Perfume-Inspired Recipe: Tropical Snowballs
The flavour is inspired by my tropical fantasy, aka Coco-Lime limited edition perfume (it came out in the summer and was snatched away before I was even able to post it on my website)!
Snowballs are my favourite holiday cookie, not only because they are melt-in-your-mouth delicious and look pretty and dainty - but also because they require very little equipment! This recipe is a spin-off on our favourite home recipe. It's also a great winter past-time activity, as even little kids can easily form them into neat little balls. In fact, aside from making the dough and handling the hot cookie sheets - I let my daughter take charge of the whole process from start to finish!
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup unbleached white wheat flour (or - for the gluten free option, use 1/2 cup each brown rice flour and tapioca starch, plus 1/4tsp xanthan gum)
1/4 cup icing sugar, plus more for coating
1/4 tsp Salt
Lime zest from 1 Lime
1/4 cup finely shredded coconut, unsweetened
1/3 cup roasted pistachios, peeled and slivered (be sure to use bright green fresh pistachios!)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (or use vanilla paste if you have - it's amazing!)
How-To:
- Combine flours (and xanthan gum, if opting for the gluten free ingredients) and salt
- Mix butter with the dry ingredients, until it is relatively smooth
- Add the coconut and pistachios and blend well with crumbs, using your hands
- Add the vanilla and continue to knead dough just until it can be formed into a big ball, and wrap in a plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate dough until firm - for about 1-3 hours.
- Line a cookie sheet with parcment paper or Silpat
- Form the cookies using a melon scooper for even shapes and identical dainty sized snowballs!
- Bake for 12-14 minutes (until they barely begin to become golden)
- Cool for 3-4 minutes, just until they can be handled without hurting your fingers!
- Roll in additional icing sugar.
- Cool completely on a wire rack
- Transfer into an airtight container. They will keep for 2 weeks and make a perfect gift, packaged in reusable cookie tins or jars.
* Equipment you will need for this recipe:
Large cookie sheet
Parchment paper or Silpat sheets
Measuring spoons and cups
Citrus zester/grater
Hand mixer
Wire rack and a large tray for cooling off your cookies
Coco-Lime limited edition perfume:
Coco-Lime
Citrus, Gourmand
Tropical cocktail of squeezed lime and coconut milk, and everything else that goes with. Coco-Lime is a mouthwatering beach fantasy in a bottle. Fun and invigorating!
Top notes:
Key Lime, Lemon, Grapefruit, Lime
Heart notes:
Ylang Ylang, Lemon Myrtle, Litsea Cubeba
Base notes:
Coconut Absolute, Massoia Bark, Vanilla CO2, Ambrette (Musk) Seed