Salted Sesame Caramel Macaroons

Salted Sesame Caramel Macaroons RecipeAround this time of year, I start flipping through my ‘Passover’ file to get reacquainted with the recipes I have collected specifically for the celebration of Passover – most of them are recipes for desserts that don’t contain flour.   There are tons of great gluten-free sweets available these days but since I’m not gluten intolerant, I don’t usually give the subject much thought.  Occasionally a gluten-free recipe will show up here on the blog, but on average, flour is a constant in my everyday recipes.  So when faced with the question ‘ what to make for Passover dessert’, I’m always looking for something new and interesting.
Salted Sesame Caramel Macaroons RecipeIt is typical in Passover dessert recipes for matzah meal or matzah cake meal to take the place of flour.  Truth be told, I find both can detract from the deliciousness of a dessert.  Instead, I choose recipes that rely on other leavening ingredients like eggs and egg whites.  A few of my favorites are Flourless Chocolate Cake, Cheesecake, and Pavlova.
Salted Sesame Caramel Macaroons RecipeCoconut macaroons are traditionally eaten during Passover.  Unfortunately, I’ve never been a big fan.  In analyzing the reasons for my aversion to macaroons ( not to be mistaken for French Macarons), one thought that came to mind is their undisguised sweetness.   Sweetened condensed milk, sweetened coconut, and sugar are typical ingredients in most macaroon recipes.  Add to that a bit of egg white, a sprinkle of salt, and a dash of vanilla, and the common coconut macaroon is just too sweet for me.  Until now!  Everything changed with the arrival of my April/May Fine Cooking magazine.  Dan Cohen gave a welcomed make-over to this classic cookie with a half dozen flavor variations to the basic macaroon.  I wasn’t sure which to try first.  Today I’m sharing with you my favorite so far.  I adapted his recipe one step further by replacing half the sweetened coconut in his version with the same amount of unsweetened coconut.  The result is a cookie that is tasty, not overly sweet, and one I will be making all year long.  If you like coconut, you are going to love this cookie.
Salted Sesame Caramel Macaroons RecipeNote:  I converted to Judaism nearly 3 decades ago and all these years later I find I am still learning new aspects regarding the  dietary guidelines associated with Passover.  Sesame seeds are not considered kosher for Ashkenazi Jews during Passover.  They are acceptable for Sephardic Jews.

 

 




3 thoughts on “Salted Sesame Caramel Macaroons

  1. These look delightful, Mary! I am obsessed with coconuts and love macaroons, but you’re right about them being a little *too* on the sweet side – I can never help myself to many. I’ve never tried a caramel version, but I think I’ll love it!!

  2. Holiday traditions can be the best inspiration! My mom also made the overly sweet traditional macaroons. Too much sweet and not enough coconut. Your recipe is another macaroon entirely and worthy of every bite!

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