Cheese Tapioca/Sago Cookies (Sagu Keju)/ Cheese Bangkit
Course: Chinese New Year
Cuisine: Indonesian
Prep Time: 25 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 30 minutesminutes
Total Time: 55 minutesminutes
Servings: 80cookies (about 15 grams each)
Calories: 35kcal
Author: Marvellina
These popular Indonesian cheese tapioca cookies or sagu keju have that crunchy first-bite and then melt-in-your-mouth texture. It has a similar texture to the kuih/kue bangkit santan, but is much easier to make.
Make sure the butter and egg yolk are at room temperature. The butter should be soft but not melty
Line your large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
Prepare the dough:
Please note that you don't need to stir fry the tapioca flour like you would when you make kuih bangkit santan. Combine tapioca flour, cornstarch, salt, and milk powder with a whisk and set aside
Cream the butter and icing sugar until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg yolk and cream again until combined. Sift in the flour mixture and shredded cheese. Wear a glove and use your hand to knead into a dough. When you wear a glove, the butter won't get too warm from all the kneading by hands. The dough will be at a dry side and you will be tempted to add some liquid, but don't. Just keep kneading and pressing to bring the crumbly mixture into a dry ragged dough that can easily fall apart. This texture will ensure you get that crunchy texture when you take that first bite and melt-in-the-mouth when you put the cookies inside your mouth
Preheat oven to 320 F (160C) for a conventional oven. If you have a convection oven, please lower the heat to 300 F (150 C). If you have two trays to bake, place the oven rack 3rd from the top and 3rd from the bottom
If you want to use a cookie cutter:
Put the crumbly dough on parchment paper and cover with another piece of parchment paper and roll with a rolling pin into about 1/2 cm in thickness
Dip your cookie cutter in some tapioca starch and then press onto the flattened cookie dough to cut out a shape. Cut them out as closely as possible so you don't have to keep re-rolling the dough scrape. Place them on the prepared baking sheet about 1/2-inch apart. They won't expand too much. Repeat with the rest of the dough
If you want to use kuih bangkit mold:
Dust the mold cavities with some tapioca starch and tap the mold to shake off excess starch. Pinch off some dough and press it inside the mold. Use a small knife to scrape off excess dough. Gently knock the mold on the countertop to dislodge the cookie dough
Baking:
Put the baking sheets in the prepared rack. Bake the pants for about 25-30 minutes or until the bottom is lightly golden brown
Let the cookies cool down on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool down completely
Storing:
Store the cool-down cookies in an air-tight container and they will last for weeks