GEORGIA'S QUICK MONTE CARLOS

MAKES 12

This is the ultimate crowd-pleasing afternoon tea. I made these super quick treats on MasterChef during a Marco Pierre-White immunity challenge. We were asked to make the perfect morsel to have with a good ol’ cuppa. I not only won the challenge, but won a mass following of home cooks trying them out for themselves. These flavours take me straight back to my childhood to when I made the traditional Monte Carlo biscuits many times with my beautiful Grandma, Mama. Rows of coconut shortbread biscuits, sandwiched together with mock-cream and raspberry jam.  I remember waiting ever so patiently for the biscuits to completely cool before putting them together. We would take a good look at our little masterpieces before sitting down to eat them together, always with a cup of hot milky tea. My version of the classic recipe can easily be made in 30 minutes, and I especially love my very quick, and very easy homemade jam! I hope you love making these as much as I do.

Georgia Barnes Monte Carlo Biscuit Recipe MasterChef

INGREDIENTS

Coconut Biscuits

  • 1 cup self-raising flour

  • 1 cup organic desiccated coconut

  • 1 cup caster sugar

  • Pinch of natural salt

  • 100 g pure butter, melted and cooled

  • 1 free-range egg, lightly whisked

  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla bean extract

Raspberry Jam

  • 200 g raspberries, fresh or frozen

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

  • ½ cup rapadura sugar

Chantilly Cream

  • 300 ml pure cream

  • 3 tbsp pure icing sugar

  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla bean extract

Garnish

  • Mint leaves

  • 12 fresh raspberries

  • Pure icing sugar [optional]

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180*C.

To make the biscuits: Place flour, coconut, sugar and salt in a bowl and stir to combine. Add melted butter, egg and vanilla and stir to combine. Place even spoonfuls of mixture onto a lined baking tray and place in the oven to bake for 8-10 minutes, or until just golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a tray.

Meanwhile, to make the jam: Place raspberries, lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until raspberries have released their juices. Add a splash of water if the jam is catching on the bottom of the saucepan. Continue cooking until raspberries have broken down and mixture has reduced. Transfer jam to a bowl and set aside to cool.

To make the Chantilly cream: Place cream in a bowl and whisk to form soft peaks. Sift in icing sugar. Add vanilla and stir until just combined.

To construct the monte carlos: Spread a small amount of jam on half of the cooled biscuits. Top with a dollop of Chantilly cream. Sandwich the filling with the remaining biscuits. Garnish by securing a raspberry to the top of the Monte Carlo with a small amount of cream. Add a sprig of mint and a dusting of icing sugar.

Brew a hot pot of tea, find someone special to share them with and enjoy every bite!*