Making Martha's Best Summer Pies

I'm a sucker for a good summer pie - pies that are laden with cooked in-season fruits, or pies that derive their personalities from vintage-diner days of yore. During the last lockdown in Ontario, I endeavored to make more pies and I was inevitably drawn to some of Martha's recipes.

First of all, I find her recipe for pate-brisee to be the best one I've encountered, mainly because it is an all-butter crust. Shortening is great for flakiness, but it is lacking in the flavour department. I also like how all-butter crusts turn a beautiful golden-brown colour, rather than the pallid beige of a crust made with shortening. Her recipe is quick to make, too, using a food processor - basically, just a few seconds. I've included her recipe below.

All of the pies I made, shown below, were made using one of Martha's recipes. I've provided a link for each one. They each appealed to me for different reasons, but I hope you find one of them alluring enough to make yourself this summer! Enjoy!

Banana cream pie is one of my favourites. Even as a kid, I would seek it out at restaurants and diners. They became increasingly difficult to find over the years as apple pie emerged as THE pie shown on almost every dessert menu. Thankfully, having this recipe in my repertoire means never having to search for one again! The filling is luscious and creamy, studded with slices of fresh banana, then topped with sweetened whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Click here for the recipe or find it in "Martha Stewart's New Pies and Tarts".

Rum raisin is my favourite ice-cream flavour, so rum-raisin pie was an obvious choice for me. The custard filling is very subtly-flavoured with vanilla and rum and sits atop a layer of golden raisins along the bottom of the pie crust, which when cooked become plump and juicy. Topping each slice with whipped cream is essential. Click here for the recipe, or find it in "Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook."

This decadent tart is also inspired by an ice-cream flavour: the ever-popular Rocky Road. I made this one for Father's Day, since Rocky Road is my dad's favourite ice-cream flavour. This one uses a simple graham-cracker crust and is filled with a chocolatey ganache studded with roasted salted almonds, mini marshmallows and chunks of dark chocolate. The recipe for the crust calls for five tablespoons of melted butter. I didn't find this to be quite enough. I would increase the amount to one stick (half a cup) next time, since I found the crust came out quite crumbly. But... this is one of the most delicious desserts I think I've ever made. My father loved it, as did my entire family. I was asked for the recipe several times. Click here for the recipe or find it in the August 2004 issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine.

It was the plethora of fresh apricots at the market this month that inspired me to make this pie. When I saw Martha's recipe for apricot pie with a coconut-crumble topping, it wasn't long before I settled on it. The flavour is excellent and apricot and coconut is such a summery combination. It's best served slightly warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. Click here for the recipe, or find it in the June 2011 issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine.

Next on my list is a coconut-cream pie... or maybe a cherry pie, or maybe a peach pie...

Martha's Pâte Brisée (All-butter Pie Crust)

(Makes enough for one double-crust 9-inch pie or two single crust pies)

INGREDIENTS:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (one cup) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes

¼ cup to ½ cup ice-cold water

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step One: Ensure all your ingredients are cold before using, including the dry ingredients. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt; pulse to combine. Add the butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about ten seconds. (To mix by hand, combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then cut in the butter with a pastry blender or use your fingers).

Step Two: With the machine running, add the ice water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, just until the dough begins to hold together without being wet or sticky. (If doing by hand, mix with a fork as you pour the water). Do not process for more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount together; if it is still too crumbly or sandy, add more water, one tablespoon at a time, until it begins to come together. It should still be somewhat loose but hold together when squeezed.

Step Three: Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Shape the dough into flattened disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight. The dough can be kept frozen for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before using. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before beginning to roll it.

