Monkeyface Cookies

I don’t think I’m cut out for this blogging thing. I read other blogs all the time and they all seem to have interesting or insightful things to say. I have neither. I’m still in Gladstone. Still not doing anything. Recently I was so bored that I went to a sewing shop and bought the materials to make a little dolly. I’m 23, and I spend my weekends sewing little toys. See? So not interesting.

It actually perplexes me on an....almost daily basis. I have so many interests, and I spend my time reading books about all kinds of interesting things. Yet when I talk, it’s all just random word vomit. It seems that everything I read just stays trapped in my head.

Maybe I should start reviewing the books I read....or analysing passages and telling you what I think. That seems to be a mighty fine idea.  Totally unrelated to baking which may make this blog a tad mismatched...but that’s ok....get excited people!

So these cookies. I made them for a road trip. Road trips should really be called ‘Endless Snacking Travelling’. So. Much. Food. Although that is probably heightened when two foodies travel together...

Anyway! They’re supposed to be Monkey Face cookies....and you’re supposed to cut three small holes in them to resemble little faces. I however am lazy so I cut one large one and apologised to said monkeys.

100g butter 1/2 cup caster sugar 1 egg Vanilla 3/4 cup plain flour 3/4 cup self-raising flour

Good quality jam (whichever flavour you heart) 1 cup shredded coconut 1/2 tsp butter 1/2 cup icing sugar water

Toast the coconut. Watch carefully. It burns ridiculously fast. Leave to cool.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in 1 egg and a dash of vanilla and mix until well combined. Sift over the two flours. The dough should not be sticky. If it is sticky, add more plain flour, a few tablespoons at a time. Knead the dough briefly until it comes together smoothly.  It is not bread. Do not overwork it.

Divide the dough into two and set one half aside. Roll out the other half and cut into round cookies. Mine were about 7cm in diameter. In half of the cookies, cut out 3 small holes, or 1 large hole and apologise to monkeys.

If you have enough trays, repeat with remaining half of dough and bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes at 180^o. Keep the oven on.

If you do not have enough trays, bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes at 180^o and move cookies to a wire rack. Roll out remaining dough and repeat.  Keep the oven on.

When coolish, spread jam over the non-cut cookies. (Spread however much you like. I personally love jam so my layer of jam was pretty thick.) Top with one of the cut-out cookies and bake for another 8mins with the non-cut side on the bottom.

While they are baking, in a small bowl add the small dollop of butter. Sift over the icing sugar and smoosh it all together. It will be fairly thick. Add a TINY amount of water and keep mixing. You want the icing thick enough to not drizzle everywhere, but thin enough to spread evenly. If you add too much water, add some more icing sugar. The glaze is very forgiving.

When the cookies have cooled again, spread the top (the side with the cut out cookie) with the icing, and immediately dip into the toasted coconut. Repeat with each cookie, and shove all into mouth.