At a glance
These delightful cocoa star cookies get their magic from a coconut cream filling and dark chocolate coating—you'll be making about 90 individual pieces (45 sandwiched pairs) from this batch. The dough needs to chill overnight, then it's rolled out, baked, and assembled with a homemade coconut cream before being dipped in melted chocolate, so patience and a bit of planning ahead are key to getting these festive treats just right.
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Mix the dry ingredients
Mix together the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, and cocoa. Tip the mixture onto a worktop or pastry board and make a well in the centre.
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Add the wet ingredients
Crack the eggs into the well, then pour in the melted butter and vanilla essence.
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Bring it together
Carefully work everything together, taking care at first that the 'wall' of flour doesn't collapse and let the butter run off the board.
How it went
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Tips from the Yumsto kitchen
Why the dough needs a night in the fridge
Dough made with melted butter turns hard in the fridge as the butter sets again. A night lets the flour hydrate and the cocoa flavor mellow. Before rolling, let it soften at room temperature only until it rolls without cracking, and keep the portions you aren't rolling in the fridge. It contains raw egg. Coconut oil in the filling and coating is solid in the cold, which is why the stars are chilled after each step.
Sandwiching and dipping
Roll the dough in quarters, ideally between two sheets of paper. After baking, pair the stars by size, not by baking sheet. Spread the filling thinly so it doesn't squeeze out. Dip only chilled sandwiches; the coating sets faster on them. For the white decoration, a bag with the corner snipped off is enough.
When something goes wrong
The dough cracks when rolling: it is still cold, wait. The filling is grainy: blend it longer, the coconut should be very fine. The coating melts in your hand: coconut oil melts at around room temperature, so serve the stars straight from the cold. The white chocolate seized: it overheated or a drop of water got in.
Storage
The filling is cooked with milk, so the filled stars belong in the fridge. Store them in a box with paper between layers and eat within 3 to 4 days. Unfilled baked stars keep for two weeks in a tin, so you can bake ahead and fill later.
Variations
Swap the 85% dark chocolate for 70% for a milder coating. Use ready-made white coating instead of white chocolate for decorating, as the author says. The shape needn't be a star; any small cutter works.
Common questions
How many does one batch make?
The author got around 90 stars, so about 45 sandwiches.
Why coconut oil in the coating?
It makes the coating thinner and less brittle once set. It sets much faster in the cold, though.
Can I freeze the stars?
Best unfilled. Filled and coated ones could turn damp as they thaw.
How do I color white chocolate?
Only with coloring made for chocolate, which is fat-based. Water-based color makes chocolate seize.
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