When I was a kid, my dad used to take me to this bakery downtown that made the most wonderful coconut macaroons. They were these little golden clouds..crisp on the outside and when you bite into them they were soft on the inside.

I’ve tried many bakeries since then and none were even close. The other day I was watching Fatafeat and Horya was making macaroons. They looked delicious and I thought why not! I got the ingredients the next day, they were really easy  to make and Jana helped decorate them, it was fun. Once they were in the oven the entire house smelled amaaaaaaazing a combination of lemon zest, coconut and vanilla.

I know you’re wondering if they turned out like the macaroons from my childhood.Well they turned out great and delicious and very close to what I was looking for but  maybe next time I’ll make them slightly bigger so that there is more of that soft YUMMY center to enjoy.

Coconut macaroons

2 cups shredded coconuts

1 and 1/3 cups sugar

1 cup semolina

3 eggs 

2 tablespoon apricot jam

1 teaspoon vanilla

Zest of one lemon

50 gm melted butter

1 teaspoon baking powder

dash of salt

Powdered sugar for rolling

dried fruits for decoration (optional)

Beat the eggs with the vanilla, add the sugar and melted butter and beat till pale.

Add the lemon zest and the jam, beat until combined.

Add the coconut, semolina,salt and backing powder, mix till combined

The mix will be a bet sticky,take a piece the size of a small egg, roll between your hands to make it round.

Roll the coconut balls in powdered sugar and arrange them in a pan sprayed with oil or lined with parchment

Decorate with dried fruits.

Bake for 15-20 minutes in the lower rack at 180 C (you want the edges to be slightly golden brown)

Put them under the broiler till  they are golden