Coconut Macaroons

Jellybaby_1

I've just cremated a batch of coconut macaroons using a recipe from Youtube (by Liza's Secret Garnish) as my Mary Berry book doesn't include them, and Cupcake Jemma on YT doesn't have 'em either. Over-baked and very dark brown base. If anyone has made white, slightly toasted coconut macaroons I'd love the recipe. This is the recipe I used: 2 eggs, 90g C.sugar, pinch of salt, 1 tsp vanilla, 160g dessicated coconut, baked at 190deg 15 mins (took 'em out at 15mins). Giving up Youtube recipes very soon!!!!

Graces7

There seems to be a wide variation in recipes for these delicacies a/c to google. Interesting... The BBC recipes are usually reliable... and checking on them well before the time stated?

Faith

I've used this BBC recipe: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/coconut-macaroons and this fancier recipe: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/coconut-macaroons.html

Both worked really well, but I found the fancier recipe harder to work with.

phormium

Probably nothing wrong with the recipe you used other than oven temp, 190 is hot, I'd use that to bake bread! I bake cakes etc at between 150/170 in fan oven. Turn down temp and keep an eye on them.

Did you use 190 in a fan oven?

Jellybaby_1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120161264#Comment_120161264

Yes I did use 190 in the fan as I assumed the majority of cooks on YT have fan ovens, and as the cook is in Sweden thought they'd be up to date. It did seem very hot to me. I usually bake cakes at 160 in my fan without any problems but I never made macaroons before so just tried what the recipe stated and normally I tweak - so I'll try again at 150? And pray. Hate wasting ingredients.

Thanks folks for your posts.

phormium

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120162557#Comment_120162557

I go by the basis that if they don't say fan then they don't mean fan! Not sure about Sweden but the bulk of US ovens are not fan as far as I can see from baking pages I am on. It's not as if they don't have them available but they seem to consider them inferior to the other kind!

Jellybaby_1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120162572#Comment_120162572

I gave up on American recipes. Got tired converting to grams. Cups don't make sense, weight is more reliable. I stick to my old cookbooks as much as possible. Pity my Mary Berry book didn't have it.

phormium

Yes I prefer to stick to recipes from this side of the pond as ingredients are similar, US recipes are very top heavy in sugar I find if you do get one that is in grams. Only exception I make is for chocolate chip cookies but it must be a gram recipe!

Pity Mary Berry didn't have one, next stop for me would be Delia Smith, then Darina Allen who does have one if you google. At least that is tried and tested with Irish ingredients and ovens.

Jellybaby_1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120162652#Comment_120162652

I'll look for Darina's. I have far too many cookbooks. Delia is another favourite.

phormium

Now I really want coconut macaroons! I have loads of egg whites in the freezer and I know there is coconut in the press, I may have to bake tomorrow 😊

phormium

Yum, they are delicious! 😊 Used basic 2 egg whites, 80g sugar, 150g coconut, didn't bother with vanilla or salt. Baked at 150 fan for just a little over 15minutes, dipped bottoms in dark choc. I love a dark chocolate bounty bar and these are a very similar taste.

Speedsie

I like this recipe from the 1970s part-work magazine Supercook. I put a quartered glace cherry on top before baking.

I'm not a huge chocolate fan, but they could easily be dipped in melted dark chocolate.

Very more-ish

Jellybaby_1

The temperature and timing on that coconut pyramids recipe is the same as I used and they were cremated so I wouldn't be trying it again with my oven.

Speedsie

Ah! I only leave them in for 10 minutes before checking.

Faith

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120170554#Comment_120170554

You said you did yours at 190 fan? That’s the equivalent of 210 non-fan. The pyramids recipe above quotes a temp of 30 degrees cooler - 180 non fan. It sounds like the issue is just the oven is too hot, rather than the recipe being a problem.

phormium

That recipe is not showing a fan oven temp, it doesn't say it and it's an old recipe so definitely means non fan oven. Try at 150 fan

Only think I wouldn't go for with that recipe is while egg and coconut amount are roughly same as what I used, the sugar is practically double, I like to cut down a bit on sugar where I can get away with it. It probably makes them chewier but the 2 white/80g sugar/150g coconut was perfectly sweet enough anyway and I liked the consistency.

Jellybaby_1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120172766#Comment_120172766

Yep, I'll be trying the 150 temp in future. Thanks.