Best Toasted Coconut Gilded Macarons Recipes

TOASTED COCONUT GILDED MACARONS

Steps:

• For the macaron shells: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Using a 1 3/4-inch round cutter as a guide, draw 15 evenly spaced circles on each of two sheets of parchment paper (for a total of 30 circles). Flip the parchment over and line 2 baking sheets with the parchment paper.
• Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, almond flour and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
• Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is opaque and foamy, about 30 seconds. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the egg whites are white in color and hold the lines of the whisk, about 1 minute. Continue to beat while slowly adding the granulated sugar, then the vanilla, until the peaks are stiff and the whites are shiny, about 1 minute more. (Do not overbeat.) Transfer the meringue to a large bowl.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry mixture into the meringue, using 60 to 75 strokes (the batter should fold back on itself). Just before you are finished folding, add some red gel food coloring to the batter and continue to fold until the color is even and the desired consistency is reached. Spoon half the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip. Pipe the batter onto the parchment using the circles as a guide, refilling the bag as necessary. Tap the baking sheet hard on a table to flatten the batter out, then let sit at room temperature until the tops are no longer sticky when you lightly touch them, at least 20 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter on the second lined baking sheet.
• Bake the cookies 1 sheet at a time, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through baking, until they have formed a 'foot' along the base and the tops are smooth and dry looking, about 14 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets. (Leave the oven on.)
• For the filling: Place the coconut on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 2 minutes. Stir the coconut, then bake for an additional 2 minutes. Stir again and bake for another 2 minutes. Continue in the same manner, keeping an eye on it because it can go from toasted to burned very quickly, until the coconut is toasted to a medium-brown color, about 6 minutes more. Let cool completely.
• Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan a few times, until bubbles start to form around the edge of the pan but the cream is not yet boiling, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate in a bowl. Let sit for 30 seconds, then slowly whisk the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Fold in the toasted coconut. Let the ganache cool to room temperature.
• Place the ganache in a disposable pastry bag. Snip about 1/3-inch from the tip and pipe about 1 tablespoon onto the flat side of a macaron shell. Place a second shell on top, pressing very gently to sandwich the filling. Repeat with the remaining macaron shells and filling.
• To decorate: Place a gold leaf sheet face-down on a macaron shell, handling the gold leaf very gently, and rub gently with your finger or a brush so that the gold leaf separates from its baking paper and adheres to the macaron shell. Repeat with the remaining macarons.

TOASTY COCONUT MACAROONS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the coconut out in a single layer on a half sheet pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the coconut is golden. Set on a cooling rack to cool.
• Whip the eggs whites and sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer on high for 8 to 10 minutes until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla and salt. The egg whites and sugar can also be whipped in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold in the toasted coconut.
• Drop by the tablespoon onto a parchment paper-lined half sheet pan, leaving 1 to 2 inches around each cookie. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

CITRUS MACARONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (or 300 degrees F for convection). Line 3 baking sheets with silicone baking mats. Sift the confectioners' sugar into a large bowl. Whisk in the almond flour.
• Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed until frothy, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium high and gradually beat in the superfine sugar until the mixture is just stiff and shiny, 2 to 2 1/2 more minutes, adding the food coloring and extract during the last 15 seconds of mixing.
• Fold the egg white mixture into the almond flour mixture using a rubber spatula, giving the bowl a quarter turn with each fold, until incorporated. Continue folding and turning, scraping down the bowl, until the batter is smooth and falls off the spatula in a thick ribbon, no more than 2 minutes (about 60 strokes).
• Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip. Holding the bag perpendicular to and 1/2 inch above the prepared pans, pipe 11/4-inch rounds (30 to 35 per pan). Firmly tap the baking sheets twice against the counter to release any air bubbles. Let the cookies sit at room temperature until the tops are no longer sticky to the touch, 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the humidity.
• Slip another baking sheet under one batch of macarons (a double baking sheet protects the cookies from the heat). Bake the macarons, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the tops of the cookies are shiny and rise 1/8 inch to form a "foot," about 20 minutes. Transfer the top pan to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining two batches, using a double baking sheet for each. Sandwich the cookies with citrus curd or preserves. (The cookies will be crisp on top. For a softer texture, sandwich the cookies and let sit 4 to 12 hours before serving.)