Jayne of the Barefoot Kitchen Witch (click for recipe) chose Coconut Butter Thins for this week's TWD. These “lacy” cookies presented quite the challenge for me. Knowing my problems with shortbread cookies, I saved half a batch should the first half go horribly wrong. I cut out the dough and then froze the cookies for an hour before putting them into the oven. Once in the warm chamber of the oven, delicious smells of coconut and lime and butter wafted throughout the apartment. I anxiously waited for the annoying beepbeebeebeep sound of my kitchen timer that would warn me “Hey, if you wait 30 more seconds, your dish will be ruined. Run to me!” and at that moment, I would open the oven door and be greeted by golden brown, square shaped shortbread cookies with flecks of green lime zest and golden toasted coconut.
Lets rewind to the annoying beepbeebeebeep alarm, shall we?
As I heard the alarm, I bolted to the kitchen, pushing my boyfriend out of the way in a frantic attempt to retrieve my shortbread cookies. I opened the door, but was not greeted by golden brown, square shaped shortbread cookies with flecks of green lime zest and golden toasted coconut. Instead, I found flat, oddly circular shaped cookies, some with caramel colored edges and golden middles, but most just a dark caramel color.
I sighed and tested a cookie. It was thin and lacy and quite tasty, as Dorie said they would be, but for some reason, it felt like there should be more to these cookies. Where was the coconut flavor? The kick from the lime? I tried a bite from another cookie. Same light texture, but still not the flavor I was looking for. I bit into another. And another. Soon, the plate was filled with half-bitten cookies and I still had not tasted the flavors that I was so excited for. And on top of that, I was made that I ate the halves of seven cookies and that I now had to spend extra time at the gym for too much "tasting".
I froze more cut-outs and tried again the next time, sure that a night in the freezer would solve the spreading problem. Oh, how I was wrong. This time, I had more cookies that were golden, but they went from perfect square shapes to oblong circles that somehow reached for their neighbors on the baking sheet and attached at the edges. The flavor was a bit stronger, and the cookies were softer, so I knew I was on the right track.
It was then that I decided to take these cookies and bake them in a mini tart shell. If they were not going to shape the way I had hoped they would, I would force them to be. After about 20 minutes, I opened the oven and saw the most perfect, golden brown, thick shortbread shells. I let them cool and then filled them with the fantabulous (yes, I made that up) no-cook banana ice cream and topped them with lime zest and toasted coconut. I took a bite and the flavors just exploded in my mouth. I was immediately transported to the islands, as the flavors introduced themselves one by one. The tart-sweet flavor of the lime zest and the deep coconut flavor and crunch gave way to the smooth, rich flavor of banana and was finished with a thick, buttery and slightly chewy shortbread cookie. It was exactly what I had hoped for.
Victory at last.
Check TWD for more shortbread cookies!
Way to keep at it! :) Your mini tart shells are really cute and it sounds like they were delicious so you definitely succeeded in the end.
Posted by: Tracey | March 31, 2009 at 12:47 AM
Bravo! I thought these were just about the most ugliest things I have ever made. I couldn't (and didn't have time) to think of any other way to make these look edible. I LOVE your shells - so creative - AND delicious looking too!!! I made 3 different flavored batches too - and had a hard time detecting coconut flavor! Very nicely done this week!
Posted by: mike | March 31, 2009 at 02:40 AM
They look delicious - looks like your hard work paid off! They would be great for Easter with the coconut and lime.
Posted by: Jen Schall @ My Kitchen Addiction | March 31, 2009 at 08:08 AM
I love your mini tartshells, how creative. They look soooo cute!
Posted by: Marthe | March 31, 2009 at 08:34 AM
I am so impressed with your ability to take these little square cookies and turn them into beautiful tarts! They look absolutely perfect and I love the pretty green lime zest on top!
Posted by: Jessica | March 31, 2009 at 08:38 AM
Oh for the love of pete... look at what you did! Mini tarts? You have endless mad skillz!
Nice job!
Posted by: sabrina | March 31, 2009 at 08:38 AM
Your tarts are amazing! I bet tasty too. I'm with you on having to go to the gym more. I ate the entire batch of cookies last night in one sitting. Glad I only made half a batch!!! :)
Posted by: peggy | March 31, 2009 at 09:33 AM
Love the tart shells, you are a genius! They look so cute and so tasty!! Great job like always!
Posted by: Maria | March 31, 2009 at 09:42 AM
Sounds fantastic with the ice cream!
Posted by: lisaiscooking | March 31, 2009 at 09:47 AM
Very impressive! I read a cookie recipe and think "cookie" but you think "tart shell." Way to go for making these into the success you imagined.
Posted by: Leslie | March 31, 2009 at 10:10 AM
Wow! These are indeed fabulous! Great job :)
Posted by: farah | March 31, 2009 at 10:24 AM
superbe idée de se servir de la pâte pour des tartelettes ! c'est génial :)
Posted by: isabelle | March 31, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Great looking tarts! Im not sure I could have got the dough to do that. My dough was rather firm when it came out of the fridge.
Oh gosh you filled them with that luscious looking ice cream too, that's it Im coming over!!
Posted by: Michelle | March 31, 2009 at 11:27 AM
I'm blown away by your tarts, Teanna. But I am glad that you tasted all of the cookies first, just to make sure that the flavor that you were looking for wasn't there. I would have done the same thing -- you can't be too careful. I think you've created one stunning dessert!
Posted by: Cathy | March 31, 2009 at 11:33 AM
oh gosh.. you're a geniuS!!! and those tart shell cookies.. look absolutely fantabulous with that generous topping of ice cream. Wonderful!
Posted by: Sihan | March 31, 2009 at 12:46 PM
Great job in turning them around!! I'm going to have to try this again darn it!
Posted by: Carolyn | March 31, 2009 at 01:01 PM
Oh. My. God. Im DROOOOOOLING on my keypad right now. These are fantabulous! :)
Posted by: Courtney | March 31, 2009 at 01:50 PM
I think you stumbled upon the perfect use for these cookies...as a vehicle for something else. I had the same reaction as your first one. Where is the flavor? Great job.
Posted by: Kelly D | March 31, 2009 at 02:21 PM
Awesome! And I want some of that ice cream. Mmmm!
Posted by: Katrina | March 31, 2009 at 02:33 PM
I had the same experience with my first two tries. Maybe I should have tried a third attempt because yours ended up beautiful! or was that fantabulous?!
Posted by: Spike | March 31, 2009 at 02:39 PM