Chocolate Coconut Macaroons

Chocolate Coconut Macaroons
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 136.

Soft, chewy and delicious! I liked these macaroons better than the Bittersweet Chocolate Macaroons that I made previously. For me, macaroons are supposed to have coconut in them! These are addictive and won't stay around long. 

4 oz. semisweet chocolate
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 egg whites, room temperature
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
7 oz. (2 2/3 cups) shredded coconut 

Adjust two racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two 12 x 15 inch cookie sheets with aluminum foil.

Break up the chocolates and place them in the top of a double boiler over hot water on moderate heat. When the chocolate has melted, set aside and cool to room temperature.

Beat the egg whites with the salt until they hold a firm peak when the beaters are raised.

On low speed add the sugar 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, pausing 10 seconds between additions. Add the vanilla.

Increase the speed to high and beat for about 5 minutes more until the meringue is very stiff.

Reduce the speed to low and add the cooled chocolate, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula and beating only until mixed.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and, with a rubber or wooden spatula, fold in the coconut.

Use a rounded teaspoon of the mixture for each cookie. Place the mounds 1 inch apart on the foil, forming 15 cookies on each sheet.

Bake for about 16 minutes, reversing the sheets top to bottom and front to back once to insure even baking. When the macaroons are done they should feel dry on the outside but must remain soft in the centers. Transfer to a rack to cool with a metal spatula. Raise the racks as high as you can (I used two stacked on top of the other) because they need plenty of room for air to circulate underneath, or steam forms on the bottom and keeps the bottoms of the cookies from being as dry as they should be.

They may be stored airtight or only loosely covered. If they feel too soft/moist when they have cooled, let them dry out by storing them so the air can get to them.

Variations:

Chocolate-Nut Coconut Macaroons: Use abot 1/2 to 3/4 cup pecans, cut into medium-size pieces, and fold them in along with the coconut.

Chocolate Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate Chips: Use about 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate morsels and fold them in along with the coconut.