As a child, in a time before I was aware of the existence of chocolate coated biscuits such as Tim Tams, Kingston biscuits were my favourite. I loved their crunchy, crumbly coconut texture that were made even better by the chocolate cream filling sandwiching them together. I would pull the biscuits apart, scrape off the chocolate cream filling with my teeth until none was left and then eat the biscuits individually. That way it felt like I was having two biscuits, instead of one, which I suppose I was.
As I grew older and began work at my first full time job, in an accounting firm, Kingston biscuits, along with a variety of other biscuits, were provided for staff to enjoy with their cups of tea or coffee. I loved dunking the biscuits in my tea, waiting until they softened slightly, before sucking the milky tea out of them and eating the biscuits. Ah, simple pleasures.
Times have changed now though. I no longer buy packet biscuits or cookies. In fact I can’t remember the last time I did, so I had all but forgotten about the existence of my once favourite biscuit until I came across a recipe for Milk Chocolate Sandwich Cookies in Gourmet Traveller recently. When I saw them I was immediately reminded of Kingston biscuits, and couldn’t wait to make them and see if they tasted like them as well. And well, they do, although in my mind they are better.
For the filling I decided to go with two versions. A simple melted milk chocolate filling, as per the original recipe, but for nostalgia purposes I couldn’t help but make a chocolate icing with which to fill the other half of the biscuits. While nowadays I prefer the melted chocolate filling, the chocolate icing filling transported me back in time to my childhood.
So tell me, what was your favourite biscuit or cookie when you were a child?
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- 65g rolled oats
- 160g softened butter
- 160g raw caster sugar
- 55g golden syrup
- 150g plain (all purpose) flour
- 75g desiccated coconut
- MILK CHOCOLATE FILLING:
- 300g of milk chocolate, chopped
- CHOCOLATE ICING FILLING
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 1 tbs of cocoa
- 2 tsp of softened butter
- 1 tbs boiling water
- Preheat the oven to 160 Celsius (320 Fahrenheit) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Place the oats into a food processor and process until finely ground. Set aside while you make the cookies.
- Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth and creamy. Switch the mixer to it’s lowest speed and add the golden syrup, flour, coconut, oats and mix until combined.
- Using a teaspoon form balls of the dough and place on the baking tray, lightly flattening each one. Repeat for the remainder of the cookie dough.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden before removing from the oven. Leave to rest on the tray for 5 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the milk chocolate filling half fill a small saucepan with water and place over a medium low heat. Place the chocolate in a heat proof bowl (a glass bowl is ideal) and ensure the bowl does not touch the water. Leave the chocolate to slowly melt, stirring occassionally. When the chocolate has melted set aside to allow it to thicken to a spreading consistency. Take a cookie and turn it over to the flat side. Spread the chocolate on the cookie and sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
- For the chocolate icing filling, sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl. Add the softened butter and stir to combine before adding the boiling water, little by little, until you have a spreadable consistency. Take a cookie and turn it over to the flat side. Spread the icing on the cookie and sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
- Store in an airtight container
ooo yummo! ha, actually I don't know why I said that as I actually never really liked Kingston buscuits but yours DO look delicious. I used to switched between shortbread creams or a whole packet of butternut snaps, if you made two milo's steaming hot in a row, I could eat the whole packet in one sitting, it was a nasty habit! I'm going to try these little kingston-like biscuits out though, we'll see if my tastes have changed + yes, I'll be dipping them in my tea and then suckign all the tea out - heheheh!
It's funny you mention butternut snaps. When I first tried one of the cookies warm from the oven they immediately reminded me of butternut snaps. But with the chocolate they are most definitely reminiscent of Kingston's. :D
Whoa Jennifer! These are absolutely delightful! So so gorgeous!! :)
Thanks Katie :D
These cookies look absolutely divine! I love the milk chocolate filling and your cute striped tin!
Thanks Laura :D I fell in love with the tin as soon as I saw it and had to have it :D
Oh, yum! I remember my brother and sister used to fight over the Kingstons. I always had an obsession with the Arnotts choc-chip bikkes ... especially their tiny hazlenut choc chip cookies. I was so heart broken when they took them off the market. They were delicious! *cry*
I think I will have to give these a try ... I have a feeling my husband is also a Kingston fan, but like you I refuse to buy commercially made biscuits/baked goods so he's probably forgotten about them! I make everything myself now. So much healthier and tastier!!!! And so much more fun to make yourself! :)
Hi Andrea, :D
It always seems the way that companies remove their best products from production. I'm not sure why. Anyway, if you do make these I hope you and your husband enjoy them :D
Great recipe...I love your colorful, striped tin can too. ;)
Those are fabulous and thousand times better than any store-bought cookie! A wonderful treat.
