Chewy chocolate macaroons

Macaroons are probably one of the easiest cookies that you can make. Mine are made with just egg whites, honey, cacao powder and shredded coconut, with a little bit of vanilla extract. You can leave the cacao powder out if you want to.

These are very good when they are fresh, but keep extremely well in an airtight container and become even more moist and chewy after a day or two.

Ingredients

2 cups shredded coconut
2 large egg whites

1/4 cup honey

1 ½  tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

You can pre-toast your coconut if you want a more intense coconut flavour.

Method

Preheat oven to 180C. Line a baking sheet with parchment/baking paper.
Spread your shredded coconut on a cutting board and coarsely chop it with a knife to break up the larger shreds of coconut.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg whites and salt until soft peaks, then with a spatula gently stir in honey, cacao powder, coconut and vanilla until well blended.
Place spoonful’s of the coconut mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Pack the macaroons together with your fingers (forming the mix into pyramid shapes is very attractive, but mounds of macaroon are just as tasty!)
Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until macaroons are golden brown around the edges (time will vary slightly by size of the cookies). Cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes 12 large macaroons.