Coconut Meringues + Happy International Women’s Day!

16 Comments | March 8, 2010 | Posted in Desserts, Vegetarian

Today is the International Women’s Day, a holiday that is celebrated widely in Azerbaijan just as in many other parts of the world. I would like to congratulate all the women on this occasion and wish them all the best. As a dedication to them, here’s the recipe for my favorite meringue with coconut. Light as a feather, these will melt in your mouth. Enjoy!

Coconut Meringues
Adapted from Cooking Light, December 2007

Note: While toasting the coconut enhances its flavor, you can omit this step if you wish too - the meringues will taste great with regular sweetened coconut flakes.

Makes 31 meringues

1/2  cup  flaked sweetened coconut
3  large egg whites
dash of salt
1/2  cup  sugar
1/4  teaspoon  vanilla extract
1/8  teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
1  tablespoon  unsweetened cocoa

If you are going to toast coconut flakes, follow these steps. Heat the oven to 350F. Sprinkle coconut flakes in one layer onto an ungreased baking sheet. Toast on the middle rack of the oven for 5 minutes, watching closely and taking care not to overtoast. The coconut should turn light brown. You may want to stir the flakes a few times with a spatula so that the coconut does not burn and toast evenly. Remove from the oven. Transfer onto a plate and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, bring the oven temperature down to to 250°.

Combine the egg whites and salt in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until soft peaks form.

Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form. Add extracts and beat just until blended. Do not overbeat. Gently fold in coconut.

Drop by rounded tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto 2 baking sheets covered with parchment paper.

Bake at 250° for 1 hour until very lightly browned and almost crisp, switching baking sheets and rotating front to back halfway through baking time. Remove from oven. Cool for 25 minutes (meringues will crisp as they cool). Sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon cocoa.

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16 Comments Add your own

  • 1. Rosa  |  March 8th, 2010 at 1:59 pm

    Happy Women’s Day! Those are cute little meringues!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  • 2. Jolette  |  March 8th, 2010 at 2:00 pm

    I’m so happy to be a woman, and not just today - because it gives me an excuse to be fanatic about food! These look so delicious, Farida. And meringues contain hardly ANY calories, right? ;-)

  • 3. snookydoodle  |  March 8th, 2010 at 2:16 pm

    i like meringues especially with coconut :)

  • 4. Leyla  |  March 8th, 2010 at 11:01 pm

    S 8-m Martom tebya, dorogaya Faridochka!

    I also love meringues, and adding the coconut makes them that much more appealing! I’ve been meaning to make meringues for awhile now, thanks for this recipe, I will be trying it out very soon! =) xoxo

  • 5. Deepa G Joshi  |  March 9th, 2010 at 5:36 am

    such beautiful and delicate meringues..lovely..

  • 6. zerrin  |  March 9th, 2010 at 8:16 am

    Feride, these meringues are wonderful treats for this special day. They look so light that one may think that they can fly like a feather.So lovely!

  • 7. Marysol  |  March 9th, 2010 at 10:49 am

    Happy Women’s Day to you Fari, and all!

    And what a sweet way to celebrate the event. My troops and I love baked meringues. Add the coconut and cocoa dusting, and it’s a party.

  • 8. scary azeri  |  March 9th, 2010 at 11:59 am

    S 8 Marta to you too!!!! :)

  • 9. Leesa  |  March 9th, 2010 at 1:25 pm

    WOW.. Farida.. Those look really YUMMY!! Happy Women’s Day to you.. a day late…
    Cheers,
    Leesa

  • 10. Cynthia  |  March 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm

    Happy Women’s Day!!!

  • 11. Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen  |  March 9th, 2010 at 2:56 pm

    Those are absolutely GORGEOUS!!!! Happy Women’s Day to you too!

  • 12. ML  |  March 10th, 2010 at 2:22 am

    Making these sweeties for an international elementary school dance this Friday … they are the perfect treat for kids from around the world!

  • 13. Cherine  |  March 10th, 2010 at 5:02 am

    These are soooo beautiful!!!

  • 14. Aparna  |  March 11th, 2010 at 12:39 am

    I never thought to add toasted coconut to meringues! Shall try this next time.
    Happy Women’s Day to you too.

  • 15. Maya  |  March 11th, 2010 at 5:35 am

    Meringues are wonderful without the guilt!

  • 16. tasteofbeirut  |  March 13th, 2010 at 7:41 am

    I am not so happy about that day because in my other home country of Lebanon women still don’t have equal rights in a lot of important areas and that makes me angry;
    your meringues on the other hand make me happy and cheerful!

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