Coconut Macaroons - Tres Leches Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between macaroons and coconut macaroons? ›

Macaroons are larger, denser and chewier that macarons, and definitely easier to make. Coconut macaroons are flavored with sugar and vanilla, but their main flavor is the coconut itself.

There are two different styles of coconut macaroons—those made with unsweetened, desiccated coconut (which is the kind that has been fully dried and contains no additives) and those made with moist, sweetened, shredded ribbons of coconut.

Coconut Macaroon Ingredients

Coconut: This macaroon recipe starts with 5 ½ cups of flaked coconut. Flour: All-purpose flour gives the cookies structure. Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the overall flavor, but it won't make the macaroons taste salty.

6 Coconut macaroons with chocolate flavoured decoration on edible rice paper.

Macarons are typically more expensive than other baked goods due to their labor-intensive preparation, high-quality ingredients, and delicate nature. How long do macarons last? Macarons typically last for 2-3 days at room temperature, or up to a week in the refrigerator.

That said, because macaroons are high in sugar and offer little nutrition, eating too many of them regularly could be problematic, especially if they replace more nutritious foods in your diet.

Store the Macaroons in a covered container in the refrigerator or they can be frozen. Can be served cold or at room temperature.

French macarons are softer with chewy shells and more subtly sweet taste, giving you more of that distinct almond flavour. Whereas Italian macarons are more crisp, even powdery at times and have a more pronounced sweet taste. A trained eye may even be able to tell the difference simply by looking at them.

If you have a bag of shredded coconut, then you can directly start making desiccated coconut. If you have a fresh coconut, then you will have to prepare the coconut before drying it.

I often use shredded coconut and desiccated coconut interchangeably when I am baking, making desserts, curries or coconut recipes. Shredded coconut is a larger fiber so you may want to pulse it in a food processor to make it finer to become more like desiccated coconut if needed.

What nationality are coconut macaroons? ›

The coconut macaroon was first discovered in the 1890s by a French company that added shredded coconut to the macaroon to help the macaroon from spoiling during long shipping processes. The same issue happened in the US, too, when a North American baker received a shipment of coconuts from a Cuban businessman.

Fresh shredded coconut will have too much liquid in it and this is likely to be seeping out when you cook the macaroons, making them sticky. Also as you live in Singapore it could be that the humidity of the air is contributing to the moistness of the macaroons.

Coconut macaroons may spread due to too much moisture. Try adding another tablespoon of flour or whisking your egg whites until fluffy. (Here are other ways to prevent cookies from spreading.)

To store: Homemade coconut macaroons can last up to one week in the fridge.

A History of Coconut Macaroons. The coconut macaroons you see in stores today are part of a long evolution of macaroons in the past. Despite contrary beliefs, macaroons are considered to date back to 8th Century Italy. The word “macaroon” derives from the Italian word ammaccare, which translates to “crush”.

There are basically three methods you can use to make macarons: French, Italian, and Swiss.

One of the main differences between French and Italian macarons is the method of preparation. French macarons are made by mixing the almond flour and powdered sugar with whipped egg whites, while Italian macarons are made by heating the sugar and egg whites together before adding in the almond flour.