Tuesday, March 31, 2009

TWD - Coconut Butter Thins


How can you not love a shortbread recipe that has thin in its name? I mean, they say to me "Eat more! We're thin!"

This week's delicious Tuesdays with Dorie pick is an addictive shortbread cookie brought to us by Jayne of The Barefoot Kitchen Witch. I made these at the end of a baking/cooking extravaganza weekend that left my kitchen looking like this:


I know what you're thinking. Did rogue chefs break into my house, trash the kitchen, and run? No, I did this all by myself. As an aside, if you think redoing your kitchen will provide the push you need to keep it tidy all the time, the answer is no. I am still the same person who does three things at a time and completes none of them.

Back to the cookies. That they somehow escaped from this kitchen unscathed is a miracle. That's one good thing about being in TWD. I really have to produce finished products on occasion so I can photograph them and write about them on this blog.

I went for the recipe as written by Dorie the Great. It was, after all, Sunday night, and I was tired after a day of trashing my kitchen cooking and baking. Fortunately I had everything I needed, including the appropriately sized Ziploc bag. Like I said, I was tired so my macadamias (I used salted as encouraged by Dorie) weren't chopped into teeny tiny pieces. I rolled the dough out in the bag to the exact measurements (I hear you guffawing out there...but it was close) put it in the refrigerator, contemplated cleaning the kitchen but went to bed instead.

The next morning, I cut open the bag, and cut 30 cookies of varying sizes. I didn't bother putting the slab of dough on the cutting board, because I figured it would be easier to scrape them off the bag than it would be to scrape them off the cutting board, and it worked pretty well. I hoped they would maintain their blocky shape after baking, but knew from the P&Q that they likely wouldn't.

They were definitely done after 18 minutes. I wished I checked them a minute sooner since I find shortbread is overcooked if it is slightly brown around the edges. I waited a few minutes for them to cool before I sampled one. It was delicate, buttery (but not overly so) and had the slightest hint of lime. Once the cookies cooled, they were chewy and complex. I would have liked more lime flavor so next time (and oh, will there be a next time) I will probably double the lime zest.

Make these. Now. They're lovely and would adapt to a myriad of variations. Try them with pine nuts and rosemary in place of the coconut and macadamias. Or leave in the coconut and macadamia and jazz them up with curry powder. Go for it. After all, they're thin.

45 comments:

Pamela said...

They were delicious, weren't they? There will definitely be a next time here as well. I like your kitchen!

Marthe said...

Your cookies look perfect! I will also be making them again. And trust me: a kitchen can look even worse... mine once looked like a flour-bomb exploded there...

Sabrina said...

They look great! And I love the plate you have them on! Nice job!

Jessica said...

Your kitchen is so pretty that I couldn't really see the mess in the picture. I'm so jealous! I found that mine cooked a little bit faster than the time that Dorie gives too. The cookies look really wonderful.

farah said...

Your cookies look so good! Your kitchen is really nice too! I really liked these, very easy to put together and yummy!

Lauren said...

So orderly. Looks good tooo. Great job.

Flourchild said...

Your cookies look perfect all rolled out and cut..I had the hardest time getting a good square! Im glad you liked them. NO worries about a messy kitchen, that's the sign of a excellent cook!

Teanna DiMicco said...

Gorgeous cookies! And I don't think your kitchen looks a mess! Mine is a disaster when I cook! I commend you! haha!

Cathy said...

I agree -- these are amazing! Yours look beautiful. Oh, and your kitchen is gorgeous, even after a weekend of hard baking!

Welcome to our crazy blessed life said...

Love the new kitchen! Mine turned out without spreading. Glad yours turned out well! :)

Sihan said...

i think that's why i like thin crusted pizzas as well. haha.

Nancy/n.o.e said...

I was going to start my comment with an observation about your kitchen, but then I got totally distracted by the pine nut and rosemary possibility. Wow! And doubling the lime in these would be great. Now, about the kitchen. I hear you; the kitchen may not have changed you but at least you can be busy and disorganized in beautiful surroundings! At least that's how it's worked for me (and I assure you you'll never see a picture of the mess I make in my kitchen...)
Nancy

spike. said...

the variations sound good. my kitchen usually looks like that! I'm a messy baker.

Anonymous said...

Your kitchen looks fabulous. At least these were easy to squeeze into a busy baking weekend...

Amy of Sing For Your Supper said...

