Piped Butter Cookies, Sweetened with Monk Fruit

Method

1. Put 225g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature, and 2g salt in a bowl and beat on low speed for 30 to 60 seconds until smooth.
2. Add 121.5g fine kOBE Monk Fruit Blend a little at a time and beat on medium speed until the butter is light, airy and pale ivory.
3. Add 1 chicken egg, about 50 to 55g without the shell, and 5ml vanilla extract, and beat until combined.
4. Sift in 240g all purpose flour in 2 to 3 additions, beating on low speed after each. If the mixer starts to labor, switch to a spatula.
5. Load the dough into a piping bag and pipe rosettes onto a lined tray. For a filled cookie, set a piece of rum soaked dried fruit in the center of each rosette.
6. Chill the whole tray for 20 to 30 minutes so the dough firms up.
7. Heat the oven for 10 to 15 minutes at 175 to 180 degrees C, then bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges are golden brown.

Tips

• There is no baking powder here, so the lift depends entirely on creaming the butter with the kOBE Monk Fruit Blend.
• The butter wants to be soft at around 19 to 22 degrees C, yielding to a finger without turning liquid.
• Margarine can stand in for butter, but it usually contains salt, so the salt comes out of the recipe.
• Two trays at once is a mistake, since the lower one bakes unevenly.
• The egg has to be at room temperature to blend into the butter, because a cold egg splits the mixture.
• kOBE Monk Fruit Blend dissolves slowly, so choose the fine grained version and beat 1 to 2 minutes longer, until the mixture feels smooth between the fingers.