By Tracey
Coconut Macaroons
from Cooks Illustrated
Ingredients:
- 14 oz flaked, sweetened coconut
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup egg whites, plus 1 tablespoon, from about 3 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Directions:
Set racks in upper-middle and lower-middle levels of oven and heat oven to 325 F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Turn coconut into food processor and process for 1 minute. Add sugar, process 15 seconds longer. Add egg whites and extract; process 1 full minute until the paste resembles slushy snow. Scrape sides and corners of workbowl with spatula; process until stiff but cohesive, malleable paste forms, about 5 seconds longer. If mixture is crumbly or dry, turn machine back on and add water by drops through feeder tube until proper consistency is reached.
Allowing scant 2 tablespoons of paste for each macaroon, form a dozen cookies upon each baking sheet, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart.
Bake macaroons, rotating sheets midway through baking, until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Leave macaroons on baking sheets until completely cooled or else they may tear.
Yields 24 cookies.
