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hertzog cookies

★★★★★ 17
elbie avatar
a recipe by
Elsa Dreyer
@elbie
Ventura, CA

These cookies or jam and coconut tartlets are known as Hertzog koekies in South Africa and are part of our traditional recipes. They were named after General J.B.M. Hertzog, prime minister of the South Africa Union in 1924. According to legend, this was one of his wife's recipes and he loved it so much that she named the cookie after him. I grew up with Hertzog koekies. As is so often the case with traditional food recipes, there are many versions, and here is the recipe that was used in my family for many, many years.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

A very unique, old-fashioned cookie made with lots of love. Popular in South Africa, these are a layered cookie (almost like a mini tart). The bottom is a delicious, delicate sugar cookie that's topped with an almost meringue-like coconut topping. An apricot filling is a wonderful burst of flavor. It would be fun to youse your favorite jam in the middle. These cookies do take a little time to make, and require a special pan, but are worth the effort.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
►
★★★★★ 17
serves About 60 cookies
prep time 1 Hr 30 Min
cook time 20 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For hertzog cookies

  • 5 c
    cake flour / all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp
    baking powder
  • 1 pinch
    salt
  • 1 c
    granulated sugar
  • 2 stick
    butter, room temperature
  • 4 lg
    eggs
  • smooth apricot jam
  • 1 c
    sugar for the filling
  • 2 c
    coconut
  • 5 lg
    egg whites

How To Make hertzog cookies

Test Kitchen Tips
When making these, you need a muffin top pan. The cookie layer on the bottom should just lay on the bottom of the pan and not press up the edges.
  • Flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
    1
    Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
  • Creaming margarine/butter and sugar.
    2
    Cream margarine/butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Slowly adding eggs.
    3
    Add eggs, one by one, and beat thoroughly after each addition.
  • Dry ingredients incorporated to make a dough.
    4
    Add dry ingredients and mix to form a soft dough. Add a little flour if the dough is too moist, or a little water if the dough is too dry. If you use large or jumbo-sized eggs, this is normally not a problem.
  • Cutting circles out of rolled out dough.
    5
    Roll dough out thinly and press out circles.
  • Circles of dough in the pan with a dollop of apricot jam.
    6
    Line the base of greased patty pan tins with dough circles. Spoon a teaspoonful of apricot jam into the middle of each circle of dough.
  • Egg whites and sugar mixed until fluffy.
    7
    Beat egg whites until soft peak stage. Add the sugar gradually, while still beating.
  • Adding coconut to the egg whites.
    8
    Add coconut.
  • Egg whites spread over the jam.
    9
    Spoon egg mixture onto apricot jam filling. Bake in a preheated oven at 180C (350F) for 20 - 25 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool. Makes about 60 - 72 Hertzoggies.
  • 10
    Tip: To prevent the apricot jam from "leaking" during the baking process, add a teaspoon or two of flour to it. Festive Touch: Cut red or green glacé cherries into small pieces and add to coconut mixture.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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