Monte Carlos Biscuits

A couple of years back the kind people at Octopus Publishing Group sent me a copy of the Australian Women's Weekly magazines' book 'The Cake Stall, a fantastic collection of baking recipes including the traditional alongside Australian classics such as Lamingtons and Anzac Biscuits.

I wanted to share this recipe for Monte Carlos - a delicious jam and cream biscuit sandwich that is perfect with a cup of tea or coffee. The recipe makes between 20-30 biscuits depending on how big you make them - I prefer them on the large side!

185g unsalted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

110g light brown sugar

185g self raising flour

110g plain flour

40g dessicated coconut

160g strawberry or raspberry jam

Cream Filling:

60g unsalted butter

120g icing sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp milk

Here's how:

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and grease and line a couple of baking trays.

Beat butter, vanilla extract and sugar in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat in until combined. Stir in sifted flours and coconut.

Shape a level teaspoon of the dough into oval shapes and place onto the baking trays about 4cm apart and then flatten out a little with a fork.

Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes.

Once biscuits are cooled, make the cream filling by mixing together the butter, sugar, vanilla extract and milk.

On half of the biscuits spread on 1/2 tsp of the jam and on the other half 1/2 tsp of the cream filling and then gently press together.