Lamington Thumbprint Cookies Recipes

LAMINGTONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8x12-inch pan.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• Beat 1/2 cup butter and 3/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla with the last egg. Pour in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing until just incorporated.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Wrap with plastic wrap and store overnight at room temperature to give the cake a chance to firm up before slicing.
• To make the icing: In a large bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and cocoa. Add the melted butter and warm milk and mix well to create a fluid, but not too runny, icing.
• Cut the cake into 24 squares. Place parchment paper or waxed paper on a work surface, and set a wire rack on the paper. Pour the shredded coconut into a shallow bowl. Using a fork, dip each square into the icing, coating all sides, then roll it in the coconut. Place onto rack to dry. Continue until all lamingtons are coated.

THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolk and vanilla; beat well. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt; add to butter mixture, beating on low until combined.
• Combine ground almonds with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Form dough into 1-inch balls, and dip in beaten egg white, then in almond-and-sugar mixture. Make a deep indentation in the center of each ball with your finger or a wooden spoon. Place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
• Bake 10 minutes, remove from oven, and press down the centers again. Rotate sheets, and bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes more. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool slightly. Fill center of each cookie with about 1 teaspoon jam. Let cool completely. Thumbprints can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container, between parchment, up to 1 day (or 3 days, if not filled with jam).

PERFECT THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Mix butter and powdered sugar together with a rubber spatula until creamy. Add vanilla extract, almond extract, salt, and egg yolk. Mix with the spatula. Add flour and blend until just combined.
• Use a sorbet scoop to portion dough into 1/2-ounce (1-tablespoon) balls. Roll balls in a plate of white sugar to coat; roll again between your palms. Place several inches apart on a silicone-lined baking sheet. Flatten balls lightly with your fingers.
• To make shortbread cookies with a little jam, poke a well into each cookie using the end of a thick wooden spoon dusted with powdered sugar or using one of your fingers. Fill cookies with fruit jam. Tap baking sheet against the counter to let jam settle.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops are barely blonde and bottoms are slightly golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before icing.
• Meanwhile, mix powdered sugar with a little milk until you have a consistency that will hold its shape when piped. Pipe icing on top of cookies in a zigzag pattern. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
• For a more jam-forward cookie, press your thumb into the cookies to make large, shallow indentations. Spoon in jam. Tap baking sheet against the counter.
• Bake until not quite golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let rest on pan for 5 minutes before transferring a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar.

JAM THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, vanilla and salt until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in enough flour to form a smooth dough., Preheat oven to 350°. Place coconut in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk egg and water. Shape cookie dough into 1-in. balls; dip tops in egg mixture, then in coconut, pressing slightly to adhere. Place 1-1/2 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, coconut side up., Press a deep indentation in center of each with the end of a wooden spoon handle. Fill with preserves., Bake 15-18 minutes or until bottoms are browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. If desired, dust tops with confectioner's sugar.

LAMINGTON THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, whisk together butter, condensed milk, vanilla, salt, and baking powder until thoroughly combined. Add flour, stirring with a spoon until a dough forms. Cover and refrigerate until firm enough to handle but still tacky and not too stiff, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. With dampened hands (to prevent sticking), roll level tablespoons of dough into balls. Toss in coconut, pressing gently to adhere. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced 1 inch apart. Press each center with a thumb or finger to create a deep indentation.
• Bake until cookies are just set and golden on bottoms but still soft, about 10 minutes. Press down centers again, if needed. Let cool completely on sheet. Melt chocolate in a bowl set over a double boiler, or in a microwave on low. Dip bottoms of cookies in chocolate and return to parchment-lined sheet, bottom-sides down.
• Bring marmalade to a boil in a small saucepan; strain. While still warm, spoon about 3/4 teaspoon into center of each cookie. Refrigerate until chocolate and marmalade are set, at least 30 minutes. Set cookies can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days.