Famous Amos Cookies (recipe with dessicated coconut)

This is the second attempt in baking a so-called, replica of the famous Famous Amos Cookies (erm, do I see doubles? lol).

Well, it isn't the original recipe, which of course Famous Amos wouldn't allow any recipe leaks to happen. But result of this recipe is really very close to the real thing.

I mentioned the "second" is because in my first attempt, it was a different recipe but it didn't state the essence that I feel is it in the original, i.e. coconut. I always think that there is coconut in every bites on the Famous Amos cookies, as they get stuck in my teeth at times. (^o^) But it still tastes as good for my first attempt which you can find the recipe here.

Alright, that's for the first attempt and now the second as follows...

Ingredients:

- 125g butter

- 3/4 cup brown sugar

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 1 egg

- 1 cup plain flour

- 1/2 cup cornflour

- 1/4 cup dessicated coconut

- 2 tbsp cocoa powder

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 500g dark chocolate chips

- 250g milk chocolate chips

Tips: Chocolate bars chopped into chunks would yearn a better texture.

Recipe:

[ Preheat oven to 180°C ]

1) Cream butter and brown sugar till pale yellow & fluffy with an electric mixer.

2) Add vanilla and egg gradually, mix well.

3) Sift in flour, cornflour, baking powder, cocoa powder and dessicated coconut.

4) Mix together thoroughly.

5) Add in dark chocolate chips & milk chocolate chips. Stir well.

6) Roll into balls onto baking sheet on baking tray.

7) Place in oven to bake for 10mins - 12mins on 180°C. Allow cookies to cool on rack for 10mins and remove to serve!

Coconuty Lamingtons

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WHAT IS LAMINGTONS?
Lamingtons are a sponge cake (or, more traditionally, butter cake) in the shape of a cuboid, coated in a layer of traditionally chocolate icing and then desiccated coconut. They are sometimes served as two halves with a layer of cream and/or strawberry jam between. The chocolate lamington is as Australian as meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars. So called the culinary icon of Australia.

HISTORY
The documented history about the creation of lamingtons is from the "accident" where Baron Lamington's (a popular governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901) cook accidentally dropped his favourite sponge cake into a dish of melted chocolate and being not a wasteful person, Lord Lamington suggested the cook to coat the chocolate cake in desiccated coconut so as to prevent messy hands from the chocolate when eating the cake. From there, it was greatly loved by the guests and all started asking for the recipe.

HOW I KNOW?
For me, I get to know about lamingtons from my oversea studies in Perth, Australia. Staying in the hostel did not only allow me to experience different cultures from the different natives like me, but also get to taste some of the very traditional food and desserts of Australia. For lamingtons, I don't used to like desserts related to coconuts but to my surprise, my last Australia trip to Brisbane for vacation, and it is many years after I graduated, I get to eat the cake again during the trip. I came back and one day, I actually missed the dessert!

So being a passionate in baking, I decided to find the recipe and try making it! A little tweak in my recipe as I still have quite a bit of coconut milk left, so I made a coconut twist sponge cake than the ordinary butter one. :)
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THE MAKING OF LAMINGTONS
So here's the recipe and steps:

 

Cake Recipe:

- 2 cups self-rising flour

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)

- 3/4 cup sugar

- 2 eggs

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 1/2 cup milk (I tried using 1/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup coconut cream)

Assembling Recipe (Filling/Chocolate Frosting):

- 1/3 cup cocoa powder

- 3 cups powdered sugar

- 3 tbsp unsalted butter

- 1/2 cup milk

- Strawberry jam (for cake filling, you may choose other jams)

- 2 cups Desiccated Coconut

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Cake:

(Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius.)

1) Grease & flour bottom & sides of an 8" (20cm) square cake pan.

2) In a large bowl, sift in flour + salt. Set aside.

3) In electric mixer bowl, beat butter & sugar till light & fluffy (2-3mins).

4) Add in one egg at a time, beat well after each addition. (Scrape down the sides of the bowl). Add in vanilla extract, beat till combined.

5) With mixer on low speed, alternatively add flour mixture & milk, in 3 additions, begin & end with flour.
(For the milk, I had already mixed the milk & coconut cream together)

6) Pour the batter into the pan, smoothing the top with offset spatula. Bake 25-30mins.

7) Cool cake in pan for 10mins then remove from oven. Poke a toothpick into the center of cake. If toothpick comes out clean, it is done.

8) Place a wire rack on top of pan & invert, lifting cake off the pan onto the wire rack. Re-invert the cake.

9) Using a cake knife, trim off the uneven top of the cake. Cut the cake into 4cm squares. Wrap cakes in plastic wrap & chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

10) For each squares, cut horizontally into half. Spread strawberry jam onto the center and sandwich the cakes.

11) Chocolate Frosting: Place powdered sugar + cocoa powder + butter + milk over a double-boiler.

