Air Fryer Recipe
Crispy Coconut Macaroons
A good coconut macaroon should have a slightly craggy look with toasted tips and a yielding centre. The air fryer excels here, quickly drying the outside while keeping the sugary coconut mixture moist inside, achieving that perfect crisp-chewy contrast without a lengthy oven bake.
Ingredients
- 200g desiccated coconut
- 170g sweetened condensed milk
- 2 large egg whites
- 50g caster sugar
- 15g cornflour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp almond extract, optional
- 100g dark chocolate, optional
- 1 tsp neutral oil, optional
Method
- Put the desiccated coconut, condensed milk, cornflour, vanilla, salt and almond extract, if using, into a large bowl. Stir thoroughly until every strand of coconut looks damp and glossy.
- Leave the coconut mixture to stand for 10 minutes.
- In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy, then add the caster sugar gradually and continue whisking to soft, glossy peaks.
- Fold the whisked egg whites into the coconut mixture in two additions.
- Preheat the air fryer to 150°C for 3 minutes.
- Cut a piece of parchment to sit flat in the basket, leaving a small gap at the edges for airflow.
- Scoop the mixture into 16 mounds, using about 1 heaped tablespoon per macaroon. Compress each mound lightly.
- Place 7–8 macaroons on the parchment, leaving at least 2cm between them. Lower the parchment into the basket only once the macaroons are on it.
- Air fry at 150°C for 8–11 minutes, until the tips are golden, the edges are set, and the bottoms are lightly caramelised.
- Lift the parchment carefully onto a cooling rack or heatproof tray and leave the macaroons undisturbed for 8 minutes.
- Repeat with the remaining mixture, checking the second batch from 7 minutes.
- If dipping in chocolate, melt the dark chocolate and stir in the oil if needed. Dip the cooled macaroon bases or drizzle over the tops, then leave to set on parchment.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
