Chocolate Coconut Macaroon

Yummy! Ping went to Roma Bakery early last week just after turning in ahdik's application. Got
some of their chocolate macaroon and it was great stuff!!! So hunt around online for the recipe and found one that is very easy, requires simple ingredients that is readily available in Ping's pantry and fast too. We were also going to celebrate May Chia's '二X' birthday so got more motivation to make the macaroons.

Coconut Macaroons

4 egg whites

2 cups shredded coconut

1¼ cups white sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp almond extract

¼ cup flour

¼ tsp salt

⅜ tsp apple vinegar

Melted chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 300^oC and grease and flour cookie sheet.

2. In a bowl, beat egg whites, vanilla extract, almond extract and vinegar until soft peaks form. [ This is the longest and tiring step because we did it by hand, starting with Ping then Jo took over]

3. Gradually beat in sugar and whip until stiff.

4. In another bowl, toss flour, salt and coconut.

5. Fold dry ingredients (4) into the egg white mix (2-3). [Once mixed, must not dilly-dally in making the spoonful and putting it into the over because the mixture will lessen over time as the ‘soft peaks’ become less foamy.]

6. Drop spoonful on cookie sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes.

7. Allow cookie to cool and dip into chocolate. [We started out using melted chocolate chips but decided that we don’t have enough and should make more. So we made chocolate from cocoa and soy milk. It turned out okay but the process got us nervous for a while as we were not sure if we are getting a dipping chocolate that will solidify.]

The best part is the last part when we get to dip the macaroons in chocolate and make all kinds of decorations. The one on the left is one that has only part of the macaroons covered with chocolate - kinda like Pepperidge Farm style cookies while the one on the right is decorated with chocolates, dried strawberries, coconut, cereals and almond.

Making this reminds Ping of the almond macaroon Ping once learned from Tua Ee. That was the best macaroons ever!! Ping can finish the entire cookie container Ee usually use in like a day! Have to ask Ee for the recipe again. Ping only remember that it requires lots and lots of egg white. This time when make the almond macaroon, must get egg beater edi because too many egg yolks will need to be used later (although Ping can still make milo pudding after that). Will wait till after the committee meeting to work on that....now must study first.