Coconut Macaroons

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The other day, my mom and I were at Fresh Market. The reason why I love going there is because they always have some sort of yummy sample.
That day, it was coconut macaroons.
I tasted one and thought, "Oh. My. God. These are amazing." It was a life-changing experience, an explosion of coconut flavor. My mom saw the expression on my face and said, "Haven't you had a coconut macaroon before?" I was shocked at her implication that coconut macaroons weren't that special. Immediately, I resolved to make amazing coconut macaroons at home.
I consulted The Joy of Cooking and found, to my delight, that they have a recipe for coconut macaroons. As soon as I got my hands on some sweetened coconut, I began.

Coconut Macaroons (From The Joy of Cooking):
Makes 18-24 macaroons


Ingredients:


2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg white
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt
3-1/2 cups flaked or shredded sweetened coconut (If you only have unsweetened, throw some sugar in with the coconut)

Instructions:


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix milk, egg white, vanilla, and salt until combined.

Add coconut and mix until blended.

At first, I misread the recipe as 2/3 cup coconut.

Because there's nothing better than coconut coated in sweetened condensed milk.

Drop dough by scant tablespoonfuls (or normal tablespoonfuls) onto two parchment-covered cookie sheets.

It's very difficult to get a scant tablespoonful of a mixture this thick.

Bake 1 sheet at a time until browned, 19-25 minutes.

Allow to cool and store at room temperature for up to 1 day or freeze.

These were just as good, if not better, than the ones at Fresh Market. One caveat, though: The macaroons get slightly soggy and the flavor of the condensed milk intensifies the longer they sit out. Either freeze them or eat them right away (it shouldn't be hard). However, when less than a day old, the balance between coconut and condensed milk is perfect. The macaroons are perfect alone, but for a really decadent treat, drizzle them with Aunt Mona's Fudge Sauce.
Stay tuned for a special Fourth of July post!