Not your typical "bakery" cookie

I had a little bit of both chocolate butter cream (from here) and the dulce de leche butter cream (from here) left over, from last weeks creations.  If you know me, I don't throw much away.  My tomatoes almost gone bad turns into tortilla soup, at the end of the week, my veggie drawer turns into either a stir fry or a big hearty vegetable soup and if I have either (or both) zucchinis and leeks, I make an orzo, a farro salad or some some sort of fritter.

I am a planner.  I make lists, I plan a weeks worth of meals and shop accordingly (actually, Miguel shops accordingly- with a typed up list, broken down by market) and I always cook with the mind set that there needs to be something left over for lunch the next day.  Yeah, Miguel brown bags it!  However, I am guilty of not always following through with my "weekly meal plan" and there are those rare occasions where we call up Mulberry Pizza and order a huge pie.

So, when I had this left over butter cream sitting in the fridge, I couldn't toss it.  I found the perfect cookie to  embrace two very different butter creams.  We brought these to dinner at friends and all enjoyed them as we ate in their Sukkah, under a sky filled with lots and lots of stars.

Orange Rosettes
adapted from here

yield: 2 dozen sandwich cookies

ingredients:
12 Tbls. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
zest from 2 oranges
1 Tbls. orange juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup cornstarch

instructions:
• preheat oven to 325*.  line 2 baking sheets with parchment
• in the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, confectioner's sugar and the orange zest until smooth.
• add the orange juice and the vanilla.
• in a small bowl, combine the salt, flour, and cornstarch.  whisk to combine.  slowly add it to the mixer and combine thoroughly.
• place dough in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.  pipe small, one inch rosettes onto the parchment lined cookie sheets.
• bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges start to brown.
• allow to cool completely.
• pipe a small amount of butter cream on a rosette and make small rosette cookie sandwiches!

Red, White + Blue Cookies

The kids have been begging to do a lemonade stand.  We had planned on doing one last weekend, but when the weekend rolled around, each of my kids were off with friends and out of the house.  Which, actually, was lovely for me!

This Sunday is the 4th of July and what better day to organize a lemonade stand than on a national holiday?  We have also decided to make it a for charity.  All of the money that we make will be going to Share our Strength.  This is a wonderful organization that works really, really hard to make sure that no child in America grows up hungry. The kids are working hard on posters to "promote" our little endeavor and I have sent emails to all of our neighbors and friends.  The response has been overwhelming so I have already started baking!

I have started with a simple butter cookie, but added a theme.  The kids and some of their friends sampled the broken ones and I have been given the thumbs up!

Colored butter cookie sandwiches
yield: 65 sandwich cookies

ingredients:
cookies
1 lb. unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
splash of vanilla
5 cups all-purpose flour

filling
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
dash of vanilla
1-2 Tbls. milk

instructions:
cookie
• beat sugar until creamy.  add sugar and beat on medium high heat until smooth. add the salt and a dash of vanilla. scrape down sides of the bowl.
• I didn't do this, but if you are going to color your batter, divide the dough in half ( weigh it to get equal amounts) and add your food coloring here.  mix thoroughly.  then add the additional color to the other half of the dough.  this was an after thought for me.  I added the food coloring after I added all my flour.  big mistake.  I feel your colors will be much more consistent and true if you do it this way.
• add the flour, a little at a time until all is Incorporated and your dough starts to come together.
• drop your mixture onto a floured surface and form into a disc.  refrigerate for about 15 minutes.  don't let your dough get too firm, otherwise it will be crumbly when you roll it.
• roll your dough to 1/8" thickness on a floured surface.  cut out 1 1/2" circles.  I got around 130 circles.
• bake on parchment lined baking sheets for 12-14 minutes. rotate pans, front to back and top to bottom, half through the baking time.
• let cool on baking sheet and then once cooled remove to a wire rack.
filling
• beat butter until smooth.  add sugar and mix until creamy.  add vanilla, mix.  add milk until you get the consistency you desire.  set aside

if you are filling the cookies, these are best eaten within hours.  however, the actual cookie themselves can be stored in the fridge for 3 days or frozen for up to a month.

Jelly Cookies

My sister in law, Tammy, gave me this recipe for these yummy jelly cookies. The recipe was given to her by her friend whose aunt is Swedish. Tammy calls them "Ikea" cookies. I call them light & buttery, creamy and not too sweet.

