Holiday Challenge Day 7 - Coconut Sandwich Cookies

Gilligan's Island used to be one of my very favorite tv shows when I was growing up.  I think my brother and I watched it at least once a day, every day.  Although back then I was always wildly amused by Gilligan's shenanigans, I must say that in retrospect, Mary Ann really deserved some serious "props" of her own.  Because who do you know that can whip up coconut cream pie with no modern kitchen conveniences to speak of? Sure, you can cook the custard part of a cream pie over a fire (I mean really, who can't do that?!), but how many people do you know that can bake a crust over open flame?  That, my friends, is a talent, and an enviable one at that. 

I have no doubt that if Mary Ann had a real oven, a cow, and a well stocked pantry, she would have baked these delicious coconut cookies for Gilligan, the Skipper, and the rest of the castaways. They're so appetizing, I bet if she'd offered some to the cannibals, she'd have had them eating out of her hand in no time (as opposed to them trying to eat her hand, of course).

Coconut Sandwich Cookies
Makes 30
Martha Stewart
 2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (7 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut (about 2 1/4 cups)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks set in upper and lower thirds.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.  Place 1/2 cup coconut into a small bowl; set aside.  Place remaining coconut in a food processor; pulse until coarsely ground.  Set aside.

2.  Using an electric mixer, beat butter with sugars until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and ground coconut; mix just until combined. 

3.  Drop by level tablespoons onto two baking sheets, 1 to 2 inches apart.  Bake until lightly golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.  Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

4.  Dividing evenly, spread filling on flat side of half the cookies; sandwich with remaining cookies.  Roll edges in reserved coconut and chill until ready to serve.

Creamy Vanilla Filling:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using an electric mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy. With mixer on medium, beat in confectioners sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, scraping down bowl as necessary. Add vanilla; increase speed to high and beat until filling is light and fluffy, 5 minutes.

(Photo of Gilligan courtesy of www.fanpix.net)