TWD: Dulce de Leche

This weeks TWD was chosen by Jodie of Beansy Loves Cake. She chose Dorie's Dulce De Leche Duos on page 161 of her Baking: From My Home to Yours cookbook.

Last year, I learned how to make my own dulce de leche by boiling cans of sweetened condensed milk (which I always have in the cabinet). I had done two cans and had one of those cans left over. I had been trying to figure out what I wanted to do with it, so when this recipe was chosen this month I knew that this was one of my weeks I would be baking. This recipe, like a lot of Dorie's recipes, was easy to put together. I scooped my cookies with a small scoop(apprx. 2 tsp. I think) and I got 72-74 cookies.

I put melted bittersweet chocolate on half of the cookies and made a buttercream with the rest of the dulce de leche to put on the chocolate after it hardened(I just stuck them in the fridge to speed up the process). I sandwiched the cookies with the plain cookie and we were good to go. These cookies were soft and chewy with a little crunch from the chocolate. Surprisingly enough the cookies were not extremely sweet like I though they would be since it had sugar plus dulce de leche. Then again, maybe us sweet tooth people don't realize sweetness because we eat so much sugar that we wouldn't know it until the cavity or diabetes comes.

I wish I had measured my buttercream ingredients to give you a more accurate recipe, but I didn't. I know that it included 1 stick of room temperature butter, the rest of the can of dulce de leche, a little shortening(to help it be able to stay at room temp w/o melting), enough powdered sugar to the consistency you want your buttercream to be, a little milk and some vanilla extract. If you know your cookies won't be sitting for long you can omit the shortening and add a little more butter. With the shortening, this buttercream stays like the oreo cream.

Run, don't walk to your kitchen and make these cookies, because they are just that good. Check out Jodie's site for the recipe, or just buy Dorie's cookbook so you will be able to bake some of her other great recipes.

TWD: Honey Wheat Cookies

This week's TWD was chosen by Michelle of Flourchild and she chose Dorie's Honey Wheat Cookies. These cookies use wheat germ and of course honey.

As a child my parents always kept a jar of wheat germ in the fridge, so when I saw the pick I knew these cookies had to be made. They came together so quick and easy that it seemed like they were store bought....time wise not taste. These cookies have an acquired taste, but I did like them with a little strawberry cream cheese frosting.

You can find the recipe on Michelle's blog or purchase Dorie's book for this and other recipes.

TWD:Sables

This weeks TWD was chosen by Barbara of Bungalow Barbara- Sablés, pages 131-133. I must say that I have always eyed these puppies in the cookbooks, but have never attempted them. Why you ask? I haven't the slightest, especially since I have made sugar cookies so many times. Yes, yes, I know they are not the same. But, hey they're close enough, right? No agreeance, okay, I'll leave it alone.

Well, anyways go check out Barbara's page or as I say, just pick up Dorie's book and try them for yourself.

July Daring Baker's Challenge

The July Daring Baker's Challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth http://www.sweetendingz.blogspot.com/. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.



We had the choice of either making one or both cookies and being the ambitious person that I am, I decided to do both. I love Pepperidge Farms Milano Cookies and have wanted to redeem myself in the marshmallow department. What a perfect way to do it, right?



First, let's start with the chocolate covered marshmallow cookies. The cookies recipe was so easy it was like cooking with your eyes closed and the marshmallows came out perfect. I am not sure if the recipe I used before gave others problems, but this recipe was flawless.



The only thing I might do differently is use tempered chocolate to cover the cookies in. The chocolate wouldn't hardened enough and it definitely melted in your hand when picked up. To solve this problem I had to put the cookies in the refrigerator until it solidified enough.



Now on to the Milan cookies, I didn't care much for this recipe. My girlfriend and youngest son loved them, but since I am the Pepperidge Farm Mint Milano queen of the house, the cookies didn't have the snap to them. They were just to chewy for me. I did however love the flavor and texture of the ganache filling.



All in all I would make both of these cookies again, but I will be on a search for a better cookie for the Milans.