Coconut Thumbprint Cookies with Kaya

Tweaked from Good Housekeeping Perfect Desserts

Ingredients2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter ( or margarine), softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoon fresh milk
desiccated coconut for dredging

1/2 cup kaya or dulce de leche

Here’s how:Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Combine flour, baking powder and salt on a wax paper (for easier pouring ). In a large bowel with mixer at high medium speed, beat sugar and butter until creamy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat until well blended. Reduce speed to, low; beat in flour mixture just until blended.
Drop about a rounded measuring tablespoon of dough into the desiccated coconut, roll until dough is evenly coated with coconuts, place onto ungreased baking sheet and bake 6 minutes. Remove cookie sheet from the oven. Working quickly, with greased rounded measuring teaspoon or large watermelon baller, gently press a small indentation in the center of each cookie, making sure not to press all the way through. Fill each indentation with rounded 1/2 teaspoon of kaya or dulce de leche.

Return cookies to oven and bake 12-14 minutes longer or until edges are browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Serve with tea or coffee!

KAYA (Malaysian Coconut and Egg Jam)

Ingredients
2 cups coconut milk
5 egg yolks
1 2/3 cups brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt/coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon clear pandan essence

I cooked 2 cups of pure coconut milk with the yolks, 1 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pandan essence until it’s thick. To test for doneness, it should fall off reluctantly from the spoon or if it coats the back of a spoon, you know it’s ready. It’s up to you how you want your kaya consistency; cook it a bit longer if you want it really thick. Cool completely before using. Store excess in a jar and keep in the fridge for about two weeks.

Recipe Source: http://www.latestrecipes.net/2010/04/13/coconut-thumbprint-cookies-with-kaya/