I've been meaning to make Flo Braker’s Ultimate Coconut Macaroon for some time. Most macaroon recipes are quite straightforward with a simple mix of egg whites, sugar, and coconut but hers is different. I enjoy lots of great results from Braker’s Baking For All Occasions and her recipe promises a crunchy outside and soft tender inside. That’s exactly what I like most about coconut macaroons!
So what makes this recipe standout from the rest of the pack? First, the list of ingredients includes butter for richness and corn syrup for moist texture. As for technique, it requires cooking the batter over the stove until it reaches 120F before shaping and baking. This technique is very similar to that of making financier, a favourite treat of mine. I had high hopes for these macaroons.
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Taste-wise, the recipe certainly delivered. The subtle caramel taste of the crunchy exterior provided a nice contrast to the rich tender cookie full of coconut taste. Unfortunately, they are certainly no lookers. The fussy and time-consuming step of shaping each mound of batter into tiny pyramid was exactly that, fussy and time-consuming. All the cookies flattened significantly during baking and I was left was a tray of little peaks. I was rather disappointed.
As I sipped on my morning coffee, I grew more indignant by the minute. All that work and my macaroons are not picture perfect! By the time I emptied my mug, I already had my tried-and-true coconut macaroon recipe in front of me. This Martha Stewart recipe produces reliable results every time and I absolutely adore the perfect little spheres. A quick comparison between the two recipe gave me clues on why the majestic pyramids turned into little pointy rounds. The higher proportion of sugar is the likely culprit.
I took stock of my pantry and realized I had enough ingredients to make a new batch of macaroons. I needed that to erase the memory of my earlier baking fail. Rather than staying with the plain version, I turned to the chocolate variation. Unsweetened chocolate and cocoa powder added an all new dimension to the tropical taste. Each individual deep dark chocolaty sphere reminded me of chocolate truffles, especially when I nestled them inside a small candy box. How delightful!
I am not giving up on Braker’s recipe just yet. The taste definitely deserves its namesake of Ultimate Coconut Macaroon. I think the batter will benefit from overnight resting in the fridge and baking in shallow silicone mould like I do with financiers. I can’t wait to give it another try. But first, I have over six dozens of macaroons to finish…
