MAKES 4 DOZEN
This combination of three dairy products gives these cookies a moist and chewy texture that is totally addictive. You can leave them undipped, but chocolate is a great way of gilding the lily, especially if you are making them for a holiday cookie platter. Be sure to use some kind of nonstick liner, such as baking parchment paper, on the baking sheets to keep the macaroons from sticking.
MACAROONS
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon heavy cream
11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Two 14-ounce bags sweetened flaked coconut
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
14 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1. Position racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper, silicone baking mats, or aluminum foil.
2. To make the cookies: In a large bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla. Add the coconut and mix until the coconut is thoroughly incorporated.
3. In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, whip the egg whites until they form stiff, but not dry, peaks. Fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.
4. Using a tablespoon for each macaroon, gently press and shape the coconut mixture into mounds and place about a half inch apart on the baking sheets. If the cookies aren’t cohesive, they could fall apart during dipping.
5. Bake until the macaroons are tinged golden brown and release easily when lifted from the baking sheet (the bottoms should be golden brown, too), about 20 minutes. Switch the positions of the baking sheets on the racks from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking,
6. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes on the baking sheets (if you try to lift the cookies from the sheets too soon they will fall apart). Transfer the macaroons to wire cooling racks and cool completely.
7. Repeat steps 4, 5, and 6 with any remaining dough.
8. Bring a skillet half-full of water to a bare simmer over low heat. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, and place the bowl in the skillet. Be careful not to splash water into the chocolate. Using a rubber spatula, stir the chocolate often until it is smooth and melted. Remove the heatproof bowl from the water and stir constantly until the chocolate is completely melted.
9. Line two baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Place the bowl in a pan of warm (not hot) water to keep the chocolate fluid. One at a time, dip the macaroons in the chocolate to coat half of each cookie. Transfer to the baking sheet. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set and the macaroons release easily from the parchment, about 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.