Total Time

　　Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

　　The secret to these macaroons' texture is the Italian meringue, composed of egg whites and a boiling sugar syrup. When baking these for Passover, dust the sheets with matzo cake meal; you can use flour at other times.

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 60 cookies

　　Matzo cake meal for dusting

　　1 1/4 cups sugar

　　3/4 cup water

　　3 large egg whites at room temperature

　　3 cups finely grated unsweetened (desiccated) coconut (8 oz)

　　

Special Equipment

a standing electric mixer, a candy thermometer

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 2 baking sheets and dust with cake meal, knocking off any excess.

　　

Make meringue:

Step 2

Cook sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, until it reaches soft-ball stage (or registers 238°F on a candy thermometer).

　　

Step 3

While syrup boils, beat whites in standing mixer on low speed until stiff peaks form. Gradually pour hot syrup in a thin stream down side of bowl into whites, beating constantly on high speed. (Be careful not to let syrup touch beaters when pouring, or it will spatter and harden.) Continue to beat until meringue is room temperature.

　　

Step 4

Stir in coconut and spoon rounded teaspoons of meringue into mounds about 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Shape mounds into pyramids with wet fingertips.

　　

Step 5

Bake macaroons 1 sheet at a time in middle of oven 12 minutes, or until just firm enough to be removed from baking sheet without losing their shape. Carefully transfer to a rack to cool. (Macaroons will harden as they cool.)

　　Cooks' note:

　　·Macaroons keep in an airtight container 1 week.