Um, I love your kitchen. I'm totally jealous of your counter tops! Great looking cookies - I made a pretty big mess, too. I thought the ziploc bag trick was awesome, though!

-Amy
www.singforyoursupperblog.com

Natalie said...

your post just made me want to eat another one.. frick!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the variation suggestions: pine nuts and rosemary... curry... Very cool!

Audrey said...

Oh, I agree - pine nuts and rosemary would be wonderful!! I'm a little jealous that you've already found that shortbread cutter...:) I hope you enjoy using it in lots of delicious variations!
(Thanks for visiting!)
Audrey

Beryl said...

Your kitchen has me green with envy! No wonder you bake!

lola said...

Your cookies look great. I love the idea of rosemary and pine nuts. I want to experiement with a savory cookie - I think the rolling in a bag is super. Thanks for visiting! I'll see you in a couple of weeks. It is wonderful to have a new kitchen. I am really enjoying mine.

Unknown said...

Great kitchen! I, too, tend to be a messy chef. My entire kitchen becomes my pallet. good job!

Unknown said...

Lovely kitchen and cookies.

The only reason I want new countertops to replace my white ones is that they would hide my messes better!

Kaitlin said...

I agree - more lime next time!

And don't feel bad, my kitchen is always trashed by the time I'm done baking. It's a sign of an enthusiastic baker, I think!

Emily Rose said...

I love your kitchen- even when its messy it still looks awesome! I actually did double the lime zest (they were very small limes and I wanted a bold flavor) and it worked really well!

Sweet as Coco said...

LOL! This looks like my kitchen 24/7. I always wonder why it takes me twice as long to complete anything and that is because I am doing about 100 things...

A well! At LEAST you have great lookin cookies! I loved these too!

margot said...

Your cookies look awesome, I'm glad you liked them. You have such a beautiful kitchen--and it's really not that messy.

Babette said...

Gorgeous cookies, lovely kitchen, even in this state...wish I were there!

Unknown said...

That's definitely not a messy kitchen. You should see mine :) Great job on the cookies - they look perfect!

Jacque said...

Oh, they were calling out to me. That must be why I had so many of them. :)

Yours look so neat and tidy all cut and ready for the oven.

Carol Peterman/TableFare said...

You really got my attention with the pine nut rosemary suggestion! That would be fantastic. I have had many days when my kitchen cycles through that level of mess 2-3 times. I get it all cleaned up and before I know it, the sink is once again overflowing with dirty dishes and I can't find counter space to set anything down. Sometimes my husband will see me buried in dirty dishes and just start washing! I love that. These cookies were worth having to clean up a trashed kitchen.

Susan @ SGCC said...

Your cookies look delicious! Glad you enjoyed them. Well done!

Anonymous said...

These were wonderful cookies. All those combinations you mention make me want to try them again.

Rachel said...

I upped the lime zest and am glad I did--pine nut and rosemary sounds like an awesome suggestion too!

Anonymous said...

YUM! I loved these cookies. My kitchen is often a disaster zone too.

TeaLady said...

These were quite tasty, weren't they. Addictive even. I used cashews and chai and loved them.

Your kitchen looks like mine when i get into a baking/cooking frenzy. But always worth while.

Your cookies look really, really tasty.

NKP said...

I found these ones did taste good with a little light browning around the edges - and I am with you - double the lime zest!
Beautiful kitchen!!!

Katrina said...

Oh thank goodness for skinny cookies!
Seriously, your kitchen looks better than mine often does after baking madness!

betty geek said...

OMG, I love your kitchen! I wish my kitchen was that big! ;)

Yes, these were so addictive, glad I just ate one and stored them away.

Great job! :)

Joanne said...

Beautiful kitchen.
The shortbread looks great.

Foodie with Little Thyme! said...

Sounds yummy and I like your idea to use other spice as well.

Shari said...

I like the "thin" connotation too! And your kitchen looks great to bake in!

Judy said...

Great cookies and great looking kitchen, too. More lime zest can never be a bad thing, right?

Di said...

I'm glad I'm not the only one whose kitchen frequently looks like that... =) Your cookies look good. I haven't made them yet, so I'll keep your tip about the extra lime zest in mind.

Jaime said...

i am the same way in the kitchen too! and it drives my hubby nuts! :P
they look great, glad you liked them

The Food Librarian said...

Great looking kitchen and cookie! LOL - they are thin so you can eat more!