I would love to share the recipe however, I am not comfortable publishing it until I get permission to do so. In the meantime, enjoy the photos!

What's in a cookie jar?

Our friends moved out to Agoura. Alex is Eli's best friend and Isaac and Caiti have been joined at the hip for the last two years. Although we are happy for them and their new life, we miss them. We spent a long, lazy summer day out at their new home. We planned on staying a few hours. We didn't get home that night until after 9p.m.! No one wanted to leave, including me.

I couldn't walk in empty handed so I decided to get them a glass jar and fill it with cookies. I like to make the Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookies because it makes tons. Plus, I freeze part of the dough, in golf ball size portions and then bake them off when we all feel like a little something sweet.

I also made them a lasagna as their kitchen is about to be gutted. Figured they could freeze it and save it for a rainy day. My kids had so much fun, not only did they not want to leave, but they want to move out that way!

I could say that all of us are going to miss our friends very much. However, we are going to make a HUGE effort to do a once a month "play-date". Yet, if it were up to my kids, they would make it a once a week gig!

Power Boost Cookies

Mitch rides his bike with 2 buddies 3 times per week. They are not fanatic and crazy about it, but they love the exercise, they love the bonding and I think, they love feeling accomplished.

In the past year, they have completed a few races. The races they have completed in the past were no more than 65 miles. This past weekend, they did a 100 mile race in Santa Barbara.

Mitch had requested some of his favorites, Oatmeal Cookies. He thought they would be a good energy boost during the ride. Therefore, I individually wrapped them for easy access. I use a recipe from Gourmet.com (this is also good with some added coconut )as my base, however I am always changing and adding to it. I love this cookie with the dried cherries, but Mitch only wanted raisins. I added a some slivered almonds, just to give them a little extra texture.

I believe, the cookies never made it to the ride. I was told they were eaten in the car ride on their way up to Santa Barbara. Should have made a triple batch!

Oatmeal Raisin Chunk Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 cup dried raisins
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Directions

Position racks in center and top third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and brown sugar in large bowl until well blended. Mix in egg and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture. Mix in oats, raisins and almonds. I like to chill all my cookies dough for at least a day. But you don't have to.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies 12 minutes. Switch and rotate baking sheets. Bake cookies until golden, about 6 minutes longer. Cool cookies on baking sheets (cookies will firm as they cool). (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

Carmel Crumb Bars

These are hands down one of the best bars I have ever tasted and or ever made.

I am so excited about my new book, The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri. I know I have committed to making every recipe in other books. And have failed miserably. However, I could probably commit to that challenge with this book and actually follow through. I just got it and have probably gone through it 12 times. I want to make everything and can't decide what to make next. Everything in it is so tangible, so doable, so appealing and so beautiful.

I choose this as my first recipe because we had so many invites this particular weekend and I needed to make stuff that would travel well. Plus, even without doubling this recipe, it made a fair amount, making it easy to spread the wealth.

I made the dough the day before and then the next day, first thing in the morning I made the caramel filling. Basic pantry ingredients. This couldn't have been easier to make, to assemble, to cut. There were no issues with cutting these bars. It was effortless to get them almost symmetrical!

I paired these with my pseudo "oreos" from the chocolate cookie experiment and on the presentation was impressive!

Caramel crumb bars are going to become a basic go to recipe when I need something that is full proof and yummy as well as fast and easy!

p.s. don't feel right posting the recipe as this book was recently published. for those serious bakers out there, this is a must have book.

Daring Bakers- Choco-Pies

My boys love Choco-Pies. Asaph, Isaac's friend, is Korean and Isaac has fallen in love with all of the Korean snack foods; Choco-Pies, Seaweed sheets, some of the candies and more. Whenever Asaph and Isaac have plans, Asaph's mom never comes empty handed. She always comes with one or two boxes of Choco-pies.

Naturally, when I opened up the Daring Bakers July Challenge, I got excited. It had all the elements of a choco pie; cookie based, marshmallow and chocolate glaze. I knew my kids would enjoy eating these, however I also knew I would enjoy making them.

The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.

Mallows(Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies)

Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network website

• 3 cups (375grams/13.23oz) all purpose flour

• 1/2 cup (112.5grams/3.97oz) white sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 3/8 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter

• 3 eggs, whisked together

• Homemade marshmallows, recipe follows

• Chocolate glaze, recipe follows

1. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, blend the dry ingredients.

