Coconut Shortbread
Made with brown sugar, these are caramel-y and great for sending
If you’d seen me this morning, ensconced in my hoodie, dropping little aluminum foil packages on my neighbor’s doorsteps, I’d understand if you’d looked twice at the odd elf I must have appeared. I was leaving my latest batch of coconut shortbread for my neighbors who act as taste-testers.
You’ll be pleased to know, that after much tweaking and tinkering, the following recipe received the seal of approval.
These versatile cookies, are straightforward, yet subtle. The shortbread is made with light brown sugar and a generous glug of vanilla to give it a caramel flavor, while salt brightens and balances out the sweetness. Heaps of toasted coconut are added to make sure everyone knows this is a coconut cookie.
You can serve them as is, or add a tablespoon of lime or lemon zest when you cream the butter and sugar. Alternatively, turn them into sandwich cookies with a mango or passion fruit curd. I plan to dip some in chocolate because I can. And there is a part of me that wants to go straight to hell in a chocolate-dipped handbasket and dip passion fruit-filled sandwich cookies in chocolate. Who’s with me?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
COCONUT BROWN SUGAR SHORTBREAD
Makes 24 shortbread (this recipe doubles/triples well)
What You’ll Need:
2 cups sweetened coconut
4 ounces (1 stick) butter, cold and cut into slices
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt (I used Diamond kosher)
2 tablespoons corn starch
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
What You’ll Do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the coconut is just beginning to turn light golden. Not all of it has to turn color. If you wait for that to happen, some of your coconut will begin to burn and you will be sad on a number of levels. Not least of which is you might have to go to the grocery, which is not my fave place this time of year.
Let coconut cool before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.
In a food processor or with a stand/hand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, vanilla and salt until mixed and the mixture begins to clump together. You don’t want to see large chunks of butter in the dough.
Sprinkle the flour and cornstarch over the top of the mixture and pulse (if using food processor) 8 to 10 times to combine. The mixture will look like little pebbles. Scrape the bowl, add the coconut and pulse until the mixture is combined and clumps. (Clumps is an ugly, but good descriptive word.)
Divide the dough in two. Roll each piece into a 1 3/4” log. Wrap in parchment or cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. If you want to to sugar the edge of the cookies, cover a piece of parchment with your sugar and roll the log gently in the sugar. Slice each log into slices 1/4” thick. Arrange on baking sheet and bake for 10 to 14 minutes depending on your oven. You want the cookies to be golden brown. Many a time I’ve made the mistake of taking these out too early. You’ll know if you try to lift one off the pan and it crumbles. Just put it back in the oven. Watch carefully as the shortbread can go from ‘healthy tan’ to ‘dammit’ v. quickly.
Let cool on rack. Sandwich ‘em/dip ‘em/make a cup of tea and sit and eat them.
This weekend is a BIG BAKING WEEKEND. Get your butter in now. Tomorrow I’ll be making chocolate-dipped mocha logs. And mincemeat! You will want to join me. It’s an old family recipe.