 

PREPARING AND BLIND BAKING A PIE SHELL:

Step One: On a lightly-floured surface, roll out dough to a 13-inch round, ¼ inch thick. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim dough, leaving a one-inch overhang. Tuck overhang under, flush with rim, crimping edges. Pierce bottom of pie shell with a fork to allow steam to escape while baking. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Step Two: Preheat oven to 425. Line shell with a large round of parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are slightly golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove pie from oven and remove parchment and pie weights. Reduce oven temperature to 375 and return pie shell to bake for an additional 20 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack before filling. 

Martha's Dried-Apricot and Sage Scones

Sometimes you just need a scone. I grew up with my grandmother's scones and still use her extremely simple recipe when I want to make a quick batch. But I was intrigued by a recipe I found recently in the January, 2004, issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine: dried-apricot and sage scones. The imagined flavour combination sparked my curiosity and I had to try them out. I'm very glad I did!

The scones were flaky but moist and studded with soft, orange pieces of dried apricot. The real brightness of the flavour, though, comes from the addition of finely-chopped fresh sage, which infuses the batter with an unusual but perfect dash of something herbal to counteract the sweetness. (These scones smell amazing as they bake in the oven!) 

They are ideal served with a very good apricot jam at the breakfast table. I've even had them with slices of smoked turkey meat and a bit of salted butter, using them more as a sweet-and-savory biscuit. Below is the recipe. If you're a scone aficionado, I highly recommend trying these.

Dried-Apricot and Sage Scones

(Makes 8 scones)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon fine salt

5 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 cup chopped dried apricots (about 4 ounces)

2 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh sage

1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing

Sanding sugar (or regular sugar) for dusting

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step one: Preheat oven to 375. Place flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Work in butter with your fingertips or with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in dried apricots and sage. Add cream. Gather mixture together with your hands until it starts to hold together. (Don’t be too rough with it; this could toughen the dough).

Step two: Place mixture onto a lightly floured work surface. Quickly bring the dough together: pat into an 8-inch round disk that is approximately one inch thick. Smooth the top gently with a rolling pin. Cut into eight wedges using a metal bench scraper or a large, sharp knife dusted with flour.

Step three: Arrange the wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with cream and then dust with sanding sugar, or regular sugar if sanding sugar is not available. Bake until cooked through and lightly golden-brown, about 30 minutes. Immediately transfer scones to a wire rack to cool. Let cool at least ten minutes before serving.  Serve warm or room temperature.

Cook’s note: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days.

Martha's Double-Orange Cardamom Bundt Cake

I recently received a new Bundt pan as a gift and decided to inaugurate it by making one of the Bundt recipes from the May 2020 issue of Martha Stewart Living: a double-orange cardamom cake. The recipe is also included in Martha's Cake Perfection book, published last year. I should start by saying that the idea of making a Bundt cake has always frightened me: all those nooks and crannies where batter can get stuck and refuse to unmold! Do I risk spending an hour or so in the kitchen (not to mention shopping for ingredients) when there's a chance the cake might not even come out of the pan? I decided to bite the bullet and just try it.

Since baking sprays are not sold in Canada (think Baker's Joy and Pam's Happy Baking Cooking Spray), it was crucial that I thoroughly grease the pan with butter and dust it with flour before pouring the batter in. To me, it is the most crucial consideration when making a Bundt cake: treat the pan well, and it will treat you well in turn.  

The cake came out beautifully and just as described, although I omitted the Triple-Sec soaker and glaze since I was not in the mood for a boozy cake: a simple dusting of confectioners' sugar did the trick. The batter is luscious and fragrant, studded with orange zest and a healthy dose of ground cardamom. It's perfect for a small spring gathering. Below is the recipe along with some tips for successfully extricating a Bundt cake from its mold. 

Double-Orange Cardamom Bundt Cake

Martha Stewart

(Serves 12)

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cake:

2 sticks (one cup) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

3 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup whole milk

½ cup freshly-squeezed orange juice

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon grated orange zest (from two oranges)

1 teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

1 ¼ teaspoons ground cardamom

1 ½ cups sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

 

For the Glaze:

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

½ cup orange liqueur (Triple Sec or Cointreau)

2/3 cup sugar

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step One: Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, stir together whole milk and orange juice. In another medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cardamom.

