Winter, Dessert, Snack, Gluten Free, Dairy Free

Macaroons

Daniel Kohler ·

New year, yes friends?

2011 was not my favorite, I’m looking forward to storming 2012 with sequins and eyeliner. Join me? 

Just before I left NYC for my holiday travels (CO and LA) I made a batch of macaroons based on the recipe from Danny Macaroons in Manhattan. Danny Cohen’s macaroons are famous out here, the foodstuff of legend. What separates his delightful cookies from the chewy blobs in a Manishevitz tube? Condensed milk. Macaroons aren’t hard work, they aren’t the result of finicky preparation like their single-O cousins the Macaron. They are simply joyous little clouds of four or five ingredients. So when Danny Cohen uses condensed milk in his recipe, you really taste it. Caramel-sweet, the macaroons are crisp on the outside and creamy in the middle. 

Unfortunately my first batch was less than wonderful. They were soupy, not crisp in the least and only good if eaten right out of the freezer. Condensed milk is an ingredient that has always posed a challenge for my dairy-free tinkering. How do I replicate the caramel flavor, the rich texture, the aroma? 

Well, darlings, put on some lipstick and look pretty, I did it. Coconut milk+Palm sugar+Time=Dairy free condensed milk. When I stirred this magic into my shredded coconut I was awarded with precisely the right scent. Batch 2 was a major success. I separated the dough and stirred cocoa powder and cinnamon into half. Macaroons are waiting to be flavored with your cravings du jour. 

Make a batch, brew a pot of coffee and join me in an afternoon resolution. More glitter in 2012, more life, more stars, more sound and more moves. This chessboard needs some shaking up. 

Cheers!

Adapted from Danny Cohen of Danny’s Macaroons

  • 1 15-ounce can Coconut Milk
  • 2 small pucks Palm Sugar (~½ cup)
  • 16 ounces Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 2 Egg Whites
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt

Get Busy

  1. In a sauce pan over low heat stir the coconut milk and palm sugar pucks until they melt together. Simmer for another 10 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by half and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Take off the heat.
  2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Stir the shredded coconut and vanilla into the reduced coconut milk. It should be thick and fairly dry.
  4. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites with the salt until you have hard peaks.
  5. Fold the egg whites in small batches into the coconut mixture.
  6. Scoop the cookies into whatever shape you like and line them up on two cookie sheets.
  7. Bake the macaroons for 18-20 minutes, or until they’re golden brown on top.

Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Baking Time: 18-20 minutes
Yield: 40 2-inch cookies