Baking Dessert

'Monte Carlos' with cherry jam and salted vanilla frosting

Name: Monte carlo biscuit recipe
Yield: 20
Ingredients: 110g cold unsalted butter, chopped; 120g raw caster sugar; 20.00 ml runny honey; 1 large egg, at room temperature; 2.00 tsp vanilla bean paste; 230g self-raising flour; 50g shredded coconut; 160g cherry jam; 200g icing sugar mixture; 80g unsalted butter, at room temperature; 20.00 ml milk

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'Monte Carlos' with cherry jam and salted vanilla frosting

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by Natalie Paull

CHEF

Sep 19, 2024

"My little child hands were always poised to be the first fingers to snaffle a Monte Carlo as soon as the wrapper on the Arnott’s Assorted Cream packet was opened. I can’t stray too far from the feeling of eating the original: crumbly honey-kissed and coconut-spiked bookends to a swirl of chewy jam with sweet vanilla cream. I’m just going to add a little sprinkle of salt flakes, if that’s okay with you?" – Natalie Paull

110g cold unsalted butter, chopped
120g raw caster sugar
1 tbs runny honey
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
230g self-raising flour
2/3 cup (50g) shredded coconut
1/2 cup (160g) thick cherry jam (or raspberry)

Salted vanilla frosting

1 2/3 cups (200g) icing sugar mixture
80g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Method

1.

Heat a small saucepan over high heat until hot, add butter and melt, swirling pan occasionally, for 1-2 minutes, until foaming and nut brown. Transfer to a large bowl and cool slightly. Whisk in sugar, honey, egg and vanilla until smooth. Using a plastic spatula, mix in flour, coconut and 1/4 tsp fine salt until combined. Divide mixture in half. Roll each half in a sheet of baking paper to form two 20cm logs, twisting paper ends to seal and tighten logs. Freeze for 30 minutes, or until fim but still sliceable (see notes).
2.

Preheat oven to 160ºC/140ºC fan-forced. Grease 2 large baking trays and line with baking paper. Cut 1cm slices from dough, then place on prepared trays (they won’t spread). Gently scratch top with a fork. Bake for 25 minutes, or until evenly brown and crisp to touch. Cool on tray for 5 minutes then lift onto a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
3.

For the frosting, place all ingredients and a large pinch of salt flakes in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, until fluffy.
4.

To assemble, spread half the cooled biscuits with 1 tsp measures of jam, and spread remaining cooled biscuits with 1 heaped tsp measures of frosting. Sandwich jam and frosting biscuits together, pressing firmly to secure.

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Recipe Notes

These are best eaten on the day they’re assembled, but can be stored in a container in the fridge for up to 1 day. The uncooked dough can be kept chilled in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 3 months.