Step Two: With an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar and orange zest until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to medium. Add the dry mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk/orange juice solution, beginning and ending with the dry mixture.

Step Three: Generously brush a 10-cup Bundt pan with butter, dust with flour and tap out excess.  Pour batter into the pan two-thirds of the way to the top. Even out the batter with an offset spatula.

Step Four: Bake until cake is puffed slightly and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Step Five: Make the glaze. In a small saucepan, cook butter over medium-high heat until boiling. Remove from heat; carefully add the liqueur (mixture will bubble). When bubbling subsides, add sugar and return to heat. Stir constantly until sugar is fully dissolved, about one minute. Remove from heat.

Step Six: Pierce holes in cake with a skewer at 1-inch intervals. Brush half the glaze evenly over the cake; let it stand until absorbed, about ten minutes. Invert cake onto a rimmed baking sheet. Gently pour the remaining glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides and center. Place cake back in the oven for ten minutes until glaze has set, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack before serving.

Cook’s note: Glazed cake can be kept in an airtight container or cake dome for up to three days. The glaze is not necessary for this recipe if you would rather do without the liqueur. It is just as good sans-glaze, served with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar, some whipped cream, and fresh raspberries.

Bundt-Pan Troubleshooting Tips:

Here are a few tips for baking with Bundt pans:

·       Grease it well! I cannot stress this enough. Bundt pans have a non-stick coating, but this is not enough. You must very generously grease the pan with either butter or vegetable shortening, ensuring you get it into every nook and cranny of the mold: you can use a pastry brush or your fingers for this. A very generous coating of flour (if making a white cake) or cocoa powder (if making a chocolate cake) should then be added to ensure the cake does not stick. Tap out any excess. Grease the pan just before you pour the batter in so that the butter does not warm and slide to the bottom. You can also use baking sprays (NOT cooking sprays) if they are available to you. Again, use a very generous amount.

·        Let it cool! Because Bundt cakes are quite dense, it is important to let them cool for at least 20 minutes in their pans before attempting to invert them. It allows the cake to set and to slowly pull itself away from the sides of the pan.  Inverting the cake too soon will cause the cake to fall apart. Conversely, don’t let it stay in the pan too long or the sugars will begin to get sticky and cling to the sides of the pan. Twenty minutes is the golden rule. Set your timer.

·       Red alert! If the cake does appear to be stuck to the pan, there are a few things you can do to help unmold it, although they are not failsafe. 1. Thoroughly soak a dish cloth in ice water and wrap the cloth around the pan while it is still warm. This helps the cake contract quickly. 2. Place the entire pan in the freezer while it is still warm and wait for ten minutes while the cake contracts from the sides. 3. Never use metal implements to loosen the cake; this will scratch the non-stick coating. Use the end of a rubber scraper to gently loosen the sides. 4. Pray.

A Sweet Classic From "Cake Perfection"

When I picked up a copy of Martha's latest book, Cake Perfection, I promised myself I would make the first one that really caught my fancy. Inexplicably, the one that most spoke to my senses, as well as my desire for a baking challenge, was the Meyer-Lemon Coconut Layer Cake on page 74 of the book. Perhaps it was the name of the cake with its tropical-sounding tartness that got me going, or maybe it was the glossy photograph by Lennart Weibull: four layers separated by coconut-lemon curd and candied citrus slices on top. Whatever the reason, I went grocery shopping armed with my ingredients list and plotted my plan of attack.

I say attack because I have never embarked on a cake recipe quite as complex as this before. I'm used to single or double layers, or loaves. This one required a bit of planning. There was the lemon curd to make, as well as the candied citrus slices, as well as the buttercream frosting as well as the cakes themselves. Some of the techniques were new to me: making a Swiss meringue as the base for the buttercream, slicing the tops off the cakes and then slicing each cake in half to create the layers. Child's play to an experienced baker, but a little more nerve-wracking for a novice. It was scary and so very exciting!

