Coconut Cloud Cookies

This type of soft biscuit is very typically Italian, and wonderful served with coffee or a hot chocolate. It is also, not intentionally, gluten-free.

Not typical is my version of it, which bursts with flavour, is fool-proof, and has a texture to die for!

Ingredients (makes 14, approx 124 kcal each):

• 3 egg whites

• 160gr desiccated flaked coconut

• 120gr icing sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla essence

• 1 tsp cornflour

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

You will need:

• An electric whisk

• A pastry brush

• A piping bag with a large star nozzle

• Baking paper

Method:

• In a very dry mixer, mix the desiccated coconut as much as possible, it should look like coarse flour

• Put 3 egg whites into a big enough glass bowl

TIP: Never work directly into the bowl, as you want to ensure no eggshell ends up there, and no yellow yolk either. Instead, break the eggs one by one into a small bowl, quickly pouring the yolk into another one beside it: if the yolk breaks, it's quick to do damage control and not to get even one drop into the white; if you get some eggshell in the white, you can easily remove it (not with your finger, it'll take ages, but with one of the halves of the empty eggshells). Once you get an egg white into your small bowl and it's perfect, tip it into the big bowl. Continue like this for the rest

• Whisk the egg whites at maximum speed until snow white, forming soft peaks, and won't fall out if you tip the bowl upside down (it would if the bowl is a glass bowl though, so if this is your first time and want to be sure, use a plastic or metal bowl)

• Add the icing sugar 1 Tbsp at a time, whisking at high speed until fully incorporated before the next

• Add the vanilla essence and whisk it up

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C

• Add the pulverized coconut again 1 Tbsp at a time, whisking at high speed until fully incorporated before the next

• The result will be quite thick:

• Put a layer of baking paper onto your oven tray and very lightly brush it all with the vegetable oil

• Use a plastic (= no seams) piping bag, and select the biggest star nozzle you have, as the mixture is thick (I selected the one on the left between these two)

• Pipe small spirals of mixture on the baking paper, ensuring to stop at the center of the top (second) layer of the spiral. Leave enough room between spirals

TIP: the base might not always be round, so at the end adjust it delicately pressing it into a circle with your fingers, careful not to touch the top!

• Reduce the oven temperature to 180 degrees C (fan) and bake for 8 mins

• Reduce again the oven temperature to 150 degrees C (fan) and bake for 4 mins

• Take them out of the oven, and with a fish slice move them very delicately onto a cooling grid.

  • Careful here! They're not set yet, the top may fall, so pay attention

• Leave them undisturbed for at least half an hour, until they reach room temperature

• Move them onto a serving plate and enjoy

• They keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days, but you'll have none left, trust me!