Determined to try and make some fun cookie flavours I was set on making a bounty inspired recipe, as I rate Bounties and think they get a hard time. I absolutely love the pairing of coconut and chocolate. I originally made a coconut filling along the lines of coconut ladoo but found it wasn't coconutty enough. It was when I was making dinner and melting a block of creamed coconut that I thought I would give it a try instead and I think it's much better. It's not sickly sweet and captures the spirit of a Bounty bar. I've found as well if you let the filling caramelise a little while you're melting the creamed coconut you get a nice toasty flavour but this isn't a must, just more reassurance should you heat it too much when making it.
Makes 16
Hands-on Time 20 minutes plus chilling (overnight)
Baking Time 15 minutes
Ingredients
150g Creamed coconut
100ml Water
100g Icing sugar
150g Desiccated coconut
300g Unsalted butter (softened)
200g Light brown sugar
175g Caster sugar
2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 Eggs, large
300g Plain flour
100g Cocoa
1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp Fine salt
1 tbsp Instant coffee powder (fine)
Equipment
Saucepan
Spatula
Baking parchment
Freestanding mixer with paddle
Baking sheet (ideally aluminium)
Knife
Wire rack
Add the creamed coconut and water to a saucepan and place over a medium heat.
As the coconut starts to melt stir occasionally. It’s okay it if starts to turn a light caramel, it will give it a slight toasted flavour.
Once the coconut has melted take the pan off the heat and add 50 grams of butter, stirring with a spatula until incorporated. Add to it the icing sugar and by the desiccated coconut, stirring until combined.
Transfer the filling onto a sheet of parchment, and when it’s cool enough to handle, shape into a sausage about 3-4cm wide and roll up. Leave to cool at room temp.
Add the remaining 250 grams of butter, light brown sugar, and caster sugar to the bowl of the mixer and beat on a medium-high speed for 5 minutes until you have a very light and fluffy mixture.
Add the vanilla and eggs and beat for a couple of seconds until combine
Add the flour, cocoa, bicarb, salt, and instant coffee and again beat for a couple of seconds until combined. Scrape the sides down using a spatula to make sure everything is incorporated.
Tip the cookie dough out onto the parchment and shape into a sausage.
Roll the dough up in the parchment.
Pop the dough into the fridge for at least an hour to firm up the dough. It is possible to do this in the freezer to speed things up but don’t forget about the dough!
Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Slice the coconut filling into 16 discs and the cookie dough into 32 discs.
Take one round of cookie dough. Flatten it in the palm of your hand and put it down.
Take another piece of cookie dough and also flatten it but this time keep it in the cup of your hand.
Place a piece of filling into the dough in your hand and press the dough up around the sides. Take the other flattened piece of dough and place it on top. Press it down around the sides so it meets the other piece of dough. Press the edges of the dough together to envelope the filling. Roll the dough a little in your had to make it rounder.
Put the dough ball onto the lined sheet.
Repeat until you have used up all of the dough and filling.
Pop the sheet in the fridge to chill overnight.
Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C (Fan)/325°F/Gas mark 3.
Slide the baking sheet out of the fridge and leave the dough balls on the shelf.
Once the oven has warmed up line the baking sheet with another piece of parchment.
Place approx 6/8 balls spaced about 10cm apart from each other onto the baking parchment.
Pop the tray into the oven on a middle shelf for 15 minutes. You should find the cookies will be golden but the centres will still look gooey.
Remove the tray from the oven. Slide the parchment carefully, with the cookies, onto the worktop. Re-line with more paper and bake your next batch.
After the cookies have rested for a couple of minutes they should be firm enough for you to transfer onto a wire rack to fully cool. Don’t forget they will get firmer as they cool, as tempting as it is to immediately eat them straight from the oven. Like some things in life, patience pays off.
Enjoy!