I took my time and followed the instructions very carefully. I came up with my own order of tasks: I began by toasting the coconut flakes, which were used in the curd and on the exterior of the cake as decoration - one cup for each purpose. Once cooled, I refrigerated them until I was ready to use them. I then moved on to the lemon curd, which I determined was delicious on its own after tasting a small spoonful. I let it cool and then refrigerated it as well. I then moved on to the frosting. I had never made a Swiss meringue before so this was new territory for me - and it showed. 

Martha's One-Bowl Chocolate Layer Cake

 In the September issue of Martha Stewart Living there is a great compilation of some of the most-searched and highly-rated baking recipes from the archives at MarthaStewart.com. Among them is a classic chocolate layer cake with chocolate frosting; it was calling my name! I've been on quite a baking kick since the pandemic started (don't worry, I've been on an exercise kick too!) and I think my skills are greatly improving. I realized, however, that I had not endeavored to make a chocolate cake, which is astounding to me, since it's one of my favourite kinds of cakes. This recipe uses only one bowl (so helpful for cleanup!) and a smattering of basic but good-quality ingredients that are easy to find at the grocery store. I was sold. 

You can find the recipe on page 87 of the magazine, but it's online as well. Click here to view it. The frosting, too, is a recipe I'll be using for other recipes, including cupcakes and maybe even on a lemon cake or plain white cake. Click here for the recipe and for an excellent demonstration by Thomas Joseph on how to get those lustrous swoops and swirls out of your frosting technique. I found it really helpful. The frosting is luscious and smooth with the addition of cream cheese, melted chocolate and cocoa powder, making it a dream to ice with. Decadence on a plate!

Martha's Strawberry Cake

If June was a question, strawberries would be the answer. There is no fruit I associate more closely with the month of June than the gorgeous local strawberries of southern and eastern Ontario: plump, deep red, delicious and in-season. A few weeks ago I was leafing through the Martha Stewart's Cakes book, taking note of some of the recipes I was interested in making this summer. One that stood out for its simplicity was the strawberry cake on page 239. (You can also find the recipe online: click here). I decided to make it for the Summer Solstice weekend and I am very glad I did. The ease with which it's made belies the satisfaction of its flavour. I highly recommend you try this one this summer: simple and scrumptious!

Baked in a pie dish and bursting with berries, this homespun dessert offers an excellent excuse to go strawberry picking - as if you need an excuse! Take it with you on a picnic or to a backyard potluck, and serve it straight from the dish. (You can bake it in a 9-inch round cake pan if you prefer).

This cake is best served warm, in my opinion. I served the pieces with a couple fresh strawberries per slice and wish I had had some vanilla ice cream to accompany it, although it doesn't need it - and neither does my waistline.

Lemon Snack Cake with Raspberry Cream-Cheese Frosting

Snacking cakes were a staple at both my grandparents' homes when I was growing up. My paternal and maternal grandmothers both enjoyed making small cakes for 'anytime' and there would always be a glass cake dome on the kitchen counter with a confection of some sort when my brother and I would visit. Cut into small squares and served with a glass of milk, they were always welcome treats.

In the June issue of Martha Stewart Living, my memory of these cakes was triggered by the recipe by Greg Lofts on page 64 of the magazine: a lemon cake with raspberry cream-cheese frosting. It was not a matter of if I would make it, but rather when! Last weekend I seized the opportunity - and I'm glad I did. It is moist, fluffy and delicious with a lemony tang. Paired with the richness of cream-cheese frosting, spiked with the light flavour of freeze-dried raspberries, it's the perfect cake to enjoy with a cup of tea or just on its own. Click here for the recipe.

