maple pecan macaroon
For my variation of the classic Haselnußmakrone cookie from Germany I used two typical North American ingredients: pecan nuts and maple syrup. Both are produced by indigenous American trees and maybe that is why the tastes go so well together. The full creamy taste of the nuts complements the fresh sweetness of the maple syrup. This maple pecan macaroon is a very nutty cookie! The finely ground pecans in the cookie make for a slightly chewy center while the caramelized nuts form a satisfyingly crunchy crust.
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maple pecan macaroon
for about 20 cookies
300 grams shelled pecan nuts
4 tablespoons maple syrup
2 egg whites
pinch of salt
100 grams caster sugar
grated rind of ½ organic lemon
seeds of 1 vanilla pod (or a few drops of vanilla essence)
Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F. Toss half of the pecans with the maple syrup and spread on a cookie sheet covered with baking paper. Bake 20-25 minutes until the maple syrup is caramelized. Stir regularly. Take from the oven and leave to cool. Chop roughly.
With an electric mixer beat the egg whites with the salt until they form soft peaks.
Keep beating and slowly add the sugar tablespoon by tablespoon.
Keep beating until the egg whites are firm and shiny.
Grind the rest of the pecan nuts finely.
Preheat the oven to 150˚C/300˚F. Carefully mix the egg whites with the finely ground pecan nuts, the lemon rind and the vanilla. Try to keep as much air in the mixture as you can.
Put the roughly chopped pecans in a wide bowl. Drop ½ tablespoon of the mixture on the chopped nuts and carefully coat with the nuts.
Place the cookies on a cookie sheet covered with baking paper. Leave some room for the cookies to spread. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20-25 min.
Leave to cool on the cookie sheet. The macaroons should be crispy on the outside and chewy inside.
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