What’s not to love about a recipe with the title of besos de coco(coconut kisses)? In an attempt to recreate my favorite pan dulce recipes in my own kitchen, this is the formula that worked for me. Please know that the commercial Mexican bakeries may be using ingredients that come pre mixed or ingredients with enhancers. That being said, if I truly was not happy with the results, I wouldn’t bother to post it on my blog.
It’s The Food Memories That Inspire Many Of The Recipes!
I remember following close behind my Mom or Dad as they placed the fresh baked pan dulce onto the tray. It was always in my best interest to make that trip with them, to ensure I got to pick out my favorite Mexican sweet bread. Two of my favorite’s were and still are were called “besos” (kisses) and “ojo de buey”(eye of the ox), ha, ha, ha! Sometimes the literal translations just don’t translate well, but you get the idea. Besos are a puffed up sandwich soft cookie with assorted fruit fillings, brushed with melted butter and dusted in fine sugar. The ojo de buey is similar in shape with a raspberry filling, brushed with more raspberry filling and coated with fluffy shredded coconut. So for me this version is the best of both of those. I would love to find the authentic recipe for the Mexican version, but that is not always an easy task. And most times if you do find something, it is written for commercial bakeries and is almost impossible to convert to a home cook’s version.
Besos de Coco
Equipment
- Mixer
- baking sheets
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon coconut or vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablepoons flour, sifted
- Pinch of salt
- Your favorite jam preserves or dulce de leche
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup shredded coconut I used unsweetened
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar and eggs. Whip or mix on high for 3-5 minutes. Mix in the coconut extract and lemon zest
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Fold in the flour and salt just until incorporated.
- Onto each baking sheet, drop 12 cookies (about 2 tablespoons of batter). Try to make them as round as possible. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool for a few minutes before removing them from baking sheets. Transfer to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way.
- Take 12 of the cookies and fill the flat side with about 1 tablespoon of filling. Spread out evenly. Top with another plain cookie, flat side onto filling.
- In a bowl, add the powdered sugar. Mix in the hot water, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth. Dip one half into glaze and then press into coconut until evenly coated. Repeat with the other half of cookie. Place back onto wire rack until cookies set and dry.
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Hello, this is more of a question on this recipe. Have you tried substituting flour with almond flour and sugar? I am wondering if the recipe will work. Thank you
Hi Claudia, No, I Have not tried that.