Newsflash: I didn’t buy any macaroons this year for Passover. They’re…ok, in very limited quantities, preferably with actual fruit to lighten things up. But they’re so heavy and doughy and overly, throat-burningly sweet, and the cans from the major manufacturers–Manischewitz, Gefen, etc. etc.–all basically taste identical. Worse, they’re designed to feed a whole seder table with in-laws and more in a regular year. This year, with only two 3-D people at our table and not kibbitzing on Zoom, they would just hang around the table all week whether you really want any more or not.
I have made my own coconut macaroons once or twice before, and they came out lighter and better and different, not so packed-down. So this evening before supper I decided to try again. I needed something desserty and light and slightly impressive, at least to myself.
Why? Why in mid-Passover? Because.
Because I signed up for a COVID vaccine today. It’s April 1st, the first day I’ve become eligible in California…and within minutes, my HMO assigned me a slot for tomorrow. Tomorrow! My first reaction was “Ack! Tomorrow?! Wait, I just clicked to see what was listed on that date… I was hoping maybe next week or so, to give me a chance to get used to the idea!”
…I know perfectly well that I am lucky not to have to scramble for a shot, and that there is no real alternative if we want to get through this pandemic and end it. I also know perfectly well that I’m less nervous and more adamant about much less effective vaccines like the annual flu shot. Anything that’s 90+ percent effective is almost unheard-of and nearly a miracle. But a few minutes to get used to the idea would really help…well, I decided, that could start right after hocking my husband to get on and sign up quickly before all of next week’s spots get snatched up. And he did.
So once I calmed down again, because I knew I was being more apprehensive than the situation deserved, I decided to calm down further by trying to make something just tricky enough to keep me focused and not thinking about the shot. Also something that wouldn’t make huge amounts or take a lot of time.
And here’s what came of it–better than I expected. These lightened-up coconut…you can’t really call them macaroons. They’re closer to “macarons,” only with coconut instead of almond meal. Basically, coconut meringues.
Actually, I’ve seen an awful lot of meringues on Passover recipe rosters this year–pavlovas, coffee-tinged meringues, berry swirl meringues, plain ones…all kinds.
But I didn’t really think this was going to be one of them. The first time I made this kind of recipe, it came out like a slightly lighter, sweet-but-not-achingly-sweet version of a coconut macaroon with toasted almond chunks embedded in it. Pretty good, but it turned out tricky to reproduce. The last time I tried it, something weird happened when I folded the coconut into the beaten egg whites and they collapsed. I think it’s because I tried to rehydrate the coconut shreds before adding them. Or maybe I added the sugar all at once and then tried to beat it. Not certain…see, though, this is why this project was going to be slightly tricky and keep me occupied.
This time, after reading up on the right, very gradual, way to add sugar when you’re beating egg whites to keep them beaten, it came out really light, puffed way up, crunchy on the shell and delicately chewy inside–with great coconut flavor and toasted almonds.
I wasn’t really trying hard either, just not dumping in the sugar. All I did was sift the sugar in a few grains at a time after I got the egg whites up to a loose white-foamed “just-before-soft-peak” stage. I didn’t beat the egg whites and sugar over hot water as called for in a sturdy Swiss or Italian meringue. I didn’t even manage to beat the egg whites to the official stiff peaks for a proper meringue because I was whisking by hand and it kept ribboning out of the whisk after all the sugar was added, but it worked like a charm anyway. And–here’s the odd bit?–I used partially defatted unsweetened coconut shreds, much more delicate than the standard sweetened flaked coconut most recipes call for and about 40% less total and saturated fat to boot. So lighter in both senses.
In short, I didn’t do anything particularly exotic and all I ended up needing to wash afterward was the balloon whisk, the mixing bowl, and the cup I used to check the egg whites before adding them. Really minimal, and if it took me more than 10 minutes total to make the puffs before putting them in the oven, I’d be surprised.
And they were–and still are, I made myself put the rest away and keep them away after we realized we’d each eaten four or so–beautiful, crisp, lightly chewy inside, toasty and perfectly coconutty despite the defatted coconut, and a grand total of 5 ingredients. Very seriously worthy.
Coconut-Almond Meringues
Makes 16 2″ meringues. These are pareve (nondairy, nonmeat) though not vegan, and they are kosher for Passover. NOTE: I used the gram weights below on a food scale, so I’m not sure I can promise that the coconut volume is quite right.
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup or 100 g granulated sugar
- 50 grams unsweetened shredded (sometimes labeled “dessicated”) coconut (partially defatted if you can find it–Whole Foods carries it) –this looked like about a cup in the weighing bowl, but the package label suggests 50 grams is about 12-13 tablespoons, which would be 3/4 cup or so.
- a handful or 1 oz (30 g) almonds, roughly chopped
- small pinch of cinnamon, optional but good
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly oil a sheet of tinfoil or use parchment paper or a silpat on a baking tray.
Have the sugar ready to pour in something that will give you good control over it. A small bowl, creamer, coffee mug or whatever that will let you shake a little at a time into the egg whites.
Start beating the egg whites without sugar in a medium-sized mixing bowl with a large hand whisk, or use a hand-held electric or stand mixer if you prefer. When the egg whites foam up enough to turn white and make soft peaks, sift just a little sugar in, maybe half a teaspoon or so at a time, and keep beating, sifting in a bit of sugar, beating a few strokes more, sprinkling a little more sugar on, etc., until all the sugar is added. The foam will thicken and turn a brighter, shinier white with smaller bubbles, and it’ll be sturdy and sort of sticky at the same time, like melted marshmallows. It may not stiffen to peaks like regular unsugared egg whites–it may still flow into thick ribbons off the whisk, but as long as it’s not breaking down to a thin liquid, you’re good.
Dump in the coconut flakes, the chopped almonds and the pinch of cinnamon all at once and fold them in gently a few times to combine them. Dollop the mixture onto the foil, parchment or silpat by heaping teaspoonfuls, about 1 to 1 1/4 inch in diameter and height. Space them at least an inch apart, more if you can. Carefully place the tray on a middle rack in the oven and bake 20-25 minutes or until puffed about double in size, very pale golden-brown. They’ll be crisp on top but still fragile. Turn the oven off and let sit another 5 minutes in the heat, then remove them gently and let them cool.
B’te’avon, bon appetit, mangia bene–enjoy! (but just a few at a time.) Good luck and when you get a chance at a COVID vaccine, jump in with both feet and get it done. Next year may we be able to celebrate together in the real world–maybe even in Jerusalem.
Filed under: baking, cooking, Desserts, holiday cooking, nuts | Tagged: Desserts, food, Jewish cooking, Passover recipes, recipes |
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