Coconut Macaroon Brownies

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Super-rich, fudgy brownies meet chewy, sweet macaroons in this gorgeous mash-up of two crowd-pleasing desserts. Using coconut flour instead of wheat flour, Jake Cohen created a brownie with a consistency that's simultaneously tender and dense, while also keeping the brownies gluten-free and kosher for Passover. Then, in an homage to the canned Manischewitz macaroons he grew up eating at his own family's Passover Seder, Cohen tops the coconut flour brownies with a layer of well-salted coconut macaroon to yield an eye-catching hybrid dessert that's the best of all worlds: chewy, crunchy, and not too sweet. A cup of coconut oil may be used in place of butter, if you'd like to make the dessert pareve.

Active Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
3 hrs 50 mins
Yield:
2 dozen

Ingredients

Brownie Layer

  • 8 ounces dark chocolate bar (70% cacao), coarsely chopped

  • 1 cup unsalted butter or coconut oil (8 ounces)

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso granules

  • 1 cup coconut flour (about 4 ounces)

  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Macaroon Layer

  • 4 large egg whites

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar

  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 4 cups unsweetened finely shredded coconut (12 ounces)

Directions

Make the brownie layer

  1. Line a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all sides. Set a medium metal bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water. Place dark chocolate and butter in bowl, and cook, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

  2. Whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, vanilla, salt, and espresso granules in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk in warm chocolate mixture until smooth. Fold in coconut flour until just combined, and fold in chocolate chips.Transfer batter to prepared pan; spread in an even layer. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Make the macaroon layer

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Beat egg whites with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until frothy, about 1 minute. With mixer running on medium speed, slowly add granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat, gradually increasing speed to high, until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add coconut; beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Spread coconut mixture in an even layer over brownie batter.

  2. Bake in preheated oven until brownies are just set and top is golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Remove from pan; cut into 24 brownies, and serve.

    Coconut Macaroon Brownies
    Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Paige Grandjean and Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
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