The Perfect Bite :: Coconut Tea Cakes

Adapted from Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes From My Home to Yours

Ingredients:

• 4 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1-1/2 cups finely shredded unsweetened dried coconut (avoid the large unsweetened coconut ribbons)
•  2/3 cup coconut palm sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon superfine rice flour (I used brown rice flour)
• 3 Tablespoons potato starch
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 Tablespoons (1 stick or 1/4 cup)Earth Balance butter, melted
• powdered/confectioner’s sugar (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray two 12-cup mini-muffin tins or line them with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer or a whisk, beat the egg whites until they’re smooth and a little bit foamy. Switch from the mixer or whisk to a spoon and gently mix in the remaining ingredients, one at a time. The batter should have a nice sheen to it.
3. Spoon the batter into the prepared tins, filling them almost to the top of the cups. Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until the edges of the mini cakes are slightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven and immediately unmold the cakes; I used a small cocktail fork to help remove them. Let the cakes cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Sprinkle with a bit of powdered sugar, if desired, right before serving.

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