July Daring Bakers ~ Milan Cookies

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. We were given the options to make either, or both cookies. I chose to make the Milan cookies as my husband and I are big fans of Pepperidge Farm Milano brand cookies!

I almost didn't complete this month's challenge as I don't have air conditioning in my kitchen, so when the weather is hot and humid I try to barbecue outside as much as possible. I saw everyone's completed challenges today, however, and I decided I couldn't resist baking at least one batch!

The heat and humidity did give me a few problems, as my batter was very soupy at first since the butter had almost melted, and I had to add a little more flour to the batter and then chill it so it would allow me to pipe it onto my cookies sheets. The chocolate filling also stayed melted like water, probably because of the heat, and therefore was messy to work with. But the finished cookies were delicious, and my husband declared them "addictive," so I guess I'll save this recipe for repeat performances.

Be sure to check some other Daring Bakers challenge results at the blogroll link here to see both of the July challenge cookies made to perfection!

Milan Cookies Recipe

~courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network website

Prep Time: 20 min

Inactive Prep Time: 0 min

Cook Time: 1 hr 0 min

Serves: about 3 dozen cookies

Cookie dough:

• 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.

Enjoy!

To learn more about The Daring Kitchen and to join in future Daring Bakers or Daring Cooks challenges please visit the wonderful website!