As you could tell from the top photo in this post, I usually make both raspberry macaroons and chocolate macaroons for Passover. They have the same characteristics – easy to make, moist, and truly delicious.
These macaroons get their flavor from two sources of chocolate – cocoa powder and melted chocolate. The melted chocolate helps keep them moist, and the cocoa gives a good depth of flavor.
I first mix the coconut, sugar, and cocoa powder together, then pour over it the melted chocolate. I use my hands (the best tools!) to fully work in the melted chocolate so I know it’s evenly distributed. I also use some of the dry coconut mixture to clean out the bowl of melted chocolate, so I can get all of that goodness in my macaroons. It’s the easiest thing – after scraping in most of it, I throw a handful of the coconut in there and whirl it around, and it gets all that leftover chocolate in no time!
Once the chocolate is worked in, I add my egg whites, let it sit for a little bit, and then scoop and bake. It should be very moist without being too sticky. I use the same method here as I do for the raspberries – pack the mixture into a #60 scoop. If it doesn’t come cleanly out of the scoop, it’s too moist and you need to add more coconut.
The only trick is making sure not to overbake them, which can be difficult to judge. Don’t bake them the same time as the raspberry macaroons – I tried that last year and when the raspberry were done, my chocolate ones were beyond redemption. To judge for doneness, the first step is to feel the top. They should feel dry and firm to the touch. The best way to tell, though, is to pull one out and break it open. Be careful, as it will be burning hot. If the outside third to half looks dry and just the center looks moist, they’re good and ready. The moistness comes from the melted chocolate, and isn’t a sign of being underbaked. If you look and there’s only a small “cooked” looking ring around the outside, they definitely need a few more minutes.
Chocolate Macaroons
Ingredients
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2-1/2 cups finely shredded unsweetened coconut (Paskesz and Leiber's are the commonly available KFP brands; I use Bob's Red Mill Shredded Unsweetened Coconut otherwise)
- 6-7 tablespoons egg whites (a little less than 1/2 cup; either from separated eggs or a carton of 100% egg whites)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix the coconut, sugar, and cocoa powder together.
- In a small, microwave-safe bowl, place the chocolate chips and microwave for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave, stir, and microwave for another 30 seconds. Remove again and stir. If the chocolate can be stirred smooth, it's good. If not, microwave it again for 15 or 30 seconds and then stir smooth.
- Pour melted chocolate into the bowl with the coconut mixture, and scrape out as much as you can. Take a small handful of coconut and place it in the small bowl, and swirl it around to capture all of the melted chocolate.
- Using your hands, stir the melted chocolate into the coconut mixture, mixing until it's fully incorporated. The mixture will be dry at this time, which is fine.
- Stir in the egg whites and vanilla, if using. Mix thoroughly together, and check the consistency - the mixture should hold together but not have extra liquid. If needed, add extra egg whites or coconut to fix consistency. Cover the mixture, and let sit for 30 to 60 minutes to help soften the coconut.
- After the mixture has rested, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Remove the plastic wrap from the bowl, and re-stir the mixture again to make sure everything is fully combined.
- Use a #60 scoop to pick up some of the mixture, and use your other hand to pack the mixture into the scoop. Make sure that it is packed as much as possible, this makes sure that the macaroon will stay together. Wipe off any excess (the scoop should be full and then flattened along the top to be the correct portion) and then release the ball from the scoop. If it was well-packed, it should hold together just fine. If it doesn't release cleanly, the mixture is too wet and needs a little coconut added to it.
- Place the ball immediately on a parchment lined baking sheet, putting the flat part along the sheet but otherwise try to handle as little as possible. The balls do not need much space between them, as the macaroons won't expand much (at all) in the oven.
- Bake about 15 to 20 minutes, until the surface is set. The best way to check is to remove one macaroon from the sheet and carefully break it open. If the outer third looks dry and cooked but the center is still moist, the macaroons are done. If just the outer edge looks dry, they still need a few more minutes.
- Remove from oven, and let cool. They should easily release from the parchment paper, and should be stored in an air tight container at room temperature.