Cheers,
Rosa
These cookies look super delicious - I can't wait to hear your giveaway winner :D
How exciting!
Cheers
CCU
These look absolutely delicious. My favourite biscuit growing up was chocolate digestives - like you I used to suck all the chocolate off before eating the biscuit bit - great memories! :-)
I loved Kingstons too. I remember they were only in the premium mix packets and I used to race to be the first one to the pack. I also loved Nice and Scotch Fingers.
I liked Scotch Fingers too. Especially the chocolate dipped ones ;)
Sometimes all it takes is a glance at a recipe to conjure up childhood food memories . I am glad you came across this recipe and that they turned out even better than you remembered. These do look pretty tasty. While I have never had Tim Tams, these look like I have been missing out-yum!
Hi Tina,
Thanks for your lovely comments. And if you've never have a tim tam you really should track them down if you can. They are SO good :D
oh I loved kingstons - still do but like you I rarely buy such things - though I have worked with offices with a biscuit selection where I have had a kingston addiction. These biscuits sound fantastic but I am trying to remember what the filling was like - I think I remember creamy.
Seriously!!? Can there be a more perfect cookie!? LOVE the pictures!
Oh my gosh, Jennifer! We must be on the same wavelength ... I also saw these biscuits in the Gourmet Traveller magazine and set about making them a few days later. How I miss those Kingston biscuits and wanted to recreate them at home. Sadly, mine didn't turn out as well as yours ... my first batch of biscuits turned out quite flat, like Anzac biscuits. In fact, they tasted exactly like Anzac biscuits! But my second batch turned out better, though still not small and compact like yours. I used the milk chocolate filling to sandwich the biscuits together and whilst they had the taste of Kingston biscuits, one had to be careful not to lose one's teeth biting into them! Maybe I need to give them another go as they were nevertheless delicious.
It's funny, I baked 2 batches too. I found if you didn't flatten the cookies too much prior to baking then they were fine. But yes, they are quite hard, but I love dunking them in tea until their soggy anyway :D
These look really fun! What a great recipe!
Thanks Jen :D
Ohhh yum these look lovely :) book marked!
I loved the petit beurre's with the chocolate on top and still do! There's nothing quite like a crunchy biscuit and milk chocolate together.
I also loved the good old Kingstons - but like yourself I don't buy premade cookies anymore. I have actually made these ones, as well as a few others from a Gourmet Traveler cookie edition, and I honestly believe, the homemade versions are SO much yummier!
You're right, they are much yummier. It's funny when you start making your own food from scratch and go back and try packet food and it always tastes so...plastic. :D
Oh my gosh, these are so gorgeous. I just want to reach in the screen and snag a few dozen. For research purposes only of course.
Hehe help yourself Kim :D
They look so yummy! Have never heard of Kingston biscuits, but I'm sure I'd like them. Can't go wrong with milk chocolate. :)
As much as I love homemade biscuits, unfortunately I still buy shop bought due to not having enough time. Your chocolate sandwiches look incredibly delicious and would put the store bought Kingstons to shame.
Awww thanks Sara :D I know what you mean about time though, it's so hard to find time these days.
We are a cookie loving family and I am always searching for new recipes with chocolate to surprise my favorite cookie monster. I do believe he would be very pleased with a few of these scrumptious treats!
Oat biscuits with chocolate dipped in tea - what could be better!
Oh gosh these sound so much like Romany Creams that I used to enjoy as a child in South Africa! I will have to try the recipe and see! I found you through Rhonda at down to earth - so glad I read that today and found you!
Thank you so much for popping over, and I'm glad that these reminded you of your favourite childhood biscuits :D
zomg!! I HAVE to make these!!
Question: where did you get your striped biscuit tin from? I need some like those! Would love to know where I could get something similar! Thanks! :)
Hi Andrea,
I picked up the containers from Wheel and Barrow. Here's the link http://www.wheelandbarrow.com.au/TINS-Gelati-Colours-Round-Set-3/ :)
Oh thank you! I actually looked at Wheel & Barrow's site & I didn't see them! So cute. I'll definitely be buying these! :)