Spiced Coconut Passionfruit Sandwich Cookies Recipes

SPICED COCONUT-PASSIONFRUIT SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and allspice in a large bowl.
• Beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine. Add the rum, vanilla and coconut extract, mixing until combined. Turn off the mixer and add the dry ingredients. Mix on low until almost entirely incorporated. Fold in the coconut flakes with a rubber spatula.
• Divide the dough in half and press each piece flat between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough slightly thicker than 1/8 inch thick. Stack the flattened dough pieces on a baking sheet (don't remove the parchment paper) and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats. Dust a clean work surface lightly with flour.
• Working with one piece at a time, peel the top layer of parchment off a dough sheet and flip onto the workstation. Peel off the remaining sheet. (Alternatively, you may loosen the parchment on both sides to cut directly on the paper.) Use a 1 3/4-inch round cutter to punch out cookies and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets spaced 1 inch apart. (If the dough becomes soft while you are working, return it to the refrigerator until firm.) Reroll and cut out any scraps.
• Bake the cookies, rotating the pans halfway through, until golden brown around the edges, 10 to 11 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the curd: Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and salt together in a medium heatproof bowl until well mixed and lightened in color, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the puree. Set the mixture over the pot of simmering water (make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water) and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened like pudding, about 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour.
• Transfer the chilled curd to a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag and snip about 1/2-inch off one corner. To fill, flip over half the cookies and pipe 1 to 2 teaspoons curd onto each. Top with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate at least 1 hour for the curd to set and the cookies to soften slightly.

COCONUT COOKIES WITH PASSION-FRUIT CURD

Steps:

• Make curd: Bring passion-fruit puree, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and cornstarch to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in egg yolks. Cook, whisking constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. Add butter; whisk until melted. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of curd. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Make cookies: Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Put butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in coconut. Shape dough into two disks; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Turn out one disk of dough onto a lightly floured work surface; roll to a scant 1/4 inch thick. Using a 1 1/4-inch cookie cutter, cut rounds of dough; place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Bake until edges of cookies just turn golden, 8 to 10 minutes. About 6 minutes into baking, flatten the cookies with the bottom of a measuring cup if they are puffing up. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.
• Transfer curd to a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip (such as Ateco #12). Pipe curd onto flat side of a cookie; sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with remaining curd and cookies. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving. Sandwiches should be assembled just before serving, though the unfilled cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.