What is a Macaroon?
A macaroon is described as a type of cookie that is made from shredded coconut, ground almonds, or other nuts. A coconut macaroon is made from shredded coconut and sometimes dipped in chocolate. They are delicious and easy to make. There are several easy macaroon recipes you can choose from.
Origin Story: Coconut Macaroons
Many people make the mistake of assuming that macaroons originated in France. However, according to culinary historians, macaroons can trace their roots back to an Italian monastery in the 8th century. Researchers say that the monks who visited France in 1533 were joined by chefs of King Henry II’s wife who came up with the original macaroon recipe. Later on, two nuns arrived looking for asylum during the French Revolution. These nuns soon started baking and selling scrumptious macaroons to pay for their boarding. They were soon referred to as the Macaroon Sisters.
Homemade macaroon recipes made their appearance in recipe books in 1725, in Robert Smith's Court Cookery. This easy macaroon recipe made use of egg whites and almond paste. Over time, the recipe was modified and soon shredded coconut replaced the almond paste to give way to delicious coconut macaroons. The recipe soon found its way across Europe and even became a part of the Passover as it has no leavening or flour.
Coconut replaced almond in the macaroon recipe when the French started looking for ways to ship coconut to France from Sri Lanka. Whole coconuts could not make the journey without getting spoilt. This is how desiccated coconut came into being. French chefs soon tried making different dishes and desserts with shredded coconut. This is how the coconut macaroon came about. Today, coconut macaroons are well-known all over the world and are favoured for their mild sweetness and unique taste offered by the shredded coconut. Interestingly, the almond-based macaroons have become the second tier after the coconut macaroons came into being.
Macaron Vs. Macaroon
Many people tend to get confused between macaroons and macarons. A macaroon as described earlier is made either from shredded coconut, almond flour, or other nuts. The macaron is a delicacy that is made of two flat, round discs made from egg white and almond flour with a filling like jam or ganache. Although both these desserts have similar spellings, they are pronounced differently. However, they are both delicious in their way.
Simple Coconut Macaroon Recipe
If you are looking for an easy macaroon recipe you have come to the right place.
Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1 cup of white sugar
A pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups of desiccated coconut
½ cup of dark chocolate
½ tablespoon butter
Recipe:
Add the egg whites, sugar, and salt to a bowl and whisk well. You can use an electric beater and whip at a high speed until you see medium-firm peaks.
In another bowl mix together desiccated coconut and vanilla essence
Add this to the whisked mixture and fold it carefully.
Drop the batter using an ice-cream scoop onto a greased sheet pan or a pan lined with butter paper.
Remember to leave space between the scoops.
Bake this in a preheated oven for around 30 minutes at 325 degrees F.
Once cooked, allow the macaroons to cool.
Melt the butter and the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave.
Dip the cooled macaroons in the chocolate and place them in the fridge to allow the chocolate to harden.
You can store the delicious macaroons made using this easy coconut macaroon recipe in an airtight container. They can also be frozen in the freezer like
Besan Ladoo and
Sabudana KheerNutritional Facts of Coconut Macaroons
One serving of a coconut macaroon is considered to be one macaroon that is 3 inches in diameter. Let’s take a look at the nutritional content of a homemade macaroon:
Calories: 570 Cal
Fat: 47 grams
Cholesterol: 6.8 mg
Carbohydrates: 28 grams
Potassium: 141 mg
Sodium: 97 mg
Protein: 6 grams
The coconut macaroon, although high in calories, is also rich in minerals and vitamins. It is a good source of calcium, iron, Vitamin A and C. Unlike other desserts like
Chocolate Mousse
and
Tiramisu the coconut macaroon is not too sweet.
Coconut Macaroon Variations
If you would like to change up your easy coconut macaroon recipe, you have come to the right place. Macaroon cookies are made up of mostly coconut, making it easy to make a few modifications. Some of the popular variations that have become popular over the years include adding dried cherries, mini chocolate chips, dried apricots, dried cranberries, dried strawberries, chopped nuts and so on.
You can also have fun with some combinations like walnuts and orange zest, white chocolate chips and almonds and so on. All you need to do is, add half a cup of your additional ingredients and add them to the best macaroon recipe.
Why Opt for Coconut Macaroons?
One of the best things about the easy macaroon recipe is that it is gluten-free. No flour is added to the recipe, making it a great choice for people who are allergic to gluten.
You can store your baked coconut macaroons for up to five days in an air-tight container. You can also make them ahead and store them in a freezer. You can make them ahead of a big party and defrost them overnight for the perfect dessert.
Unlike other desserts, it is easy to track how many servings you have had. One serving of a macaroon can come in handy to satisfy our sweet tooth when you are trying to cut down on your sugar intake. There are several easy macaroon recipes available across the internet to try out. Once you find a recipe that works, you can make slight modifications based on your taste palate. Just like
Vegan Kheer, you can make changes to a macaroon recipe to make it vegan.
The coconut macaroon remains popular to this day. Although it requires few ingredients and can be made easily, it is a favourite among the young and old alike even today.