I made my cake in an 8-inch square pan since I wanted to cut it into small squares, but the recipe calls for a 9-inch round cake pan. Finding the freeze-dried raspberries was a slight challenge since my usual grocery store did not carry them. I visited my local health food store and found them there. They are an important ingredient because they tint the frosting a light pink (I avoid food colouring as much as possible) and add a subtle berry flavour that balances the lemon taste of the cake nicely.

I encourage you to try this recipe if you haven't yet. It's simple to make and so very easy to enjoy!

Martha's Basic Pound Cake

My friend Christopher has created a gallery on his Facebook page titled "From My COVID Kitchen." In it, he uploads photos of the culinary creations that have kept him sane and satiated during this unprecedented time of quarantine. Christopher's wry title aside, I think it really does us good to try new things during this difficult period - not only for distraction but also to learn something. I, too, have been trying my hand at new recipes - most of them Martha's. Many of these recipes have been on my 'bake-one-day' list for far too long. Now that I have the time, I figured I should probably tackle some of them.

While there may not be anything that intriguing about pound cake, to me it's one of those quiet comfort foods that inspire a sense of nostalgia, a simple pleasure you can enjoy with a cup of tea; it hits the mark perfectly, given our circumstances. Its delicate flavour is not too sweet or indulgent and it's as good plain as it is served with berries and whipped cream. As I was flipping through the pages of Martha's Cakes book, I kept coming back to the golden allure of this simple, basic cake: a pleasure to make, a pleasure to eat.

One of the things I most like about Martha Stewart's recipes is the clarity of the instruction. The recipes may at times look a bit wordy on the page but those words are worth their weight. Oftentimes, the text in the instructions reveals helpful tips. In this recipe for pound cake, for example, the suggestion of beating the sugar and butter for a solid 8 minutes on high speed resulted in a smoother, more voluminous batter. The suggestion that the eggs be lightly beaten before being added to the batter lent an additional silken quality to its texture. Since this was only my second time making a pound cake, I found these hints very helpful.

The recipe makes two loaves and both came out beautifully. They cook at a low-ish temperature (325 degrees) for just over an hour, resulting in the perfect golden hue. I was very happy with how these turned out. I've included the recipe below.

The batter bakes beautifully, resulting in moist slices of cake that are tender and thick but not dense.

Nutella is not my preferred pound-cake accompaniment, but when I saw that Martha had used it to dress up a slice on Instagram I decided I needed to give it a try too. It's not bad! I personally prefer to drizzle a little bit of maple syrup over it or simply have it plain with a cup of tea, but any excuse to eat Nutella is fine by me.

I hope you try this cake. It's simple enough for a novice baker.

MARTHA'S BASIC POUND CAKE
(A pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a pound of flour, a pound of eggs...)

MAKES TWO CAKES

2 cups (one pound or four sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
1 pound (about three cups) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 1/4 cups (one pound) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9 large eggs (one pound), room temperature, lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 325. Generously butter two 9-by-5 inch loaf pans. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt.

2. With an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 8 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to medium; beat in vanilla. Add eggs in four batches, beating thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture in four batches, beating until just incorporated.

3. Divide batter between two prepared loaf pans. Tap pans on counter to reduce air pockets; smooth tops with an offset spatula. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 65 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 30 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks to cool completely.

Readers Share Their Easter Photos

The celebration of Easter this year had a bit of a darker cast to it. Given the COVID-19 outbreak, gatherings with family and friends who do not share the same abode were prohibited. What gives me so much joy is that many of us still found the hope and the optimism within ourselves to mark the occasion with some degree of levity and celebration - even if it was only for oneself! The photos of Easter celebrations and decorations below were submitted to the Martha Moments Facebook Group by people from all over the United States and around the world. Many of the members used Martha's recipes and her inimitable style to help them celebrate. Where possible, I've included the recipe links. I hope you enjoy these photos!

