Coconut & raspberry Viennese whirls

Soft and delicate shortbread swirl biscuits sandwiched with oozing raspberry jam and sealed together with a coconut kick - there is nothing plain about these XL Viennese Whirls. Prefer traditional? Leave out the coconut and add a little vanilla extract.  

Makes: 6

INGREDIENTS

Cookie dough

• 300g (3 sticks plus 4 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 80g (⅔ cup) icing sugar
• 5 drops of vanilla extract
• 275g (2 cups) plain flour
• 25g (2½ tbsp) cornflour
• ½ tsp baking powder

Filling

• 125g (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 250g (1¾ cups) icing sugar
• 5-10 drops of coconut flavouring
• About 150g (5½oz) raspberry jam
• 60g (2¼oz) desiccated coconut
• 100g (3½oz) white chocolate (optional)
•  Crushed freeze-dried raspberries

Special Equipment

• 10cm (4in) cookie cutter
• Cake release spray or homemade cake release (page 202 - optional)
• Mixer or hand-held electric whisk
• Baking trays
• Piping bags and open star nozzles

METHOD

1. Use the cookie cutter to draw six circles onto baking parchment ,at least 2.5cm (1in) apart. Turn the paper over and stick down onto a baking tray with butter, cake release spray or homemade cake release. Repeat on another baking tray.
   
   
2. In a mixer, beat the butter with the icing sugar for 10 minutes until white and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and sift in the flour, cornflour and baking powder. Mix on a low-speed setting until just combined.
   
   
3. Load the mixture into a piping bag fitted with an open star nozzle. Pipe 12 circles following the cookie cutter guides on the baking trays and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
   
   
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/350° F/Gas 4).
   
   
5. To make the buttercream, whip the butter until whitened. Sift in the icing sugar and add the coconut flavouring to taste. Combine on a low-speed setting, remembering to scrape down the sides with a spatula.
   
   
6. Bake the chilled biscuits for 15 minutes until the edges are golden brown. If the biscuits are too pale, they will fall apart. Leave to cool on the baking trays, then transfer to a wire rack.
   
   
7. When cold, use a teaspoon to place about 25g (1oz) of jam in the middle of six of the biscuits (flat-side up), leaving the remaining six plain. Load a piping bag with an open star nozzle and the coconut buttercream. Pipe a circle around the jam and sandwich together with a plain biscuit (placing it flat-side down). Turn the Viennese whirl on its side and sprinkle with desiccated coconut, making sure it sticks to the buttercream. Repeat with the rest. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
   
   
8. If using, melt the white chocolate and drizzle over the top of each whirl. Sprinkle some desiccated coconut and crushed freeze-dried raspberries over the white chocolate. Leave to set.