Coconut Macaroons with Salted Dark Chocolate Ganache – 2017 Red Carpet Menu for Oscar®

One of the desserts for the 2017 Red Carpet Menu for Oscar® is here!

The movie Moonlight is POWERFUL! I wanted this dish to honor it’s three stages – “Little”, “Chiron”, and “Black” that make up the whole.  Taking this year’s theme of rich flavors with various tastes, this cookie hits it with a sweet, bitter, and salty finish that works flawlessly.

Here’s how:

INGREDIENTS:
The Cookie:
• 4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 large egg whites
The Ganache:
• 8 oz dark chocolate
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1-2 tbsp sea salt

DIRECTIONS:
The Cookies:
1) Mix coconut, milk, and vanilla in a bowl.
2) In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy. Fold into coconut mixture.
3) Spoon coconut batter onto parchment-lined baking pans into 1-2” balls.
4) Bake at 325° for 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Let cool fully.
The Ganache:
5) Chop chocolate finely and set aside in a heat-safe bowl.
6) Heat cream until boiling and pour over chocolate, whisking until smooth and glossy.
7) Spoon ganache onto the macaroons and sprinkle with sea salt. Let set and serve!

I love the way these “Macaroonlights” come together. Not a lot of time or effort for such a wonderful delight! Making the ganache is like magic! The way those shards of chocolate and cream effortlessly combine into that luscious, glossy, delectableness! And let me just tell you… the salt MAKES the whole thing come together! Each bite just makes you want the next one and the next! Yes, these will be your new cookie addiction!

Annette