← Nouns Cooking · Bakery

Ingredients

• 125 g unsalted butter, soft
• 100 g caster sugar
• 1 large egg, plus 1 yolk
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 lemon, zest only
• 1 tbsp Brandy or cognac (optional)
• 160 g Cornflour (cornstarch)
• 150 g plain flour
• 1½ tsp Baking powder
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 380 g thick dulce de leche (1 can or jar)
• 50 g Desiccated coconut

Method

1. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, then beat in the egg, yolk, vanilla, lemon zest and brandy, if using.
2. Sift the cornflour, flour, baking powder and salt over the top and mix gently until it forms a soft, smooth dough. Flatten into a disc, wrap and chill for 1 hour.
3. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, 350°F) and line two baking trays. Roll the dough between two sheets of baking paper to 5 mm thick and cut 40 rounds with a 5 cm cutter, re-rolling the scraps once.
4. Bake for 10–12 min until set and dry but still pale; they should not brown. Cool on the trays for 5 min, as they are very fragile, then on a rack until cold.
5. Spread or pipe a generous teaspoon of dulce de leche onto half the biscuits and top with the rest, pressing gently so the filling reaches the edges.
6. Roll the edges in the coconut. They are even better the next day, when the biscuits soften slightly.

Tips

• Use the thick, spreadable kind of dulce de leche (repostero style); runny caramel will ooze out.
• The brandy adds alcohol; leave it out for children.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

BBC Good Food America's Test Kitchen Belly Rumbles