2. On low speed, add the butter and mix until sandy.

3. Add the eggs and mix until combine.

4. Form the dough into a disk, wrap with clingfilm or parchment and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.

5. When ready to bake, grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicon mat.

6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

7. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness, on a lightly floured surface. Use a 1 to 1 1/2 inches cookie cutter to cut out small rounds of dough.

8. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.

9. Pipe a “kiss” of marshmallow onto each cookie. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.

10. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or silicon mat.

11. One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-topped cookies into the hot chocolate glaze.

12. Lift out with a fork and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.

13. Place on the prepared pan and let set at room temperature until the coating is firm, about 1 to 2 hours.

Note: if you don’t want to make your own marshmallows, you can cut a large marshmallow in half and place on the cookie base. Heat in a preheated 350-degree oven to slump the marshmallow slightly, it will expand and brown a little. Let cool, then proceed with the chocolate dipping.

Homemade marshmallows:

• 1/4 cup water

• 1/4 cup light corn syrup

• 3/4 cup (168.76 grams/5.95oz) sugar

• 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin

• 2 tablespoons cold water

• 2 egg whites , room temperature

• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In a saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar, bring to a boil until “soft-ball” stage, or 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.

2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let dissolve.

3. Remove the syrup from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix.

4. Whip the whites until soft peaks form and pour the syrup into the whites.

5. Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff.

6. Transfer to a pastry bag.

Chocolate glaze:

• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate

• 2 ounces cocoa butter or vegetable oil

1. Melt the 2 ingredients together in the top of a double boiler or a bowl set over barely simmering water.

There were many pros and cons to this recipe. The pros; the dough was very easy to work with. Hence, next time, I would roll out the dough, put on parchement and store in the fridge for a while. It got a little too elastic. Might have something to do with the heat this past week. With that aside, I would pre-roll and let set for awhile. I have never made marshmallows with egg whites before. I am really excited to use this recipe again. I want to make my own s'mores with a chocolate truffle filling on top of graham crackers. Another use for this perfect concotion, it's the perfect meringue for cupcakes. I love, love, love this filling. The cons; the cookie was a little dry, the glaze was flat. I think I have just gotten spoiled with my tempering machine. I vow, from this day forward, to not top anything with chocolate unless it is tempered!

I made two versions. I made one that replicated at Choco-Pie. Two cookies with marshmallow cream sandwiched between, covered in glaze. And one version exactly as the recipe calls for. The vote in our home was the single cookie version. I have to agree with my kids!

Milan Cookies

• 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter, softened

• 2 1/2 cups (312.5 grams/ 11.02 oz) powdered sugar

• 7/8 cup egg whites (from about 6 eggs)

• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons lemon extract

• 1 1/2 cups (187.5grams/ 6.61 oz) all purpose flour

• Cookie filling, recipe follows

Cookie filling:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

• 1 orange, zested

1. In a mixer with paddle attachment cream the butter and the sugar.

2. Add the egg whites gradually and then mix in the vanilla and lemon extracts.

3. Add the flour and mix until just well mixed.

4. With a small (1/4-inch) plain tip, pipe 1-inch sections of batter onto a parchment-lined sheet pan, spacing them 2 inches apart as they spread.

5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Let cool on the pan.

6. While waiting for the cookies to cool, in a small saucepan over medium flame, scald cream.

7. Pour hot cream over chocolate in a bowl, whisk to melt chocolate, add zest and blend well.

8. Set aside to cool (the mixture will thicken as it cools).

9. Spread a thin amount of the filling onto the flat side of a cookie while the filling is still soft and press the flat side of a second cookie on top.

10. Repeat with the remainder of the cookies.

This recipe was a HUGE waste of my time. Didn't like these one bit and everyone in our house agreed. The cookies were mushy and chewy. The glaze was so so. And if you piped these the way she suggest (1"), you end up with cookies the size of half your pinky finger. In my opinion, these were not worth the trouble.

Beach Camp & Mexican Wedding Cookies

Tomorrow, Friday 7/10 is "Mexican Fiesta" day at the kids camp. Eli thought it would be a fabulous idea to make Mexican Wedding Cookies for the ENTIRE camp.

I am a sucker and couldn't say no. However, the deal is, I make the batter and he has to roll them out prior to baking! We will see if he lives up to his end of the bargain.

My favorite Mexican wedding cookie recipe is from Rose Levy Beranbaum's Christmas cookie Book.

Enjoy!