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.
With the bustle of purchasing a home, and the subsequent move, the July DB challenge completely slipped my mind. I decided to christen the kitchen in the new place with these yummy cookies. Boy, was it an adventure trying to find ingredients and baking equipment when nothing has a place yet.
The oven looks like a throwback from the seventies. This is impressive considering the house was built in 1990. As antiquated as it looks, it worked fine. I was worried when the first batch came out looking like this:
With the bustle of purchasing a home, and the subsequent move, the July DB challenge completely slipped my mind. I decided to christen the kitchen in the new place with these yummy cookies. Boy, was it an adventure trying to find ingredients and baking equipment when nothing has a place yet.
The oven looks like a throwback from the seventies. This is impressive considering the house was built in 1990. As antiquated as it looks, it worked fine. I was worried when the first batch came out looking like this:
I realized that Gale Gand's definition of a small tip (for piping the batter) and my definition of a small tip were vastly different things. The following batches came out much better. I had a bit of trouble incorporating the egg whites into the creamed butter and sugar, resulting in the white lumps in the cookies. This, however, did not affect the taste. Assembling the cookies was a snap, and like the faux Hostess cupcakes, they tasted even better than the original.
I leave you with a picture of my savior during this chaotic phase: our pool.
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.
Milan Cookies
Prep Time: 20 min
Inactive Prep Time: 0 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 0 min
Serves: about 3 dozen cookies
• 12 tablespoons (6 oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 7/8 cup egg whites (from about 6 eggs)
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons lemon extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Cookie filling:
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 orange, zested
• 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.
I LOVE milian cookies. I will be trying these!!!
ReplyDeleteYour milanos look so close to the original! Great job on the challenge
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the pastry tips. 1/3-inch gave you a much thinner and smaller cookie, wheras 1/2-inch or a little more gave you one much closer in appearance to authentic Milanos. If you tried to overpipe using the 1/4-inch tip, you ended up with continent and humpback whale shaped cookies..lol
ReplyDeleteThat said, yours came out gorgeous. They look just like the real Milanos! Awesome job. Now, can I come swimming? :)
They are absolutely delicate and beautiful!
ReplyDeleteNicely done!