coconut macaroons

These are Nolan's favorite macaroons. Scott asked for the recipe while still chewing his first bite. Ben liked them so much that he wasn't willing to share them with anyone except me. I thought Eric was going to rip my arm off when I took the last one a few years ago. And yes, my female friends also like them very much.

8 large (8 oz) egg whites
2 1/2 cups (17.5 oz) sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBSP honey
5 cups (11.25 oz) unsweetened, shredded dried coconut. Do not substitute sweet supermarket coconut.
1/2 cup (2.5 oz) all purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (optional)

In a large saucepan with a heavy bottom, warm the egg whites, sugar, salt, and honey, stirring over medium heat. When the whites are warm to the touch, add the coconut, flour, and vanilla. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is slightly dry and the bottom has just begun to sizzle and scorch. The mixture should be very thick. Cool. Chill until cold. (You can refrigerate this up to one week before using it.)

Position two oven racks in the center and upper part of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F.

Form the mixture into 1-1/2 inch mounds with your fingers and space them evenly on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets and switching racks midway through baking so the macaroons brown evenly. Cool.

Melt the chocolate in a clean, dry bowl set over barely simmering water. When the chocolate is almost completely melted, remove the bowl from the heat and stir until it is fully melted.

• Holding each cookie by the top, dip the bottom in the chocolate, removing any excess by scraping the bottom against the rim of the chocolate bowl. Set the cookies on the plastic-lined baking sheet with the chocolate side down.
• Drizzle tops with chocolate.

Refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened (about 10 minutes), and serve.
Makes 30 macaroons.

Note: These freeze very well. Don't double-pan when baking them. Temper the chocolate by keeping it under 90F to prevent it from blooming later.
Recipe from Cindy Mushet