Coconut Yule Trees Recipes

Steps:

• In large Bowl combine coconut, sugar, butter, light cream, and extract.
• (If useing food coloring add it too).
• Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper; chill for about an hour.
• Using your fingers, shape into trees with trunks.
• In a microwave bowl, melt chocolate coating.
• Dip trunks of trees in chocolate and set on wax paper to harden.
• Decorate trees with green sugar and mini M&M's.
• I would keep the trees chilled until ready to serve or take to party.

Steps:

• Finely grind the desiccated coconut with the icing sugar in a coffee grinder or food processor. Mix together the flour and matcha powder, then add to the coconut mixture. Add the remaining ingredients and a pinch of salt, and quickly knead everything to a smooth dough. Wrap and leave in the fridge for at least 30 mins.
• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/ gas 3. Roll out the dough on a floured work surface to a thickness of about 5mm and, using the tree-shaped cutter, press out the trees. Put them on baking sheets lined with baking parchment and bake for about 10-15 mins. To make sure they stay nice and green, the trees should hardly be browned. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
• For the icing, tip the icing sugar into a small bowl and gradually add the milk, stirring until smooth. Add a few dops of food colouring, if you like. Decorate the biscuits with it, then sprinkle with desiccated coconut. Set aside until completely dry. Will keep in an airtight container for up to three days. Recipe adapted from Let it Snow by Agnes Prus (£7.99, Hardie Grant). Photographs © Frauke Antholz.

Steps:

• Pulse coconut, confectioners' sugar and milk in a food processor until coconut is finely chopped. For each mouse, roll 1 tablespoon coconut mixture into a ball; taper 1 end to resemble a mouse. Attach sliced almonds for ears and licorice pieces for tails. Press miniature chocolate chips, tip side down, into place for eyes. Store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly combine coconut, granulated sugar, egg whites, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl using your hands or a wooden spoon. Form 2 tablespoons of the mixture at a time into 2-inch-tall trees with your hands, using your fingertips to make pointed tops. Transfer each tree to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them 1 inch apart.
• Bake until edges are golden and trees are firm, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet on a wire rack at least 15 minutes. Cookies can be made up to 1 day ahead; dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Drain cherries and reserve juice for another use. Finely chop cherries and place in a bowl with coconut; mix well. Let sit until coconut absorbs excess liquid from the cherries, about 5 minutes.
• Place 1 puff pastry sheet on a clean counter and lightly score a large triangle shape into it, like a Christmas tree; don't cut all the way through. Repeat with the second puff pastry sheet.
• Set aside 2 tablespoons of the coconut-cherry mixture. Spread the rest inside the scored triangle on the first sheet of pastry. Sprinkle with ground pistachios and place the second pastry sheet on top, lining up the triangles. Transfer to one of the prepared baking sheets.
• Cut out the shape of the tree along the triangular score line, and remove the outer pastry scraps. Make horizontal cuts on the tree from the outer edges in toward the middle, leaving about 1 inch intact in the center to resemble a trunk. Gently lift each horizontal strip, making sure to lift both sheets of pastry, and twist it a couple of times to expose the filling.
• Use the puff pastry scraps to cut out a star shape for the top of the tree and a tree trunk for the bottom. Make sure to use both layers of pastry. Fill the trunk and star with the reserved cherry mix.
• Place the star, trunk, and any extra pastry scraps onto the remaining baking sheet. Brush all pastry pieces with beaten egg.
• Bake in the preheated oven until puffed and browned all over, 25 to 30 minutes. Gently lift parchment paper onto wire racks and allow to cool completely before serving, about 20 minutes.