Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Toasted coconut shortbread with white chocolate icing

Toasted coconut shortbread with white chocolate icing

I used to go through certain “phases” during my teen years. If I liked something, I would indulge in it over and over again. I remember that during my first year in university – I was 17 – I couldn’t get enough of a sort of tart sold in the cafeteria. I would eat the damn thing every single day, non stop, to the point of making others sick – come to think of it, I don’t think I would consider that food any good nowadays. :S

I’m no longer 17 – and there are two or three white hairs on my head to prove it – but old habits die hard, I suppose. I have been on a coconut kick since the madeleines and I don’t see it coming to an end any day soon. I have made several recipes with coconut and the fabulous shortbread Peabody posted the other day became my favorite. I made the cookies as a gift, that’s why I fancied them a bit with some icing.

Toasted coconut shortbread with white chocolate icing

Toasted coconut shortbread with white chocolate icing

Cookies:
1 cup (90g) unsweetened desiccated coconut
1 ½ cups (340g/3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (47g) confectioners’ sugar
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups (373g) all purpose flour

Icing:
100g sweetened shredded coconut
150g white chocolate, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 165ºC/325ºF. Spread desiccated coconut on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until coconut is light golden, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Cool completely.
Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugars in large bowl until well blended. Mix in salt and vanilla. Beat in flour in 2 additions. Stir in toasted coconut. Gather dough together; divide in half. Roll each half into a log and wrap well in baking paper. Set in the fridge for 2 hours to firm up.

Preheat oven to 165ºC/325ºF. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using a sharp slender knife, slice each log into cookies about 1/3 inch (1cm) thick. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch (2.5cm) apart.
Bake cookies until light golden, about 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. (Can be made ahead. Store airtight at room temperature up to 1 week.)

To make the icing: preheat oven to 165ºC/325ºF; spread shredded coconut on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until coconut is light golden, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.
Melt the chocolate using a double-boiler or the microwave oven. Dip the cooled cookies in the chocolate, covering them halfway, and immediately roll the wet part into the coconut. Place on a sheet of baking paper and set aside to firm up, about 1 hour, or speed up the process by placing the cookies in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Makes 45-50

21 comments:

Manggy said...

Hmm, I wonder what that tart was? ;) Coconut is just the thing to cut through the sweetness of white chocolate, I love it! :)

sunita said...

I know what yopu mean Pat...it happens to me too...i get hold of an ingredient and that's it...it's as if there is no other :-)

And those shortbreads of yours are definitely something I wouldn't mind having over and over again :-)

Katie said...

These look fantastic, combining 3 of my favorites.

Snooky doodle said...

These look so pretty. Ha I understand you. I go through phates too with food. I love coconut and these look delicious :)

Abby said...

Those are so beautiful! I love coconut!

Dragon said...

These cookies are absolutely gorgeous. Yum!

Peter G | Souvlaki For The Soul said...

I agree...coconut addictions are hard to give up! Great cookies Patricia...the white chocolate icing is a nice touch.

KJ said...

I love the idea of the white chocolate icing. Just delicious.

Anonymous said...

I love the little bit of shredded coconut -- looks like the cookies are wearing feather boas!

eatme_delicious said...

Oh these look awesome. I love how you dipped them in white chocolate and added coconut!

Eileen said...

These look fabulous!

grace said...

yum. and did i mention yum? i love coconut and white chocolate together, and the fact that they're surrounding some buttery cookies is just a lovely added bonus. bravo. :)

breadchick said...

These sound fantastic and I think will go into my current cookie rotation.

Anonymous said...

These looks so pretty and so delicious! I have had peabody's recipe bookmarked myself but haven't gotten around to it yet. Soon I hope!

aforkfulofspaghetti said...

How cute!

I like the sound of these - just a little bit out of the ordinary.

LyB said...

Those are so cute! Add eyes and a smile and you've got a coconut-haired smiley face! Sorry, I have three kids, I tend to make a lot of smiley-faced food. :) Those cookies must have been delicious.

Patricia Scarpin said...

Mark, it was a cross between a savory crostata and a filled bread... It's been more than 10 years, so forgive my poor memory! :D

Miss Kate, I should have written it on the post! :D
Thank you - I'm glad you like my linen!

Sunita, I'm glad to know I'm in such great company! :D

Katie, thank you!

Natalie, you should see the amounts of lentils I ate during the last week of the year. :D

Abby, tks! I love it too!

Dragon, thank you!

Pete, and coconut is something so Brazilian. :)

KJ, thank you, sweetie.

Lydia, you are right! I like that bohemian idea! :D

Ashley, one can never go wrong with coconut. :)

Eileen, tks for stopping by!

Grace, thank you! And did I say thank you?? ;)

Hi, darling! I'm glad you like them!

Elly, you should try it, it's fantastic!

Hi, there!
And the extra toasted coconut add a nice touch.

Lynne, sweetie, I completely understand - I used to do that for my sister, too. Not anymore, because she's 15. I miss those days! :D

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

What an elegant way to add the toasted coconut. I could see those sitting next to a dish of ice cream in the summer ;)

Anonymous said...

I love your special touch of of adding the coconut. I love coconut. Very cute cookies. Mmmm.

Peabody said...

Yes please, I just can't get enough coconut.

Sarah said...

I get on those kicks as well: where I eat one thing over and over and over again. I'm excited by more coconut recipes from you!

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