Macaroons might be one of the simplest desserts in the world, using beaten egg whites and sweetened condensed milk to turn a lump of shredded coconut into a delicious morsel of sweetness and texture. Dan Cohen discovered this when he started baking macaroons for his family's Passover celebrations--three tons of coconut later, he's a veritable expert and the owner of New York's premier macaroon company. The Macaroon Bible, his first foray into cookbooks, attempts to bring to readers the essence of the macaroon--namely, that they "aren't so much coconut cookies as they are cookies that utilize coconut as the vehicle to deliver happiness to mouths."
Cohen starts out with a brief background on the sugary treat, explaining its relationship to the macaron (the French egg-white confection with which it is often confused) and its roots in Persian culinary history. He then lays out the basics of the naturally gluten-free macaroon, from tools and equipment to techniques to the simple, unaltered recipe. Then the fun begins, as the master macarooner offers up dozens of variations on that basic formula. The Macaroon Bible includes recipes for standard varieties, such as chocolate-dipped macaroons or bourbon macaroons, as well as more unexpected updates, such as carrot cake macaroons and pumpkin spice macaroons. The simplicity of the dessert coupled with Cohen's easy-to-follow instruction make the treats easy to master. With so many varieties, even the most dedicated coconut-haters will enjoy getting to know this otherwise underappreciated delectable. --Kerry McHugh, blogger at Entomology of a Bookworm