It’s summer. School’s over, it’s really hot out, and I am ready to barely leave my house. Last year I pretty much only left to go to the grocery store and to go see my brother at his sleep away camp. I suspect this year will be very similar.
I’m hoping to sell some baked goods this summer, hopefully at a market. If not there I am open to selling cakes or cookies to people who request them. I’ve done this a few times before and it’s always very rewarding.
Circling back to the summer thing, it’s so hot outside. I went on a walk with my friends after school a few days ago and it was real toasty. My room is very poorly ventilated so if it’s hot outside, then its hot in my room. I actually appreciate this in the winter because it makes my room cold, which is nice for someone who loves blankets and sweaters. But it’s not ideal in the summer.
But that doesn’t matter all that much because I’m in the kitchen for most of the summer. I will be posting a lot more in the next two months or so simply because I have the time. I bake pretty much every day in the summer, which gets me inspired. So you’ll likely be seeing something like one recipe a week.
I’m excited for the end of July/beginning of August because I get to start working on my fall stuff! I’ve got loads of cozy recipes planned that I can’t wait to start working on.
But for now it’s all about fruits and florals! Speaking of, today we have a very summery recipe. I feel like coconut lime is THE summer flavor. It’s very tropical and beachy so of course I made it into a shortbread.
Describe This Shortbread to me
Taste: This has that typical buttery and slightly sweet shortbread flavor, but with a summery twist. The lime is the dominant flavor here but you can still taste that coconut. The two balance perfectly to give you a very unique piece of shortbread.
Texture: The outside of this shortbread is a little crunchy, and snaps when you break it. The inside is a little soft, with a moist crumb because nobody likes a dry shortbread.
Ease: The best thing about shortbread is that it’s super easy. It only takes about 15 minutes to make the dough, and then your just throw it in the oven. It also only has a handful of ingredients, so it’s perfect as a quick afternoon bake.
Coconut Lime
Coconut lime is a very summery, refreshing flavor combo. I feel like you see it a lot with ice cream or maybe even donuts. Shortbread probably isn’t the first thing that pops into your head, but we make it work. The coconut is sweet and nutty, and the lime adds a little bit of tartness to cut through the rich butteriness of the dough. In the end it doesn’t have that same refreshing taste, but something even tastier.
The Dough
Shortbread is a very basic and simple dough. Traditionally, it’s made with one part sugar, two parts butter, and three or four parts flour. The interesting thing is, shortbread has no eggs. This gives you a really delicate, crumbly texture. For this recipe, we’re adding a couple of things, so let’s break that down.
– Lime Zest: We rub the lime zest with the sugar to release the flavor packed oils.
– Shredded Coconut: We pulse the coconut in a food processor to break it down before we add it to the lime sugar. Doing this makes sure the structural integrity of the shortbread stays strong.
–Coconut Oil: We replace a little bit of the butter with coconut oil. This adds a little more coconut flavor, as well as makes it a little more delicate.
– Coconut and Vanilla Extract: As per usual, there is a little vanilla extract in here to bring out the other flavors. But we also add a little coconut extract to make sure you can taste that flavor .
– Cornstarch: Cornstarch helps keep the shortbread together and give it that moist crumb.
One last little tip about shortbread is to make sure you dock the top of the dough before you bake it. This means you poke a bunch of lil holes all over the top. This stops it from bubbling in the oven, and keeps the texture just right.
Coconut Lime Shortbread
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 7×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Make sure there is enough overhang to help lift the baked shortbread out of the pan in step 5.
- In a food processor, pulse the shredded coconut until broken down a little. You just want to chop it down some so there are no big pieces.
- Add the granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl. Using your hands, massage the lime zest into it to release the citrus flavor. Add the butter and coconut oil and using a mixer (handheld or stand) fitted with a paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, coconut extract, and salt and beat on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides with a spatula and add the cornstarch and flour. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, and then turn it up to medium speed for 1 minute until a thick dough forms. Fold in the shredded coconut so it's evenly combined.
- Press the dough into the previously prepared baking dish. Try and get it as compact and even as possible. Poke the top of dough with a fork all over to prevent air bubbles. Bake for 42-45 minutes or until slightly browned on the sides. Oven times may vary depending on what kind of oven you're using. Allow the shortbread to cool in the pan set on a wire cooling rack for at least an hour or until cooled completely. Then lift it out of the pan and cut into squares or rectangles (Any size will work!)
- Shortbread stays fresh stored at room temperature for up to 1 week