Shortbread is my favourite biscuit. Sweet, crumbly, buttery and great with a cup of afternoon tea. What could be better? This coconut shortbread gives an old classic a bit of a twist.

Just take the basic shortbread recipe – butter, flour and sugar – and add an egg, dessicated coconut and a little cold water.

A great effort to reward ratio. Sweet, crumbly, buttery and now coconutty… and still great with a cup of tea!!

Coconut shortbread

The multi-cultural cuisine of Trinidad & Tobago and the Caribbean

Print recipe Pin recipe

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine Caribbean

Ingredients

  

• 225 g/8oz butter
• 200 g/7oz caster sugar
• 350 g/12oz plain flour
• 70 g/2½oz dessicated coconut
• 1 egg
• pinch of salt
• 3 tbsp cold water

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 150ºC/300ºF/gas mark 2
• Grease a 33 x 22cm/13 x 9-inch baking/brownie tin (or baking sheet if using a mould)
• Cream the butter
• Add the sugar, flour, dessicated coconut, egg and salt and pulse the food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs (less than a minute)
• Add cold water, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture just begins to come together
• Tip the mixture on to the baking tin and press down firmly and evenly especially at the corners & edges (if using a mould, bring the mixture together to form a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes before moulding)
• Sprinkle the top with a tablespoonful or so of caster sugar
• Cook for 45-50 minutes or until the shortbread just begins to turn golden brown
• Slice into fingers/petticoat tails while still warm before allowing to cool on a wire rack

Keyword biscuits, coconut, shortbread