Daring Bakers Challenge: Milan Cookies

Haha..I know I'm a bit behind the schedule in posting the daring bakers challenge. Gahh!! Why am I so lazy?!!! So here I am blogging at 5am in the morning after waking up at 3am just to bake Milan Cookies. I missed last month's challenge and I cannot miss the July challenge too. Next time, I really must bake ahead of time.

Isn't it ironic that I blog more when I don't have internet at home and I blog less when I have already have broadband at home? It should be the other way around. I don't know why I'm so d**n lazy. All these internet technologies feels like homework to me. I have to update facebook..I have to update twitter..and my poor, poor blog..I think she is dying from neglect. And not to mention my friendster account..I think it's dead already..*sigh*

Anyhow, back to the challenge. I decided to bake Milan Cookies only. Nicole did mention I can either do both recipes or just choose one. I'm not in the mood to make my own marshmallows. Too much work..haha..

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
Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network website

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 30 mins
Serves: about 18 cookies (I halved the recipe)

3 oz unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
egg white from 2 large eggs
1 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoons lemon extract (I didn't have lemon extract so I used orange extract instead)
1 cup all purpose flour
• Cookie filling, recipe follows

Cookie filling:
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 4oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 orange, zested

Directions:

1. Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl.

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.

The first batch was very runny and the result was a disaster. I was cursing to myself thinking..here I am baking in the wee hours of the morning and aarrgghhh!!!

The recipe needs 3/4 cup flour but I added another 1/4 cup to make the batter thicker. Thank God that worked!!

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. Grate the orange zest.

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

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. Repeat with the remainder of the cookies.

This cookie has a very strong orange flavour. It's not really my favourite but delicious nonetheless.

July challenge done!! Hip Hip Hooray!!

Recipe from Phat-Baker