Coconut-Almond Thumbprint Macaroons

By cecelia26_

Ingredients

• 4 large egg whites
• 3 1/2 cups unsweetened dried, shredded, coconut
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup fruit jam or preserves (I used apricot, but any flavor you like will do.)

Details

Adapted from stickygooeycreamychewy.com

Preparation

Step 1

1.Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2.Fill a large, wide skillet halfway with water and bring to a simmer. Mix all ingredients, except preserves, together in a large-ish bowl and set it into the simmering water. A metal bowl is best, if possible. Stir ingredients energetically with a spatula or wooden spoon until the egg whites are hot to the touch, opaque and slightly thickened. Remove bowl from the water and set aside to cool for about 30 minutes. Doing this will give the coconut time to soak up some of the liquid.
3.Preheat your oven to 350 F. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
4.Using a medium-sized cookie/ice cream scoop (about 2 tablespoons), scoop the macaroon batter onto the cookie sheets about 1-inch apart. Make a small indentation in the center of each cookie with your thumb or the back of a small spoon. Fill each indentation or “thumbprint” with about 1/4 to 1/3 teaspoon of jam or preserves.
5.Bake for 5 minutes, rotating the baking sheets at the halfway mark. Lower oven temperature to 325 F., and continue baking for another 12-14 minutes – again, rotating at the halfway mark. The macaroons should be a light golden brown on the outside, with deeper brown around the edges.
6.Remove from the oven and set the baking sheets on a wire rack to cool. When cooled, gently peel off the macaroons and enjoy.

The macaroons are best served the same day they are made, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Makes approximately 18-22 macaroons.