Mrs Whitington’s Cheesy Comestibles
“Coconut, cheese and cayenne pepper are unusual bedfellows. But they make whoopee to create a bloody delicious biscuit. Very, very nice with a cold beer,” writes Ross Dobson in The Lost Recipes: Australia’s Culinary Gems.
Inroduction
About this Recipe
By Sheridan Rogers
Dobson explains that the recipe came from a dear friend who has been making these savoury biscuits for decades. His friend in turn got the recipe from Mrs Whitington who "brought these delectable comestibles to our family in Taree, New South Wales, around Christmas every year of my childhood, mid-to-late last century. Luckily she surrendered the recipe to me. You may use the recipe too; it's easy though a bit messy, but on condition you always announce these as "Mrs Whitington's Comestibles."
Ingredients
125g (1/2 cup) softened butter
1 1/2 cups grated dry cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
180g self-raising flour
1 cup desiccated coconut
Preheat the oven to 200C (180Fan). Grease and line 2 baking trays.
Beat the butter with a wooden spoon until creamy. Stir in the cheddar, parmesan, cayenne and flour.
Generously season with salt and pepper.
Briefly stir to combine well and form a moist dough.
Tip onto a floured surface and briefly knead. Form into small balls, 25g- 30g each, then roll in the coconut.
Place them on the trays and gently press with a fork.
Bake for 10 -12 minutes until golden.