Today’s recipe is a beloved French classic I’ve always adored, and that uses just three easy ingredients!
French Coconut Macaroons, or “Rochers coco”
You may be familiar with these marvellously simple coconut cookies, but one thing you perhaps don’t know about them is this: shape matters!
Last time I made a batch of French coconut macaroons, I shaped them into small pyramids — halfway between the Pyramide du Louvre and the Tour Eiffel — instead of balls, and all tasters agreed that this seemingly inconsequential change elevated them to a much higher plane, creating the most pleasant contrast between golden crunchy ridges, softer white sides, and moist hearts.
Incidentally, this recipe is a twinkling godsend if you still haven’t gotten around to baking those elaborate food gifts you ambitioned to give out (congratulations! you’re human!). It’s quick, it’s painless, and it’s effective: who doesn’t love a good French coconut macaroon, except party-poopers who don’t deserve them anyway?
And if you have a few minutes to spare during this fun-filled time of year, you can half-dip your French coconut macaroons in bittersweet chocolate then place them on a sheet of parchment paper to set.
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Ingredients
- 250 grams (9 ounces) unsweetened dried coconut flakes
- 160 grams (3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon) sugar (I use unrefined cane sugar)
- a fat pinch of salt
- 3 medium egg whites
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine the coconut, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the egg whites and mix them in with a fork.
- Scoop out rounded tablespoonfuls of this mixture and shape them into pyramids with the tips of your fingers; if you find this too tedious, rolling simple balls is fine.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes, or until golden at the edges. Let set on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, and transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- The rochers will keep for a few days, stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
Notes
If you have just 1 or 2 egg whites to use up, you can scale down the recipe.
