Coconut and passion fruit macaroons dipped in dark chocolate

Coconut

Cocos nucifera

Coconut and passion fruit macaroons dipped in dark chocolate

Chef Lucía Merino

Lucía Patisserie

Lucía Merino was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Lucía is a pastry chef with over 15 years of experience in the industry and is the co-founder of Lucía Patisserie in Miramar. She completed her education in Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University and after an inspiring job under Master Pastry Chef Frederic Monet at the Ritz Carlton, her love and passion for classic French pastries blossomed.

Inspired by her travels and experiences, Lucía returned to Puerto Rico in 2015 with her husband, Johan, to open what they had always dreamed of: a patisserie where they could offer classic French confections while incorporating typical Puerto Rican flavors and ingredients.

Coconut and passion fruit macaroons dipped in dark chocolate

Yield

Around 28 macaroons

Ingredients

3/4 cup Egg Whites
3/4 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Passion Fruit Purée
3 cups Shredded Coconut
2 cups Dark Chocolate

Instructions

For the coconut and passion fruit macaroons dipped in dark chocolate

Place the egg whites in a bowl, and whisk in the sugar, salt, and passion fruit purée until well combined.
Add the coconut and mix with a rubber spatula until it is fully incorporated.
Transfer the coconut batter to an airtight container or cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick liner.
When ready to bake, transfer the coconut batter into a medium bowl.
Mix the batter thoroughly, redistributing the egg whites and sugar.
Using a small cookie scoop, firmly press the batter into the scoop.
Round the bottom of the scoop with the palm of your hand.
This will make the cookies slightly larger and help hold their shape.
Drop each cookie onto the prepared baking sheet, 1 inch apart.
Bake until the macarons are a nice golden brown, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking, 23-25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
Keep in an airtight container for 1 week.

For dipping

Place the dark chocolates into heat-proof medium bowls.
Fill a medium saucepan with a couple of inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Turn off the heat; set the bowl of chocolate over the water to melt.
Stir until smooth.
Once the chocolates are melted and smooth, remove them from the heat.
Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper.
Holding the Coconut Macaroons by the top, dip the macaroon into the dark chocolate, lift and shake slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl.
Set macaroons on parchment paper.
Repeat with the rest of the coconut macaroons.
Set the macaroons aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

Note: After dipping the macaroons, you can leave them out for 30 minutes at room temperature to set, or speed the process by popping them into the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

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