12) Stir mixture till smooth and of pouring consistency.

* Put the sandwiched cakes onto a wire rack and place a baking sheet/pan below to catch the drips.

* Pour the desiccated coconut onto a shallow pan or a plate.

13) Use a fork to hold the cake, slowly dip into the chocolate while using a spoon to pour some chocolate over the top till they are fully coated. 

With a knife, transfer the chocolate coated cakes onto the plate of desiccated coconut & sprinkle to cover all sides.

14) Place done lamingtons back onto the wire rack & let it set.

 * You may put in airtight containers & chill overnight before serving.

ENJOY!!!

Items you may need for this recipe:

Chinese New Year Cookie - Kueh Bangkit

Its another time of the year - Chinese New Year and of cos it is cookie baking time again.


Since the last few cookies batches I had tried baking, this one is quite a success in terms of texture which I failed slightly in my previous batches of cookies. There's still room for improvement in terms of taste though. I guess instead of the instant packet-ed coconut milk, the ones squeezed directly from the real grated coconuts might bring out stronger taste.


2 weeks before Chinese New Year, I've been browsing recipes. Spotted the "Durian Cookies" but the ingredient for the filling suggested the "durian paste" from supermarkets. I saw such paste before and it's not like how we think of those fresh yellow puree. It is sold in packets (usually next to pineapple tarts paste) & look nothing more than a "Durian Dodol" (a durian flavored chewy cake that looks like "Nonya Kueh"). I imagined sinking my teeth into the fluffy cookie crumbs, like that of the pineapple tarts, but when the teeth sinks into the gooey thick "candy" without rich durian fragrace, it's really not a "marriage". Hence, my nature of experimenting, I wanted to use the fresh durian puree.


I even researched on how to make the puree into a thicker pliable paste so that it can be easily wrapped in the dough.


But later, I realized its not the good season for durians anymore. My dad, who is good in buying durians, claimed that it won't be nice. Too bad. :(


So I ended up with an "easier-to-get" recipe, i.e. the "Kuih Bangkit" as most of the ingredient I already had, just top-up a few stuff items only.


So here it is, just to share as an amateur in cookie-making, the recipe of the "Kuih Bangkit" :)


INGREDIENTS:
* 300g tapioca flour
* 3-4 pandan leaves
* 20g magerine/unsalted butter
* 1 egg yolk
* 140g icing sugar
* 120ml coconut milk
* 1/4 tsp vanilla powder


METHOD:
Step 1
Wash & clean the pandan leaves dry. Cut them with scissors into about 4cm long pieces.

Step 2
Turn on the stove to low flame.

Sift tapioca flour into a pot/saucepan. (I used pot so as to minimize flour from spurting out as you stir fry)

Put the pieces of pandan leaves together into the pot.

Dry fry the flour & pandan leaves for minimum 30mins or more.

(I heard from a friend that the usual method is to fry for 2hours!!)

The longer the better as the pandan fragrance will infuse into the flour.
As you fry, the flour will become more "fluffy" and "light". You will realize the density & moisture of the flour slowly lightens.


Tipped by a friend: After frying, I set the flour with pandan leaves aside with a lid covered to cool overnight. (This may let the fragrance get stronger)


Step 3
Next day, take out the flour & sift it again into a mixing bowl.
Together, sift icing sugar & vanilla powder into the same mixing bowl.

Step 4
In another bowl, mix the liquid ingredients together.
Mix the coconut milk, egg yolk & margarine/unsalted butter (melted would be better but without melting may do as well)

Step 5
Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture & knead 'em into dough.
If you realize the dough is still a little crumby and does not hold into a shape as you knead, you may add little coconut milk & knead again to the consistency that is pliable.

Step 6 (Preheat oven to 165°C / 329°F)
Sprinkle some flour onto the table.
Put the dough onto it & roll it flat about 1/2cm thick.
Use a cookie cutter, cut out the desired shapes.

Step 7
Place baking sheet onto the baking tray/pan.
Put the cut dough onto the baking sheet.
Bake at 165°C / 329°F for 15mins.

DONE!


Because this year's Chinese New Year crashes with the Valentines' Day, I did something slightly special~ Heart-Shaped Kuih Bangkit.

Well, when I was baking the first batch, my mom kept coming into the kitchen exclaiming that it smells very nice.


She kinda loves these cookies. My dad finally said at least the cookies are crispy for the texture (Melts in your mouth~). My sis asked me to bake a small tub of 'em for her to bring to office to munch. My boyfriend, erm.. well he munched off almost 1/3 of a tub!


But there were some who said it's not nice, and some said the coconut fragrance isn't strong enough which I guess it is because I used the packet coconut milk instead of the real grated coconut to extract the milk out of it.


But I guess, it is not a bad success for the first time baking this cookie with the proper tools in hands!

You may get items here for this recipe (TOTAL BELOW $50!):