new year cookies 2015 part 1

 

For this Lunar New Year, I had no intentions of making anything.

Then my sister asked me to make pineapple tarts.

Somehow, starting the preparations for making pineapple jam and planning for the type of tarts jump-started my cookie engine. So this is part 1.

Coconut ball cookies

• 460 grams coconut flour
• 3 -5 stalks pandan leaves, washed and dried
• 250 grams corn flour
• 150 grams icing sugar
• 350 grams coconut oil
• 900 ml water
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp salt

1. Over low heat, stir fry coconut flour with pandan leaves until light. Set aside to cool completely before using. Take note the coconut flour browns rather quickly, so do not leave unattended.
2. Add all ingredients into a large bowl. Mix well to combine.
3. Roll into balls, place on parchment paper lined trays and bake for 20-25 minutes at 150 C.

Green bean cookies (adapted from No Frills Recipe)

• 468 grams green bean flour
• 3-5 stalks pandan leaves, washed and dried
• 225 grams shortening
• 112.5 grams almonds with skin, lightly toasted and bashed/chopped to small pieces
• 112.5 grams almond meal
• 187.5 grams icing sugar (suggest to reduce to 140-150 grams)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 11 to 18 tsp water

1. Over low heat, stir fry green bean flour with pandan leaves until light. Color will be light yellow. Set aside to cool completely before using.
2. Mix all ingredients except water in a large bowl.
3. Gradually add in water until mixture comes together. Texture should be like sand and will stick together when compressed.
4. Scoop into mold and compress. Lightly bang mold with a small hammer to dislodge formed cookie.
5. Bake for 30 minutes at 150 C with oven door ajar. Color will be a light brown.
6. Cool completely and keep in airtight container.

For the coconut ball cookies, I think it is plain weird. I can say that since I’m the weirdo who came up with the recipe. Why post even though it is weird? Well, baking is one big adventure and most times I succeed using someone else’s recipe. Once a while, it is fun to try something new and if I fail, I fail. Like falling down, just get up, dust off and try again.

It is edible, just a tad too wet and though the bottom had turned brown and stuck to the parchment, and the outside seemed hard, it never stays crispy. In fact it is more like eating raw coconut ball dough!

No one seemed to fancy it much, so if you do try, do so at your own risk and if you can improve the recipe without adding baking powder/soda, please let me know.

For the green bean cookies, it takes skill. Which I lack, obviously. One look at the cookie and you can see something wrong. First off, the mold I used is too deep. Secondly, I added too much water. Thirdly, I pressed too hard.

If I can, I shall attempt the green bean cookies again. I had great fun thumping the mold with a hammer. Relieves some stress. My dad was discussing with me how to dislodge the raw cookie easily and we decided on a small hammer, to hammer all around the mold, not just at the back. It worked pretty well, though I think my neighbours probably thought we were renovating.