Pat Nogar made Martha's Triple-Citrus Bundt Cake for Easter. She and her husband enjoyed every bite!
Editha Tayag made roast turkey and glazed egg-shaped sugar cookies for her family.

This Easter table is by Concha Velasco Lomas.

For Bernie Wong and Dennis Landon it was pecan-crusted salmon and a vegetable medley with a lime juice and wasabi-sauce dressing. The plates are Martha's "Garland Moss" Wedgwood.

Bernie steamed haricots vert, fioretta cauliflower, artichoke hearts, asparagus and white carrots and presented the medley on an antique green feather edge pearlware platter, with dressing in the Martha by Mail Jadeite covered melon dish.

 Bernie displayed some of his white orchids in Martha's faux-bois planter. He tucked some nests with quail eggs in for a touch of Easter.

 Heidi Norwig served Martha's gravlax for her Easter breakfast.

Tuty Ayende made a succulent-looking glazed ham.

Martha's hot-cross buns from the kitchen of Kevin Boling.

 Every year Jeffrey Reed makes Martha's Easter cheesecake. It's a delicious tradition!

Sue Mauro also made an Easter cheesecake!

Steven Haschke used Martha's natural dyeing technique to decorate his Easter eggs this year. I love the dark-brown hue.

The home of James Richmond was beautifully-decorated for the holiday.

Here is the mantel and hearth in James' home. I love those giant egg topiaries. And notice Martha's faux-bois planters from QVC on either side of the fireplace.

Todd Hall used Martha's egg-dyeing guide to make these Easter eggs this year.

Breakfast on Todd's patio looks exquisite!

Todd made the Hummingbird-Carrot Cake from the April issue of Martha Stewart Living for his Easter dessert, served on Martha's "Robin's Egg" Wedgwood. (Everyone who has made this cake raves about it - including me!)

Martha's deviled eggs by Alirio Pirela.

Anthony Picozzi also made Martha's deviled eggs and served them in this majolica dish made specifically for this purpose. He garnished with blown-out quail's eggs.

Here is Anthony's beautiful carrot cake (Martha's recipe) with handmade marzipan carrots as decoration.

I decided to display my Ukrainian eggs in this set of vintage egg cups. They just make me smile! I hope you all had an enjoyable Easter!

Traditional Anzac Biscuits

During these days of self-isolation, so many of us are searching for and experimenting with new recipes to help us pass the time. I had been looking recently for a simple and fast cookie recipe that I had never tried before. It was while watching an episode of Martha Stewart Living devoted to all things Australian on the Martha Stewart TV App that I came across a segment of Martha making a very simple cookie I had never heard of before. They are called Anzac biscuits. (The word ANZAC is an acronym, which stands for Australia New Zealand Army Corps.)

These cookies were made popular in that region during the First World War when ingredients were scarce. Soldiers' wives could also include them in care packages sent abroad because the recipe does not call for eggs or anything particularly perishable. Flour, sugar, baking soda, rolled oats, butter, dried coconut and Lyle's Golden Syrup (an English pantry staple) are all that's needed. Better still, the ingredients can all be prepared in one bowl: no mixer required! I've included Martha's recipe below. I urge you try them if you haven't yet. They are sweet and crunchy, perfect with a cup of tea.

ANZAC Cookies (Australia New Zealand Army Corps)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups rolled oats

2 cups sugar

1 cup desiccated coconut

2 sticks unsalted butter

2 tablespoons Lyle's Golden Syrup

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup boiling water

STEP ONE:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, and coconut. Set aside.

STEP TWO:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with syrup. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water and add to butter mixture. Stir to combine. (Be careful; if the butter is hot, it will bubble up considerably.)

STEP THREE:

Add butter mixture to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice-cream scoop, drop onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart (be sure to pack the scoop tightly so the mixture doesn't crumble). Flatten cookies slightly with the heel of your hand.

STEP FOUR:

Bake until golden brown and firm but not hard, about 15 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.