Rummaging the Archives--Coconut Whirl Biscuits

I recently promised some of Mum's golden oldies that I ransacked from her recipe drawer at home. I love scrummaging through the deteriorating scraps of paper and magazine cutouts, the handmade school cookbooks with pages missing, and those tattered and written on old recipe books from who knows when. You never know what you're going to find. Sometimes I find something and it hits home. I remember that!! And all of a sudden a memory of my childhood comes back, as vivid as ever. Then when I bake it, more of the memory floods in. Its like finding photos of the past that you've never seen before, of when you where a child, and all of a sudden something you hadn't thought of in 20 years comes back into the mind.
So here's one of those recipes. My mum used to make these when I was very small. They are a soft biscuit with tangy lemon, coconut and the subtle sweetness of strawberry jam to balance the delightful flavour combination. So pretty and tasty for an afternoon tea with friends!

 

COCONUT WHIRL BISCUITS

2 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 pinch of salt
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup milk
4 tbsp sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tbsp jam
6 tbsp coconut
1 tsp grated lemon rind
squeeze of lemon juice
extra coconut

Make a dough from the flour, baking powder, salt, butter, sugar and milk. Roll out into a rectangle shape on a lightly floured surface.
Combine jam, coconut, lemon juice and rind together and spread over the top of the dough until the surface is well covered. Roll up into a sausage shape, and cut into 1cm thick slices. Arrange on a lined baking tray and brush the tops with beaten egg. Sprinkle each with extra coconut and bake at 180C until lightly golden (approximately 15-20 minutes.)

Makes 28