Coconut Shortbread

If you love coconut and shortbread try these lovelies with your tea next time you bake. A bite into one of these unleashes a clean tropical buttery taste with a bit of a "je n'ai sais pas" lovely crunch at the end, that's the cornmeal! The flavours make me think of a British colony somewhere far off on a Caribbean island. Hmm...maybe I'll plan a trip soon or maybe I'll just pop Downton Abbey into my dvd and watch that this afternoon with my tea and shortbread!

Whatever you decide to bake today, baking these treats will surely add a bit of tropical sweetness with your tea...or coffee!

TOOLS
electric standing mixer with paddle attachment
measuring spoons & cups
silicon spatula
2 baking sheets

parchment paper

plastic wrap

2 cooling racks

rolling pin

your favourite cookie cutter

INGREDIENTS
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp coconut extract
3 tbsp sweetend coconut flakes

1 cup white flour

1 cup wheat flour

 3 tbps cornmeal
tsp coarse salt
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut

3 tbsp cornmeal (again)

DIRECTIONS
Place butter and powdered sugar in the electric standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed until creamy and smooth, for about 2 minutes.  Add coconut extract. Mix until combined and scrap down the bowl as necessary. Reduce speed and add the sweetened coconut flakes, flours, cornmeal and salt. Mix well. 
Halve dough and shape each half into a round disc. Wrap each with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hr. 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a bowl mix unsweetened coconut and 3 tbsp cornmeal. This will be used to sprinkle on top of cookies before baking.

Once dough is chilled, with rolling pin roll dough flat to 1/4" thick. Cut out shapes with your favorite cookie cutter and place each on baking sheets lined with parchment paper 1'' apart. Sprinkle with cornmeal and unsweetened coconut.  Bake until pale golden, 25-30 minutes. After baked transfer to a cooling rack.

Makes about 3 dozen depending on cookie cutter, mine is a 1"w x 3"l rectangle cutter.  Shortbread can be stored up to a week in an airtight container.

Tea time!