Weekly Recipe #59: Macaroons

After Toast!, our volunteer celebration, we received quite a few requests for the macaroon recipe that Lila made for our fabulous volunteers. Chef Cassie obliged with the recipe, so here's some coconut-y love, from our kitchen to yours:

Macaroons
(Makes roughly 2 dozen)

7 oz. water (3/4 cup + 2 tbsp.)
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 oz. light corn syrup (1/4 cup + 2 tbsp.)
1/2 oz. vanilla bean paste (1 tbsp.) [available at Byerly's]
1 lb. desiccated coconut [unsweetened, finely ground coconut - found at most co-ops]
1 oz. cream cheese (2 tbsp.)
25 oz. egg whites (3 cups + 2 tbsp.) [we suggest buying a carton of egg whites]

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring the water, salt, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, remove from heat. Put the liquids in a mixing bowl, adding the coconut, cream cheese and egg whites one at a time and mixing until each is incorporated.
3. The mixture should be fairly firm and thick. If it is runny and doesn't hold its shape when pressed into a ball (or seems to slump), mix in more dry coconut until it holds a firm and dense ball shape when squeezed in your hand.
4. Using a large ice cream scoop, press macaroon dough (should be firm) into scoop and level with side of the mixing bowl. Place on parchment lined sheet trays.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 13 minutes. Macaroons should be golden brown and crispy on the outside but still nice and soft on the inside.