Deirdre's Coconut and Sesame Shortbread
These shortbread cookies come together quickly and easily—a plus during hectic holiday baking. In terms of flavor, they fight a palatable battle between sweet and savory, with the sesame, black pepper, cardamom, and coconut at the front lines. Fortunately, there is a peaceful resolution, as the flavors balance each other perfectly. The shortbread is quite spicy, and together with the nuttiness of the sesame and coconut, it makes a sophisticated addition to any dessert table and is perfect for afternoon tea.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup frozen shredded coconut, thawed
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted 'til light brown
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch cloves
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a dry pan, toast the shredded coconut until it turns a light reddish brown color and starts emitting a "coconutty"' aroma. Set aside to cool, then combine with the toasted sesame seeds. Add these to the flour and combine to disperse the sesame and coconut uniformly.
- Cream the sugar and butter till light and fluffy. Add the spices and combine well.
- Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and work into a ball of dough, just until it all comes together. Wrap in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
- Remove the dough and roll it into a 1/4-inch-thick sheet. Using either a pastry wheel or a cookie cutter, cut out shapes and place on the parchment-paper lined baking sheets.
- Bake for about 12 to 14 minutes, till the edges begin to appear brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container
