Homemade Dark Chocolate Dipped Macaroons

I made this delicious confection and brought it to a Chanukah party at my in-law’s, Marsha’s house, and people went crazy for it, especially my daughter Randi and my mother. The following week, I doubled the recipe for a Chanukah-Christmas dinner party at my friend Jim’s house. When I brought out the platter with these candies, they looked magnificent. The comment made was that they looked like they were made by Ina Garten or Martha Stewart! If you went to buy these at a fine candy shop, it probably would have cost at least $16.00 a pound. And these taste even better. They are much more delicious than standard macaroons, because they are soft on the inside! You must try them, especially if you want to give your family and friends an incredible treat.

I recommend doubling this recipe.

• 3 extra large egg whites at room temperature
• 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. pure almond extract
• 1 7 oz. bag sweetened flaked coconut
• 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted *See note at bottom

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Put parchment paper or nonstick foil on 2 cookie sheets.

With electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites until foamy; keep mixer on high speed and add the sugar. Beat till you have soft peaks. Gently fold in extracts and coconut.

Drop by rounded teaspoons or tablespoons (depending on how big you want the candies to be) on parchment paper. Bake about 15 to 20 minutes until the coconut on top starts to be a little browned and the bottoms are slightly browned.

Let cool on baking pans. While they are cooling, melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl on a very low power level.

When macaroons are cool, take them off the cookie sheet one at a time. Then dip the bottoms and then turn them so the chocolate goes a little up the sides. I dip them so there is a pretty thick layer of chocolate on the bottoms. Then place them right back either on the parchment or on some new waxed paper. Place them right on the paper in the fridge for about an hour to set. They will release completely off the paper. Put them on a serving platter and keep cold until you serve them.

* The first time I made these I used all Guittard bittersweet chocolate morsels. The second time, I used a combination of Bakers bittersweet chocolate (in the box) and some semi-sweet chocolate chips. It came out delicious both times.