Blackberry and Cream Monte Carlos - #CrativeCookieExchange

How do you celebrate the end of summer vacation?  I remember growing up in Australia, and it seeming like summer vacation would go on forever.  Of course being the land Down Under our summer vacation happened around Christmas.  I am looking forward to seeing how all of the members of the #CreativeCookieExchange embrace this theme.

I decided to use blackberries in my cookies since they are usually around here only during the summer break, so they seemed like a fitting end to summer vacation. Monte Carlos are a popular biscuit (cookie) from the Arnott's brand in Australia, and are named after Monte Carlo.  As much as I enjoy eating them, I had never tried making them before.

As you can see they are a sandwich cookie.  Usually, they are more of an oval shape but mine ended up being quite round.  And boy were these cookies a mouthful.  I may have gone a little overboard with the balls of cookie dough but they are so delicious everyone in my family did not complain about them being a little on the bigger side.  I believe the word used to describe them was scrumpdillyicious.

This recipe made 16 sandwich cookies.  You could double the recipe if you want more cookies, or make them a little smaller than I did. These cookies would also be good without the filling - kind of like a coconut shortbread cookie.  They certainly gave me a taste of home, without having to travel thousands of miles :)  Of course you could use any flavor jam that you like, but the blackberry jam I made is super-easy and it is a small batch so there is enough for the cookies, and a little leftover for toast in the morning.

If you would like to know more about #CreativeCookieExchange and see what the other bakers made for the Celebrating the End of Summer Vacation theme please scroll down below the recipe. Thanks to Laura from The Spiced Life, who is our host, fearless leader,  and Renee from Magnolia Days for doing the links this month - much appreciated!

Blackberry and Cream Monte Carlos
(Printer Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients
Biscuits ~

• 200g butter, room temperature
• 150g sugar
• 5ml vanilla bean paste
• 1 egg
• 185g self-rising flour
• 95g all-purpose flour
• 75g desiccated coconut

Filling ~

• 100g butter, room temperature
• 330g powdered sugar
• 5ml vanilla bean paste
• 15 - 30ml half & half or milk
• blackberry jam (recipe below)

Preparation
Biscuits ~

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. 
2. Line 2 trays with baking paper.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla until very light and creamy.
4. Add the egg and mix until well combined
5. Fold in combined flours and coconut.
6. Take a tablespoonful of the cookie mix and roll into a ball.
7. Place on a baking tray a few inches apart and using a fork, gently make indentations on the top of each ball.
8. Bake for 12-15 mins, until lightly golden.
9. Remove cookies from the oven and allow to firm up on trays for 5 mins.
10. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool.

Filling ~

1. Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla together until light and fluffy.
2. Add enough milk to make a smooth consistency. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cookie Assembly

1. Pair up biscuits with matching sizes.
2. Spread jam on one biscuit of each pair.
3. Pipe or spread cream mixture on other biscuit of pair.
4. Sandwich pairs together and allow to set.

Blackberry Jam

Ingredients

• 450g blackberries
• 155g cup sugar
• 15ml lemon juice
• 1 small granny smith apple, quartered

Preparation

1. In a medium sized pan, stir together the blackberries and sugar. 
2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and cook for 5 minutes, until the blackberries release their juices.
3. Strain the blackberries over a large bowl and pour the liquid back into the saucepan. Set aside the cooked berries.
4. Add the apple quarters to the liquid and bring it to a boil, then lower heat slightly so the mixture does not burn.
5. Cook until the liquid has reduced, about 10-15 minutes (If you have a candy thermometer, you want to the mixture to reach 220℉).
6. When the liquid has reduced, remove the apple slices (and eat them), strain out any seeds, and return the berries to the saucepan, along with the lemon juice.
7. Bring to a simmer and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Cookies inspired by Freshbaked and Blackberry Jam inspired by The Baker's Log

For US Measurements please click here

Summer is almost over, and we have cookies to remember it by! Hint: a lot of these cookies could be made and frozen, to pull out a slice of summer in February! You can also use us as a great resource for cookie recipes. Be sure to check out our Pinterest Board and our monthly posts (you can find all of them here at The Spiced Life). You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! Also, if you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start baking, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have
made ~

• Apple Shortbread Cookies with Apple Cider Mascarpone Frosting by A Shaggy Dough Story
• Apricot Pochettes by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Blackberry and Cream Monte Carlos by All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Black Forest Cookies by Spiceroots
• Blueberry Cookies by The Spiced Life
• Kiwi Thumbprints by Flours and Frostings
• Lemon Basil Cookies with Mint by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Lemon Meltaways by Oven Delights
• Lemon Sour Cream Cookies by Magnolia Days
• Orange Creamsicle Cookies by 2 Cookin Mamas
• Peach Pie Cookies by Live. Bake. Love.
• Pecan Sandies by Food Lust People Love
• S'mores Blondies by A Baker's House
• Strawberry & Cream Cookies by Baking in Pyjamas