Toasted Coconut Shortbread Cookies

Bon Appetit, April 2004.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (about 1.5 ounces) unsweetened shredded coconut (impossible to find, if you get the sweetened variety just dial back your sugar by a few teaspoons, a little less than half a cup)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks or 6 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325.


Spread coconut on rimmed baking sheet, stirring occasionally, bake until coconut is golden. Cool completely Grind in a coffee grinder, food processor or blender until coarsely ground.

Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Mix in salt and vanilla. Beat in flour in 2 additions, 2/3 cups at at time. Stir in toasted coconut. Flatten dough into a thick disc, wrap in plastic; chill at LEAST 1 hour. (can be prepared 2 days ahead. keep chilled. soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)

Again, preheat oven to 325.


Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out dough disk on floured work surface to 1/4-inch thickness.

Using 1 3/4- to 2-inch-diameter cookie cutters (or an empty soup can) cut dough into rounds.


Bake cookies until light golden, about 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. while they are baking, you can make the chocolate sauce.


Melt chocolate chips and dip completely cooled cookies. Place on parchment paper until chocolate sets (takes hours).