CHOCOLATE COCONUT MACAROONS

There’s a lot of cocoa powder in these macaroons. They have the deep, rich taste that is characteristic of macaroons found in German bakeshops. The cookies are flourless—so there’s nothing to stand in the way of a good crunch. They don’t freeze well, but we doubt you’ll have any leftovers.

•  Position the rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.
• Beat the egg whites and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at low speed until frothy. Add the cream of tartar, increase the speed to high, and beat until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the sugar in 1-tablespoon increments, beating all the while. Continue beating until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 3 to 5 more minutes—you can tell by rubbing a small amount of the mixture between your fingers to feel any grains.
• Gently fold in the coconut with a rubber spatula, then the cocoa powder, taking care not to deflate the egg whites, working in long, sweeping arcs without pressing into the batter; however, make sure the cocoa powder is incorporated into the batter, although a few white streaks may still be visible.
•  Drop by rounded but spiky tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the mounds about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the sheet top to bottom and back to front, then continue baking about another 10 minutes, or until dry and firm.
• Cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, or until they are easy to remove. Cool the cookies completely on wire racks. Cool the baking sheets completely before baking additional batches, if necessary.