FOOD FRIDAY - MONACO BISCUITS

“Nostalgia is a seductive liar.” - George Ball

I remember when I was in High School, I’d visit a friend of mine at his house and his mother would serve up some “Monaco Biscuits”, which she baked herself. These were the homemade version of the good old Monte Carlo variety that were available in the supermarket. I must admit that after eating the homemade variety, those shop-bought ones just didn’t cut the mustard. Recently I found this recipe and I must admit they turned out quite well!

Monaco Biscuits

Ingredients - Biscuits

180g softened unsalted butter,

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

2 tbsp. honey

1 and 1/4 cups self raising flour, sifted

3/4 cup plain flour, sifted

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

Filling

Raspberry jam

80g softened unsalted butter

1 and 1/4 cups icing sugar, sifted

1 tsp. milk

Method

Preheat the oven to 175˚C.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and honey. Beat well until combined.

Add dry ingredients to the mixture, and stir to combine.

Roll a teaspoon of the mixture into a ball. Press your thumb into the middle of it and place onto a lined baking tray. Using a fork, gently texture the surface. Repeat this procedure with the rest of the mixture until all of the biscuits are shaped and ready to bake.

Place the biscuits into the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, make the filling. In a stand up mixer, whip the butter and icing sugar until they are light and fluffy. Add the milk and set aside.

Remove the biscuits from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

When biscuits are cool, spread a teaspoon of jam in the middle of the flat side of one of the biscuits. Using another biscuit, place a teaspoon of buttercream icing in the middle of the flat surface. Gently sandwich the biscuits halves together. Repeat the process until all of the biscuits have been filled. You may dust with icing sugar if you wish.