Coconut Sandwich Cookies with Lemon Curd Filling

Raise your hand if you as a kid licked the filling off the cookies. And raise your hands if you still do it.


I'm afraid I might be the only one raising my hand in the second category, so I better not ask that question. And in case you do, just let me okay? It would make me feel I belong here. Its very important question.

But before you judge me, here's the thing. I don't lick any filling. I'm classy that way. I only lick fillings that are not clogging sweet. May be as a kid I didn't mind that, but as I have grown up ( in literal terms), I can't stand anything too sweet. Be it a cake, a cookie or a filling. That's a very good reason I don't really like frostings either. In comes lemon curd, lemony filling for my favorite coconut cookies. This is my go to coconut cookies recipe and while the other day I dipped fresh coconut pieces into fresh lemon curd, I figured I should make coconut cookies and fill them lemon curd for the holiday baking many of you are doing at the moment.

In case, you don't like lemon in desserts (I raised an eyebrow at you, but I understand, sought off, no I don't understand, how can you not like lemon?), just make the coconut cookies. Everyone I have ever made the cookies for have loved it .They are thick and chewy at the center with a slight crunch on the edges. Thats how  I define a perfect cookie!

Coconut Sandwich Cookies with Lemon Curd Filling

Makes: 24

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut *

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 baking powder

1/2 tsp vanilla essence**

1/2 tsp cardamom powder (optional)***

1 egg

5 tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup light brown muscovado sugar**** (firmly packed)

1/8 tsp sea salt

Note

* I have always used freshly grated coconut for this cookies . I pulse the coconut pieces in food processor with the brown skin.  But in case you can't use that, packaged unsweetened shredded coconut works as well. You can also use pre-toasted unsweetened shredded coconut, if that makes your life easier! But seriously, freshly grated coconut tastes so much better and the bonus, you can drink the soothing, cooling coconut water. 

** So you see, vanilla extract is usually made with alchohol, so I have never seen it around here. I'm  sure there is a non alcholol version of it but haven't seen that either.I sometimes use vanilla bean, but its not something I can always afford to have in the pantry. So, use extract if you have and I'll continue to shed tears here.

*** Cardamom makes this cookies so Indian and makes it tastes very much like coconut barfi! But its optional, I know there are people who don't like cardamom ( I raised an eyebrow at you, but...........)

**** You can use any light brown sugar but I love muscovado. 

Method

Preheat the over to 180 C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the grated coconut on it. Bake for 5 minutes and then stir it around and toast for another 3-4 minutes. You want the coconut to be lightly golden.

Mix flour, baking powder,cardamom and salt and keep aside.Cream together the sugar and butter. 

Beat in the vanilla and egg.. Incorporate the flour in batches until just combined.

Stir in the coconut.

Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a icecream scoop, press the dough half way down the scoop (you dont want to fill the entire scoop, just half way and get the dome shape)

Bake for 12 minutes. Now make sure you don't over bake them, at the 12th minutes, the bottom should be lightly brown, and the edges will be set, the center will still feel soft. Don't worry once they come out, they will continue to bake on the sheet and firm up.

Once completely cooled, put the lemon curd at the center and press the cookies (don't over fill them).

And open your mouth wide open, and bit into the cookies. Say mmmmm.....and then come back and tell me about it. Thats call love.

I won't exactly call it gifting, but a friend dropped by and picked up most of the cookies to take home while I forced her to leave me some. We are that kind of friends. We are weird people. Even though I'm sending this over to the Kitchens Corners December Cook off, where its all about giving cookies, I wonder if you will judge me.