Iced VoVo

Cooking these Iced VoVo (VoVos? VoVoes?) was an exercise in bafflement. I was following a recipe that kept talking about cooking macaroons — not macarons, that’s a whole other technical cooking horror story waiting to happen. To someone else. I felt I was cooking something other than what was written. I had a vague thought that perhaps macaroons didn’t have pastry bases, but it wasn’t until I had spoken with a friend about it, that she told me I was in fact describing an Iced VoVo. Well, of course I was.

As an aside, what sort of name is VoVo? It sounds like something Eartha Kitt might lengthily purr while having her afternoon tea. Work with me, just close your eyes and you too can hear her ask for an Icedddd VoVoooooo with her unmistakeable voice.

Anyway, after some Googling, and remembrances to the foodstuffs of my childhood, I think my Nannas before me may have mixed up the recipe a bit and what we have here is what I’ll call an Iced (Macaroon) VoVo. 

Iced VoVo

½ cup plain flour

½ cup self raising flour

½ cup corn flour

115g butter

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp. sugar

pinch salt

3 tbsp. water

½ cup jam (the flavour of your choosing)

Preheat oven to 150°C

Sift flours, sugar and salt together. Rub butter into flour until crumbly.  Beat the egg and water together, then mix into flour mixture, making a stiff paste.

On a floured surface, knead the dough lightly, then roll out until thin. Cut into circles and place into greased patty tins (enough as needed to cover the bottom of the patty tin).

Onto the uncooked dough, place a ¼ tsp. blob of jam, then set aside while you prepare the topping.

Coconut Topping

30g butter, melted

1 egg

½ cup sugar

1 cup coconut

Mix all ingredients together, then place about 1 tbsp. onto the prepared VoVo bases. Cook for about 15-18 minutes, then remove to cool.

A word of advice… it may be best to allow the Iced VoVo to cool properly prior to tasting it. The jam will get exceedingly hot, and WILL scald the hell out of your tongue and bottom lip. Or so I’ve heard. 

~

For those of you who are not in Australia, please find here a selection of Measurement & Temperature Conversion Charts which should help with the accuracy of your own cooking.