Bánh Men (Yeast Cookies)

I have come across numerous English translations for this cookie anything from button cookies, to coconut cookies. However, the literal translation of this cookie would Cookie Yeast. It is named so because the cookies look like yeast balls. This cookie is made with tapioca flour which explains why it is so hard to get the recipe right. Anyone who has worked with tapioca flour knows it is very hard to get it to hold its shape. The other hard part is to achieve the distinctive characteristics of this cookie which is mildly sweet with a hint of coconut flavor while at the same time have a light, crunchy yet melt in your mouth texture. These cookies could be bought dirt cheap at almost all Asian grocery stores….so why go through all trouble making them? Because it’s fun to play with your food. :D Furthermore, cooking and baking is an art not a matter of economics. And…because I’m crazy like that.

Ingredients:
-400g tapioca starch/flour
-75g rice flour
-150g sugar
-150g coconut milk/cream
-1 ½ tsp double acting baking powder
-food coloring and flavoring (optional)

What to Do:
Mix together 200g tapioca starch, rice flour, sugar, baking powder, add coconut milk and mix until smooth. Add food coloring and flavoring desired. Prove for ½ hour. After ½ hour add the remaining tapioca starch slowly and knead until dough is smooth, flexible and does not stick to your hands (don’t have to add all of the remaining 200g tapioca starch just enough to create a dough). Prove for ½ hour more. After the second proving add in the remaining tapioca starch to make a dry and crumbly yet moist dough. The dough should be crumbly but holds together when you shape it. Shape dough into small balls and bake at 275’F for about 20 mins. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before removing.

Note:
If dough is too moist the cookies will melt when you bake them, too dry and the cookies will come out rock hard, baking at high temperature will result in burnt cookies.

Texture of dough at 3^rd stage, right before shaping the cookies.