Submitted 11/10/09 22:38:49 by donna von Edelkrantz from petaluma ca..

Q what makes a macaroon crispy on the outside and chewy and dense on the inside. I've tried many recipes and haven't found that perfect texture. I love the macaroons from Villiage bakery in Sebastopol, ca. thank you Donna

Answered 11/20/09 11:06:14 by Kathleen Purvis

A: There are many versions of macaroon recipes, Donna. There are macaroons that are mostly made from egg whites, which tend to be crispier, and there are versions with flour, which tend to be chewier. And then there are little filled cookies that the French call macaroons, which aren't like American coconut macaroons at all. Since I'm in Charlotte, N.C., I haven't been to the Village Bakery in Sebastopol. But I found a recipe for chewy macaroons that combines 3 cups flaked coconut, 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1 can of sweetened condensed milk and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Stir all that together, drop spoonfuls on a parchment-lined baking sheets and bake about 15 minutes at 325 degrees.