For many years, when I thought of a macaroon I envisioned a round cookie made from shredded coconut. My favorite recipe, one I have used for many years, always has been a lilikoi macaroon.
For many years, when I thought of a macaroon I envisioned a round cookie made from shredded coconut. My favorite recipe, one I have used for many years, always has been a lilikoi macaroon.
Then, when I went to Paris and then NewYork City and took the dessert tour, I found that what is called a macaroon actually is a French macaron and rhymes with the word phone.
Here’s my favorite macaroon recipe:
Lilikoi Macaroons
Makes: 65 macaroons
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Mix all ingredients until combined:
8 cups macaroon coconut — fine grate, usually at health food stores, called desiccated coconut
3 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup sweetened lilikoi syrup (often next to the coconut syrup, used instead of pancake syrup)
Beat until nearly stiff:
8 large egg whites
Fold in the whites carefully into the coconut mixture. The dough should be the consistency of damp sand.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Shape mixture into 1 1/2-inch rounds, the size of golf balls, using an ice cream scoop, and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool on wire rack before storing in airtight containers.
This recipe for coconut macaroons is gluten free and simple.
Coconut Macaroons
Makes: 20 macaroon
Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine in a large bowl:
1 cup sweetened condensed milk (from 12-ounce can, there will be some leftovers you can pour over crackers)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add and stir with a large silicone spatula until thoroughly mixed:
4 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form. About four minutes:
2 large egg whites
Using spatula, fold the whites into the coconut mixture. Push the mixture together into a mound.
With wet hands or two wet spoons, gently form rounded tablespoonful of batter into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Arrange 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
Bake, rotating and swapping the positions of the pans halfway through, until the macaroons are golden brown in spots and their undersides are tanned, about 25 minutes.
Cool briefly on the baking sheets on racks, then transfer the macaroons to wire racks to cool completely. The macaroons will keep, uncovered at room temperature, for up to three days or refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three weeks. They also can be frozen for up to six months.
The French macarons are not that easy. These macarons are delicious, but make sure you have a 1/2-inch plain round tip and pastry bag.
French Macarons
Makes: 24
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
In food processor, pulse until well blended:
1 cup almond flour
1 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
Sift through a medium mesh sieve.
Beat till frothy:
3 egg large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch salt
Increase speed to medium-high and gradually add:
1/4 cup superfine sugar
Beat until stiff and shiny. Fold into almond flour mixture, add:
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
2-3 drops food gel coloring (depending on the type of macaron you want to make)
Fold till mixture forms a ribbon. Place in pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip. Make 3/4-inch rounds on prepared pans. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to one hour, depending on the humidity, until tops are not sticky to touch. Slip another baking sheet under the pan to protect the cookies. Bake for 20 minutes.
To make various flavors of macarons:
Raspberry macarons: Add two drops of pink, fill with seedless raspberry jam.
Mint macarons: Add two drops of green, replace vanilla extract with mint extract. Microwave to melt:
2 ounces white chocolate
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
Mix, add:
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
1 drop green coloring
Blueberry macarons: Add two drops blue gel food coloring, flavor with vanilla extract. Soften:
4 ounces cream cheese, add 3 tablespoons blueberry jam for filling.
Lavender-honey macarons: Add two drops violet gel food coloring. Flavor with vanilla or almond extract. Mix together:
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon dried lavender, ground for fillling
Small bites
Desiccated coconut means the coconut meat was dried, with less moisture than freshly grated coconut. The moisture content is 3 percent. It can come sweetened or unsweetened, but the ones at the health food stores usually are unsweetened.
Be sure when you separate the eggs no bits of yolk get into the whites. This will prevent the whites from beating stiff.
Egg whites are easier to separate when cold, just out of the refrigerator. If the recipe calls for room temperature egg whites, separate them when cold, then allow them to sit at room temperature about 30 minutes. They will foam to a greater volume because the proteins are not as rigid and stable as when cold.
Superfine sugar sometimes is called bar or caster sugar, as it dissolves quickly. If you do not have superfine sugar, simply place granulated sugar in a blender and blend until fine. Remeasure sugar according to the recipe. Do not substitute with confectioners’ sugar, which has cornstarch.
I purchased a silicone pan to make macarons. Silicone does not brown, so for macarons it works well and ensures the same sizes. Also, silicone pans do not get as hot as metal pans, so doubling the pans as the recipe calls for would not be necessary.
Foodie bites
Volcano Winery’s 2015 Harvest Festival is scheduled for 4-7 p.m. Sept. 13 at the winery located at 35 Pii Mauna Drive in the Volcano Golf Course Subdivision. Tickets at $40 for adults (21 years and older) and $20 for keiki from 2 to 12 years old and are available at Volcano Winery, by calling 967-7772 or online at www.volcanowinery.com.
All proceeds will benefit the Volcano School of Arts and Science STEAM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) program.
Enjoy the music of Mahilani House Band &Friends with heavy pupus from The Rim Restaurant at the Hawaii Volcano Lodge, Café Ono, Ka‘u Coffee Mill, Kilauea Lodge, Lava Rock Café, Café Ohia, Papa‘a Palaoa Bakery, Rusty’s Coffee, Thai Thai Restaurant, Tuk-Tuk Thai and others.
Email me at audreywilson808@gmail.com if you have questions.