She Bakes......

......Take 2!

My final offering of the day:

Coconut-Pecan-Caramel-Sandwich Cookies

• 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) pecans
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Caramel filling (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread the coconut in an even layer on one half of a rimmed baking sheet and the pecans on the other. toast, stirring coconut halfway through, until the nuts are fragrant and coconut is light golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Pleace coconut and pecans in a food processor, and pluse until finely chopped.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add the flour and salt; beat until combined. Beat in chopped coconut-nut mixture until combined. turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a flattened disk. Wrap in plastic. Chill dough until firm, 30 to 45 minutes.

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Transfer to another baking sheet, and freeze until firm, 5 to 10 minutes. Using a 2-inch flower cookie cutter, cut out shapes, and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Freeze until firm, 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove from freezer. Using a 3/4-inch round cookie cutter (or the wide end of a pastry tip) cut out and remove the centers from HALF the cookies.

Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer parchment and cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies can be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Spoon or pipe about 1 teaspoon Caramel Filling onto the FLAT side (back side) of each of the whole cookies. Top with cut cookies, keeping flat sides down. Drizzle the remaining caramel over the tops. Let the caramel set at least 2 hours, or overnight, at room temperature. Cookies can be kept, layered between sheets of parchment paper, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Caramel Filling

• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into small pieces.

Place the sugar and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water in a medium heavy-bottom saucepan. Set to boil over medium-high heat, and stir to combine. Without stirring, bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until dark amber in colour, about 5 minutes, washing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming.

Remove from heat. Carefully pour the cream down the side of the pan (it will spatter), stirring constatnly, until fully combined. Add the butter and stir to combine. Transfter filling to a heatproof bowl, and let cool slightly before filling cookies.

Makes about 3 Dozen Sandwich Cookies.

Source: Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

Time consuming but well worth the effort. Shopgirl WILL be making this cookie again!


~ shop-baking-girl