I'm looking for. I think it's the baking powder that does the trick. And I did skip the cherries, but it was because I love maraschino cherries so much that I'd eat the whole jar and forget the cookies!