Dry Coconut Macaroons

Asked by DebJA. Answered on 22nd June 2016

Full question

I made the Coconut Macaroons but as I was adding the coconut the mixture was very dry. So the macaroons fell apart as soon as I took them from the oven. A disastrous waste of ingredients as I followed the recipe to the letter!

Our answer

Nigella's Coconut Macaroons are a soft macaroon cookie and they are made with shredded coconut. Nigella notes in the introduction to the recipe that shredded coconut is different to desiccated coconut (unsweetened shredded coconut) as it is much moister and sweeter. If desiccated coconut is used then it is likely that the macaroon mixture will be dry, as the desiccated coconut will absorb a lot of moisture. Desiccated coconut also has a finer texture than the sweetened, shredded coconut.

Shredded coconut can be a little tricky to find in the UK, though it is available in most supermarkets in the US. Baker's Angel Flake Coconut is the best known brand and is available on-line in the UK, and from some specialist food stores.