White Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

Here in San Francisco there is an Asian bakery chain called Sheng Kee that bakes all kinds of amazing and yummy treats including bread, cakes, Asian pastries, and several types of cookies.  One of the cookies they make are these tiny little coconut macaroons. They are a one bite/pop in your mouth sensation. They are so addicting it is hard to eat just one. My son calls them coconut bombs. They have the perfect chewiness and coconut flavor without being too sweet. Whenever we walk past this bakery my son Seth cannot help but stop and buy a bag. “Oh Mommy, let’s get some coconut bombs”!  he’ll say. One of their bakeries is smack right next to Home Depot; oh so conveniently located while The Husband shops for drill bits. This recipe reminds me of that cookie. I took it one step further and dipped them in white chocolate.

Coconut Macaroons Dipped in White Chocolate

Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine

(yield 4 dozen cookies)

3/4 Cup egg whites

1  1/2 Cup plus 1 Tbsp. sugar

12 oz. unsweetened finely shredded coconut

1 tsp. vanilla bean paste

12 oz. finely chopped Ghiradelli white chocolate

1. Position oven racks in the center and upper portions of the oven and heat the oven to 350°. Line two heavy baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat.

2. In a large bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy and add sugar, and vanilla bean paste until combined. Stir in the coconut until combined.

3. Scoop the mixture using a one tablespoon scoop (1/2 oz. scoop) onto the pans leaving 1 1/2 inch spaced in between cookies. Bake until the cookies are an even golden color and they appear dry; not at all sticky or wet looking; about 25 minutes. Halfway through baking, switch the pans from top to bottom and rotate them from back to front also for even baking.

4. Let the cookies cool thoroughly on a wire rack. Place the chopped white chocolate in a micro wave safe bowl and at 50 % power melt the chocolate slowly by using 15 second intervals stirring in between until the chocolate is melted. Dip the cookies into the melted chocolate and place onto a wax paper. Let cookies set up until chocolate sets.

My beautiful Son and official cookie taster Seth

{Printable Recipe}:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fADab3nGyh30f9rTG7U6wZHz75-HzFfd7KlcABT4d04/edit