Recipe Description
Kuih Semperit
Kuih Semperit is Malaysia’s answer to the Scottish butter cookie. Others point to Indonesia as its origin. It is usually shaped into either the dahlia flower pattern or round biscuits with a ridged, serrated surface. Other name for this biscuit: Biskut Bunga Dahlia.
This recipe was first published in Flavours magazine.
This recipe is best with
Recipe Ingredient
- 170g butter (and extra in case dough becomes dry)
- 140g caster sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1tsp vanilla essence
- 300g plain flour
- 40g custard powder
- glazed red cherries (for decoration)
Instructions
- Using an electric mixer with a paddle, cream butter and caster sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk and vanilla essence.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour and custard powder. Add about 3/4 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture to form a soft dough.
- Fill the dough into a flower semperit maker. Press gently and create dahlia-shaped flower. (Note: If dough is too soft to hold its shape, add a little more flour. Successful extrusion depends on the texture of dough and size of petal in mould.)
- Place a tiny piece of cherry in the centre of the flower and press down lightly.
- Continue until all dough is used up. Add butter if dough becomes dry and will not extrude properly.
- Bake in preheated oven at 180°C for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Doesn’t taste like kuih semperit, it ended up being like plain sugar cookie.
Samperit or semperit name was originated from Malay word to describe the way the biscuit batter was squeezed out of the piping bag or dough squeezer, not from mispronounced word of shortbread.
Hi Jemanggo, thanks for the feedback too! There has been many stories surrounding the origin of the beautifully crumbly textured, Semperit and this version was covered in 2012. We have edited the story to give rise to new findings of this popular local cookie. Happy baking!
If you want the old style of biscuits, I think we should use margarine instead of butter. Those days I don’t recall seeing butter. Most household had a huge tub of Planta Margarine. I haven’t try with margarine because I don’t use margarine for health reasons.
Here’s my two cents worth of thought. I think people use margarine in those days instead of butter. I don’t recall seeing butter. Most household had a huge tub of Planta Margarine. I haven’t try with margarine because I don’t use margarine for health reasons.