Macadamia Macaroons

A macaroon is a type of small, circular cake that more closely resembles a cookie. Legend has it that this delicious dessert can be traced to an Italian monastery during the French Revolution of the 9th century. Seeking asylum, two Benedictine nuns paid for their housing by baking and selling macaroon cookies. The recipe was later adopted by Italian Jews due to the lack of flour or leavening, and soon became popular as a year-round treat throughout Europe. Today, particularly in the United States, the coconut variety is the best known. Embrace your inner historian and try this spin off tonight.

Macadamia Macaroons

Ingredients:
1 (7-oz.) package sweetened, flaked coconut
1 cup dry-roasted macadamia baking pieces
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
30 saltine crackers, finely crushed
3 egg whites
1 (6-oz.) package white chocolate baking squares

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line a 15×10-inch jelly-roll pan with parchment paper. Spray additional baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
• Spread coconut and macadamia pieces in a single layer in prepared jelly-roll pan.
• Bake, stirring frequently, for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
• In a large bowl, combine condensed milk and vanilla. Stir in coconut mixture and cracker crumbs, stirring until well combined.
• In a medium bowl, beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently stir in coconut mixture.
• Drop, by rounded teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets.
• Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until edges of cookies are lightly golden. Remove to wire racks and cool completely (about 1 hour).
• Melt chocolate according to package directions. Drizzle over cookies. Chill until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

Yield:
About 30 cookies