Flake Coconut Macaroons

What are you going to do with the egg whites left over from the Rizogalo? I suggest this.

1 1/4 c sugar
3/4 c water
3 egg whites
3 cups UNSWEETENED flake style coconut (the kind that's like shavings about 1/4" wide)
Electric mixer
Candy thermometer
Big bowl (Big. I would like to emphasize big.)
Saucepan

Using electric mixer, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

Put water and sugar in saucepan on medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Then turn to high and cook to soft ball stage (230ish degrees).

Start beating the egg whites again and slowly pour the sugar syrup in as you do this. The egg whites will get stiffer and start to climb the beater blades and the bowl, so a bigger bowl is better here.

When sugar syrup is beaten into the egg whites, fold the coconut in.

Spoon little blobs out onto baking sheets. You can butter the baking sheets if you like, but the macaroons will come loose once they cool whether you butter the sheets or not.

Bake 10-12 min at 325 degrees.

CHOCOLATE VARIATION
Bake half the macaroons as-is, then fold 6 oz cooled melted semisweetish chocolate into the remaining dough. Spoon out and bake as above.

Wait. Why is it worthwhile to do the whole candy syrup thing and inevitably burn my damn fingers?

The candy syrup makes the meringue base firmer. It holds up under the coconut and makes the resulting macaroons nice and fluffy.