Coconut and chocolate meringue cookies

Name: Coconut and chocolate meringue cookies
Ingredients: 3 egg whites; 150 g sugar; 150 g coconut; 60 g milk chocolate; 2 tablespoons whipping cream

Dessert - Coconut and chocolate meringue cookies by Fabiana E. - Recipia

Coconut and chocolate meringue cookies bake for 20 minutes at 120°C, then cool in the oven with the door ajar. The centers stay slightly soft, while the surface dries and gets thin stripes of milk chocolate. I serve them once the chocolate has set completely, so they don’t stick to your fingers. Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: 23 minutes. Rest: 60 minutes. Total time: 98 minutes. Servings: 4. Approximately 500 kcal and 7 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

3 egg whites
150 g sugar
150 g coconut
60 g milk chocolate
2 tablespoons whipping cream

Preparation

1. Beat 3 egg whites until stiff, gradually adding 150 g sugar, until you can no longer feel the sugar between your fingers. 2. Gently fold in 150 g coconut with a spoon. Scoop up the mixture and place small mounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 3. Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes at 120°C in a preheated oven. Turn off the oven and leave them to cool for 30 minutes with the door ajar, then transfer them to a wire rack until completely cool. 4. Break 60 g milk chocolate into pieces and put it in a bowl over low heat with 2 tablespoons whipping cream. Stir for about 3 minutes, until melted, then take the bowl off the heat. 5. Drizzle the chocolate over the cookies with a teaspoon and leave it to set for 15 minutes.

Notes

I serve them with black tea, which goes well with the sweet layer of chocolate. For a more bittersweet note, you can replace the 60 g milk chocolate with 60 g dark chocolate; the cookies contain eggs, dairy and coconut. Egg whites at room temperature whip faster than cold ones, and the bowl must be clean and free of grease. Finely shredded coconut makes a more uniform mixture than large flakes, which leave peaks and can make the cookies dry unevenly. If the flakes are coarse, pulse them briefly in a blender without grinding them into a paste. Don’t rush the cooling before decorating: warm cookies soften the chocolate and make it run off the edges. Once the chocolate topping has set, keep them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Place paper between the layers, as the chocolate surface can stick to the cookie above.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use pasteurized egg whites?

Yes, use 90 g, about the amount from 3 eggs. Let them come to room temperature before beating them.

Why does the sugar stay grainy in the meringue?

Large crystals dissolve more slowly; for the 150 g amount, choose fine-grain sugar and beat the meringue for another 2 minutes.

Can I replace the egg whites with whole eggs?

No, the yolk adds fat and prevents the meringue from becoming stiff. Use the 3 egg whites, without the yolks.

Can I use freshly grated coconut?

Not directly in the same amount, because it contains more water than dried coconut and can make the mixture too soft. Use dried coconut for this mixture.

How do I melt the chocolate without it turning grainy?

Use a completely dry bowl and stir over low heat; even a few drops of water can make the chocolate seize before it melts evenly.