Daring Bakers - July 2009
Tuesday, 28. July 2009, 02:26:27
Miss Minami Kohime, this is for you!!!
It’s Daring Bakers’ time again! (and I’m happy that, although I have posted so little this month, again, there won’t be two DB’s posts in the same first page! Hahahah)
And today’s challenge was both a solution and a conclusion for me: The conclusion, I can’t bake spread-cookies; the solution, Silpat mat works magnificently!
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.
Yes, my friends (and Miss Minami), we were supposed to bake marshmallow cookies and Milano Cookies. And I went for the all-time favorite Milano Cookies, from Pepperidge Farm!
It’s Daring Bakers’ time again! (and I’m happy that, although I have posted so little this month, again, there won’t be two DB’s posts in the same first page! Hahahah)
And today’s challenge was both a solution and a conclusion for me: The conclusion, I can’t bake spread-cookies; the solution, Silpat mat works magnificently!
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.
Yes, my friends (and Miss Minami), we were supposed to bake marshmallow cookies and Milano Cookies. And I went for the all-time favorite Milano Cookies, from Pepperidge Farm!
The problem is, my friends, I am a disaster with any kind of piped cookies or similar ones, and this month’s challenge wasn’t much different. At least, after a long time peeling out my cookies, I was able to save most of it! Hahahaha
Well, and the other thing I said before, the silpat works great. For those who don’t know, silpat is a silicone mat, filled with a fiber-glass net, that serves as the perfect non-sticking surface for baking. And really, guys, it is perfect! I just couldn’t believe when my cookies were leaving the surface just as if they were... Dunno... Like anything coming out of a nonstick surface... Hahahah
Anyway, the problem was: I thought my Milanos from the silpat were a little bit raw, yet, so I left them in the oven a little bit longer... But I thought it was much longer than they should, so they’re all brown! Thin, caramelized brown cookies!
But anyways, I think I’ll call this month’s challenge a success... Considering my bad past experiences! Hehehe
Thanks Nicole, for choosing these recipes, and for letting me learn how to bake these so beloved cookies here, in Brazil, where no Pepperidge Farm is available for no less than 8 or 9 dollars!
Milano Cookies
Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 0 min
Serves: about 3 dozen cookies
170g unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups white sugar
7/8 cup egg whites (from about 6 eggs – but I used 4)
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon extract (I went for Cointreau, orange liquor)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 orange, zested
(if you’re just too lazy, you could use other spreads too, like nuttela, flavored peanut butter, or even a thicker jam. Just don’t you dare calling it a Milano Cookie!)
Preheat oven at 180°C. In a mixer with paddle attachment cream the butter and the sugar. Add the egg whites gradually and then mix in the vanilla and lemon extracts. Add the flour and mix until just well mixed.
With a small (1/4-inch) plain tip, pipe 1-inch sections of batter onto a parchment-lined sheet pan (or silpat, if you’ve got one), spacing them 2 inches apart as they spread.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Let cool on the pan. (It would be great if you had two pans, so you can let one cool while the other one is in the oven).
While waiting for the cookies to cool, in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a simmer. Pour hot cream over chocolate in a bowl, whisk to melt chocolate, add zest and blend well. Set aside to cool (the mixture will thicken as it cools).
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. Repeat to all cookies.
WIDGETIZE
Anonymous # 28. July 2009, 02:38
Well done on some perfectly executed Milanos! Mouth watering! Love your blog!
http://lisamichele.wordpress.com
Anonymous # 28. July 2009, 02:40
Looks like, despite the struggle, they turned out great! I really want a silpat mat!
Anonymous # 28. July 2009, 15:24
Oh, my! Home-made MILANO COOKIES!!! MY (low bugdet) DREAM CAME TRUE!!!
Oh, thank you so much for dedicating this to me, girl who bugs you everytime to bring me that piece of heaven called Pepperidge Farm's Milano Cookies. Who needs Rome or Brussels or whatever when you have MILANO???
When are you gonna feed me with those little wonders, hm? I hope you did choose the proper chocolate for the filling. You know how I am with those things...
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, DARLING!
Kisu³³³~!
Anonymous # 29. July 2009, 14:43
Looks delicious!
They came out very well.
Nicely done!
I'm glad you enjoyed this!
http://eatmycakenow.blogspot.com
Anonymous # 29. July 2009, 14:45
Looks delicious!
They came out very well.
Nicely done!
I'm glad you enjoyed this!
isa
http://eatmycakenow.blogspot.com