These classic biscuits are lovely served at morning tea alongside a mug of hot coffee. Be warned, though, the perfect combination of crunchy coconut and sweet, oozy raspberry jam is utterly moorish.

This recipe is a simple egg-enriched shortbread, fragrant with real vanilla extract and sandwiched together with home-made ruby-red raspberry jam, made with the raspberries from the bottom of the garden.

Ingredients;

  • 150 gram softened butter
  • 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 1 1/4 cup self-raising flour, sifted
  • 1 cup desiccated coconut, plus 1 cup extra
  • 1/2 cup raspberry jam

Instructions;

  1. Preheat oven to moderate, 180°C. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper.
  2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until pale and creamy. Add egg and vanilla essence, beating to combine.
  3. Using a large metal spoon, fold flour and coconut through to form a dough. Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls. Roll in extra coconut to coat. Place on trays, 6cm apart, flattening slightly.
  4. Bake in 2 batches, 15-20 minutes each batch, until lightly golden. Working quickly, use a teaspoon to make indents in the centre of each hot biscuit.
  5. Cool on trays 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Fill indents in each biscuit with jam.