How do you make coconut macaroons? GBBO technical challenge explained

"Far simpler and completely different to French macaron, the coconut macaroon is a sweet treat made from egg whites, caster sugar and desiccated coconut and some are even dipped in dark chocolate or served with a curd," says Liberty Mendez, Good Food & Olive's recipe developer and pasty chef.

"Make sure you keep an eye on them in the oven, you want the outsides to be golden brown, but the inside will remain soft and chewy," she advises. "Our top tip is to make sure they’re all the same size, so they cook evenly in the oven."

Here's everything you need to know about making coconut macaroons as seen on Bake Off.

What are coconut macaroons?

Coconut macaroons are small cakes, traditionally made from ground almonds, coconuts or other nuts, mixed in with sugar, egg whites and sometimes other flavourings before being baked.

'Macaroon' comes from the Italian word maccarone or maccherone, which means 'paste'.

They are often confused with macarons, which are made up of two round, flat almond-based biscuits sandwiched together and filled with a ganache or jam.

C0c0nut macaroons recipe

This delicious recipe from BBC Good Food for coconut and chocolate macaroons makes 12.

Preparation and cooking time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 egg white
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 tbsp plain flour
• 200g coarsely grated fresh coconut (about 1 coconut in total)
• 150g bar dark chocolate, chopped

Method:

STEP 1

Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff then gradually add the sugar, whisking until thick and glossy. Then sift in the four and fold it into the egg whites with the coconut until all are combined.

STEP 2

Using an 8cm pastry cutter, squash spoonfuls of the mixture onto a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper or silicone plastic sheets. Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden around the edges and starting to brown on top. Leave it to cool and then transfer to a rack.

STEP 3

As the macaroons cool, melt the chocolate in a microwave or over a pan of hot water and leave to cool slightly. Cover the smooth side with chocolate and leave to set in the fridge. Keep the macaroons in an airtight container and they'll last for two days.

Bake it different

Fancy trying a different recipe? Mix things up with Olive's coconut macaroon ice cream sandwiches. The recipe makes 12 macaroons and takes 45 minutes – top tip: use an ice cream with a high cream percentage to ensure it doesn't melt too quickly.

Ingredients:

• 4 egg whites
• 225g of golden caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp of ground almonds
• 2 tbsp of plain flour
• 2 zested limes
• 200g shredded sweetened coconut
• Strawberry ice cream or strawberries (for sandwiching)

The Great British Bake Off is on Tuesdays on Channel 4 at 8pm. If you’re looking for more to watch check out our TV guide.