For most of the world Easter means springtime: tree buds bursting open, tiny flower heads pushing through soft earth, birdsong, kneesocks, marbles and skipping ropes. In eastern Canada, it means we can start hoping that winter’s over.
These delicate, melt-in-your-mouth dainties are perfect after a big Easter dinner, no matter what the weather is like outdoors.
PINK COCONUT MERINGUES
- 2 cups flaked coconut
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 extra-large egg whites
- 1 drop red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
THE STEPS
- Preheat oven to 325*F. I have a convection oven so I used 300*F.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the flour and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Beat your egg whites with food coloring until frothy – I used my stand mixer, but you can also use an electric hand mixer. When soft peaks start to form, add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Beat until all of the sugar is incorporated and the egg whites are stiff and glossy.
- Reduce the speed of your mixer and beat in the vanilla and orange extracts.
- Fold in the flour mixture until well mixed. You can do this by hand or change the attachment on your mixer.
- Fold in the coconut.
- Drop heaping tablespoons of batter onto the prepared baking sheets roughly 2 inches apart. You’ll end up with 24 large cookies.
- Bake for 20 minutes whether you use a conventional or convection oven.
- Remove from oven to a cooling rack. I slide the parchment right onto the cooling rack so that I don’t disturb the cookies.
- Allow to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container.
THE LOVE: The eggs for your PINK COCONUT MERINGUES should be cold when you separate them, but then you should cover the whites and let them sit out for 30 minutes so they can warm up before you whip them. You’ll get way more volume!
Happy Easter and thanks for reading.