Salted Caramel Toffee Coconut Macaroons

Salted Caramel Toffee Coconut Macaroons - made February 17, 2014 from Two Peas and Their Pod

This was another one of the treats I brought into work for the surprise going away party I mentioned previously. I love coconut so I don't know why I don't make macaroons more often. Or at all. This had all the elements I love: salted caramel, coconut, toffee bits, chocolate. With egg white and sweetened condensed milk to bind it all together and chocolate to provide a nice little base at the bottom. Move over Samoas, I've found a much more delicious alternative.

This did get messy to shape and mine didn't turn out as cute little pyramids like on Two Peas and Their Pod's site. I mostly just squished the coconut mounds tighter so they wouldn't fall apart in baking but couldn't get that pointed top to come to being. The coconut wouldn't cooperate and after a few attempts and clumsy sticky fingers, I conceded defeat. There's a reason why I focus more on how something tastes than how it looks; I just don't have the patience or artistic temperament for window dressing.

I did like this combination though and I need to remember to make macaroons more often. I think I could've baked these a little longer than I did because the inside was just a tad more gooey than I would've liked but the flavors were great and I like the crunch from the toffee bits. The only tricky thing when you bake with coconut is those stray bits that stick out of the cookies and yes, they always stick out, will brown faster and may end up darker before the rest of the macaroon is done so you have to make a trade off between a few almost-burnt bits here and there and a well-baked cookie.

1/3 cup salted caramel sauce

1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 egg white
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups sweetened coconut
1/2 cup toffee bits
2 cups chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the salted caramel sauce, sweetened condensed milk, egg white, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir until combined. Add in the coconut and toffee bits and mix well.
3. With a spoon, scoop up about 2 tablespoons of the coconut mixture and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Form the cookies into mounds that have a peak at the top. Use your hands to gently squeeze the dough together to create a slight point at the top. 
4. Bake the macaroons for 17 to 20 minutes, or until slightly golden brown. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes or until they are firm and set. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
5. Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Make sure you keep stirring the chocolate every 20 seconds or so until chocolate is melted and smooth. Lay out a large piece of parchment paper or wax paper. Dip the bottom of the macaroons into the chocolate-just so the bottoms are covered. Set dipped cookies on the paper to dry. Dip all of the cookies and let them sit on the paper until completely dry.